Stress and anxiety do not necessarily mean the same thing. Stress can be associated with a feeling of frustration, anger, and anxiety; it could be the stress of having a heavy workload, or the need to meet a deadline and more. What is stressful for one person may not have to be stressful for another; although there are certain stressful life situations that generally pose stress for everyone such situations as a house fire or home invasion, for example, other situations are more specific to the individual and his or her level of tolerance.

On the other hand, anxiety is often associated with apprehension and fear. Some times the individual is aware of the cause for anxiety and sometimes it is a generalized feeling and does not seem to be triggered by any single event. Again like, stress anxiety can be triggered by different stimuli. Some individuals may have a predisposition to be more anxious than the average person. Both stress and anxiety can be depressions symptoms.

Stress and Anxiety Management UF

Stress in and of itself is a healthy response and can be a great motivator for humans to get done the things that need to be done in life. It is only when stress levels climb to the point that the person becomes ill in some way that it is no longer healthy. Stress can cause infections, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart trouble as well as a depressive disorder. Stress can also cause unwanted behaviours such as drug and alcohol abuse or overeating.

Anxiety symptoms will include physical symptoms as shaking or twitching, headaches and muscle tension, sweating, dry mouth and difficulty swallowing, and pain in the abdominal area (especially prevalent among children). There are a host of other symptoms as well such as dizziness, fatigue, frequent urination and diarrhoea, rapid breathing, trouble sleeping, poor concentration and sexual problems. Stress and anxiety often accompany each other. There is a group of anxiety disorders which are results of uncontrolled stress and anxiety, specifically generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social and specific phobias. Stress and anxiety can also lead a person to depression when that person is forever worrying about how bad life can be.

The causes for stress and anxiety can be chemically induced, both recreational and prescribed medication can contribute. These drugs are ADHD medications, alcohol, amphetamines, asthma medication, cold remedies, decongestants, thyroid medication, caffeine, nicotine, diet pills and cocaine. Depression drugs such as tricyclic antidepressants may also cause anxiety l.

Other factors such as a poor diet or low levels of vitamin b12 can be a cause for stress and anxiety . Or, certain specific events, such as taking a test (test anxiety), having sexual relationships, or doing a presentation can lead to performance anxiety. A very severe type of anxiety disorder is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. This type of anxiety develops because of the stress of war, rape, or something extremely traumatic. Panic disorder is another anxiety disorder which is often the cause of this disorder is undetermined, other times sufferers do know the triggers for their panic attacks. In rare situations, a tumour on the adrenal gland which is responsible for our fight or flight response can be the underlying cause.

Getting to the bottom of the anxiety in order to cure it, is the best approach. Try to figure out what could be causing your stress and anxiety, what is worrying you, what is troubling your mind, what are you depressed about? Keeping a diary is helpful especially when you share these thoughts with a health care professional. You can even start by talking to family and friends, or your local minister, sometimes that is enough, if not then a visit to therapist or physician is the next step to take to help you cope with your life situation and relieve your stress and anxiety.