Common Characteristics of Stress and Anxiety

Stress

• Stress is defined as an organism's total response to environmental demands or pressures.
• The causes of stress can include any event or occurrence that a person considers a threat to his or her coping strategies or resources.
• Researchers generally agree that a certain degree of stress is to be expected; however, when unchecked, stress can become a serious problem causing major damage to a person’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
• Medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related

Anxiety

• Anxiety is a normal reaction to many different kinds of events and situations in our lives.
• Anxiety is one of our internal warning systems that alerts us to dangers or threats and prepares our bodies to fight back or get out of a dangerous situation. (Flight, fight or freeze response)
• Anxiety sometimes leads to a panic attack, a sudden feeling of acute and disabling anxiety.
• There is a difference between a panic attack and an anxiety disorder.
• An anxiety disorder is a mental health issue when it is overwhelming or unmanageable and it comes up unexpectedly. An anxiety disorder is a mental health issue which should be addressed by contacting a physician and a counselor.

‍