
For example, it may inspire you to meet a deadline, or it may cause you to lose sleep.īoth stress and anxiety can affect your mind and body. Goes away once the situation is resolved.Generally is a response to an external cause, such as taking a big test or arguing with a friend.So, how do you know when to seek help? Stress vs.

You also may be at higher risk for developing a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression. You could experience problems with sleeping, or with your immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. If that anxiety doesn’t go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health. What is anxiety? Anxiety is your body's reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time. What is stress? Stress is the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot of homework or having an illness. Life can be stressful-you may feel stressed about performance at school, traumatic events (such as a pandemic, a natural disaster, or an act of violence), or a life change. View the related infographic to share this information on social media.įeeling overwhelmed? Read this fact sheet to learn whether it’s stress or anxiety, and what you can do to cope.

