“Oh, I’m so stressed about this upcoming test!”
“Are you nervous about the social presentation?”
“The mandatory immunization shots are giving me anxiety.”
We hear people say those things all the time, but do we truly know the difference between those three seemingly interchangeable words? Are we really using these words correctly?
Perhaps not. Even myself – a clinically diagnosed victim of anxiety – find it difficult to distinguish the exact source that causes my heart to race in my chest, my hands to get cold and sweaty at the same time, and my senses to be hyper aware of my surroundings.
After some research on the internet – a wonderful place to get quick definitions for impatient 21st-century teenagers like me – I’ve gotten a general idea about the differences of these similar emotions.
If you are already bored by this article, here is the only information you need to take away:
Anxiety is a disorder; the other two are not.
Or in other words, anxiety is a psychological condition that can be diagnosed by a mental health professional. The term “disorder” is used to describe anxiety because its symptoms – such as feelings of panic, fear, or uneasiness – are presented in a person persistently for an extended period of time and seriously impair their ability to accomplish regular activities.
On the other hand, stress and nervousness describe similar symptoms as anxiety but are temporary and less troubling for the victim.
Let’s try to further define these terms in a real-life scenario.
You are about to go up to the front of the classroom and give a presentation. You’ve done it before, and you know you will get through it okay. The bubbly feeling in your stomach goes away after your presentation, and you feel so relieved.
This is nervousness that you’re experiencing.
You are about to go up to the front of the classroom to give a presentation, but you are beginning to feel your heart racing, chest tightening, and breath shortening. You’ve done a presentation before, but you are unsure if you’ve done everything right this time. Did you triple-check your grammar? Is all the information that you have correct? Will you pronounce everything clearly? After the presentation is done, you aren’t exactly satisfied with your performance, but you are glad to get it over with. Then you remembered that before every presentation or report, you will feel like this even two weeks before you have to present. However, this feeling goes away once the project is done.
This is stress that you’re experiencing.
You are about to go up to the front of the classroom to give a presentation, but the world is spinning around you. “I can’t do it” is the only thought you have, and it is endlessly repeating in your head. You begin to feel like people are already staring at you, laughing at your mistakes, or not listening to you at all because your presentation is tedious. Your hands get cold and sweaty; your ears are ringing because you haven’t gotten any sleep for the past two nights in anticipation of this moment; you have trouble getting even breaths and a regular heartbeat rhythm; you cannot stop fidgeting – as if keep picking at the dry, dirty gum under the table is going to save you from this; finally, the spinning gets too much, and you begin to feel faint. Somehow, you made it through the presentation, but you can’t remember how it went, or even the act of opening your mouth. All you can see is the “C” on your mark and the concerned look of your teacher.
This is definitely anxiety that you’re experiencing.
Okay, I may have been exaggerating a bit to be able to paint a clearer picture. It is essential to know that everyone experiences these feelings differently, and as long as your condition is preventing you from doing what you need or desire to do, it is time to reach out and find ways of coping.
I did not go into the scientific explanation for anxiety, as it is quite technical and challenging to explain, but I will attach some websites with such information if you are interested in learning about this topic.
Overall, this article serves as a reminder that the three words – stress, nervousness, and anxiety – are different and often incorrectly used. Just because stress and nervousness aren’t diagnosable conditions, it doesn’t mean that you can’t do things to relieve the symptoms. Some common practices of mindfulness – such as taking deep breaths, focusing on something in the present, and meditating – can be helpful for anyone struggling with either stress, nervousness, or anxiety. Hopefully, with the information presented in the article, you will be interested in paying closer attention to how you are truly feeling when your heart begins racing and palms get sweaty. After all, knowing the source of your distress is the first step for overcoming it.
Thank you for reading!
*extra sources of recommended readings*
“Anxiety Vs. Stress Vs. Nervousness: How They Differ, The Symptoms and What To Do”
From: https://www.medicaldaily.com/anxiety-vs-stress-vs-nervousness-how-they-differ-symptoms-and-what-do-410961
“Anxiety Disorders – Symptoms and Causes”
From: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
“Anxiety in Youth”
From: https://www.anxietycanada.com/learn-about-anxiety/anxiety-in-youth/
“Explainer: What is anxiety?”
From: https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/explainer-what-anxiety
Work Cited
Quora Contributor. “Anxiety Vs. Stress Vs. Nervousness: How They Differ, The Symptoms and What To Do”. Medical Daily. 12. Feb. 2017. Web. 29. Apr. 2020. <https://www.medicaldaily.com/anxiety-vs-stress-vs-nervousness-how-they-differ-symptoms-and-what-do-410961>
Stevens, A. Pearce “Stress for success”. Science News for Students. 20. Mar. 2015. Web. 29. Apr. 2020. <https://student.societyforscience.org/article/stress-success>
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