Stress, Anxiety, and Depression – What’s the Difference?

Knowing the terms of these types of moods may seem irrelevant but these are vital parts of your health that can effect and interfere with your learning and education. In most cases, it can be a simple emotion of stress but that can easily take a turn for the worst . Knowing what your emotions/ feelings and their limitations before it manifests will make your ride through life much easier. Here are the difference in symptoms: (remembering, everyone has their own symptoms.)

http://www.mindset-habits.com/stress-anxiety-and-depression/

Stress, What is it?
Stress is an everyday part of our lives and a normal reaction to a situation where you feel under pressure. It’s part of our primal “fight or flight” response and is intended to keep us safe and alive. These days we don’t need to outrun animals that are trying to kill us like our primitive ancestors probably had to, but the response to stressful situations still creates similar feelings and chemical reactions in our bodies and brains.
Examples:
Some other examples of stress are – trouble meeting work deadlines, public speaking, sitting exams, worry over loved ones etc. Sometimes the stressors come from an outside source (like being stuck in traffic or coping with annoying co-workers) and sometimes they are internal (brought about by an overly active imagination or irrational thinking).

Anxiety, What is it?
Anxiety, however, is still having those feelings of stress long after the actual offending event has passed. This constant feeling of being stressed, even though there no longer exists an imminent stressful situation you have to deal with, is what is classed as anxiety. These feelings sit just under the surface and manifest themselves in you as a continuous daily uneasiness, apprehension, or fearful feeling in the pit of your stomach or chest, particularly when you’re placed constantly in similar situations or have the fear of doing so.

Examples:
A constant worry over finances is a good example of everyday worry that many people carry around with them, and one that bubbles away just under the surface. Over time this stress seats itself in as anxiety.

While money worries is a common concern it is by no means the only one. Worry over loved ones, friendships, bullies, job pressures, a tyrant of a boss, etc, are all examples of ongoing stressed feelings that’s classed as anxiety. The anxious feelings can be a daily constant one or come on for no apparent reason, such as in panic attacks.

Depression, What is it?
Depression is more than just feeling down. I used to suffer with depression for many years and it’s a debilitating and horrible place to be – very dark and lonely, interspersed with feelings of hopelessness and thoughts of not wanting to continue.

While it’s not a very nice subject to talk about, too many people suffer in silence with this. Even if you haven’t suffered from deep depression as I have, you no doubt would have felt what a low mood is like.

Depression, however, is more than just a low mood. While nearly all of us will feel sad, moody, or down from time to time, people who are depressed have these feelings much more intensely and for longer periods of time, often for weeks, months, and even years. They find it hard to function every day and its as if the enjoyment has been sucked out of their life.

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses we have in society today, and it has been estimated that one in five people will experience it at some stage in their life.

Dealing with Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
While this is by no means a comprehensive and complete explanation of the differences between stress, anxiety, and depression, it does give you some idea of how they relate.

One of the important discoveries I made that helped me a lot, was this …

Stress is usually a precursor to anxiety, and anxiety is usually a precursor to depression.
What that means is that if you are under stress, if you don’t find ways to release the feelings of stress after the event has passed or learn techniques to cope when under stress, then that underlying worry you carry around with you is likely to be ingrained as anxiety. And then if you suffer from constant anxiety for too long, chances are that you could slip into depression a lot easier. And this often becomes a vicious cycle that is hard to drag yourself out of.

What’s the answer? Learn how to deal with stress and anxiety early on in the cycle and find effective ways to release those feelings. If not, once they have a hold they can affect your happiness and enjoyment of life in very subtle but often destructive ways, just like an insidious virus.

There are quite a few ways to release stress, anxiety, and worry so you can get back to enjoying life, and we’ll explore as many as we can in future articles. There is no one-way that will suit everyone, however, as I found what works for me may not necessarily work for someone else. So that’s why I’ll try to cover as many as I can so you can choose what works for you and apply it.

 

Here are some points about Stress and Depression that will clearly layout the difference in them.

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/stressed-or-depressed-know-difference

STRESS!
Common Signs of Stress

Stress is good if it motivates you but it's bad if it wears you down. Many factors can contribute to the stress you experience, and this stress can cause changes in your body that affect your overall physical, mental, and emotional health.

• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Problems with memory
• Problems concentrating
• Change in eating habits
• Feeling nervous or anxious
• Feeling angry, irritable or easily frustrated
• Feeling burned out from studying or schoolwork
• Feeling that you can't overcome difficulties in your life
• Trouble functioning in class or in your personal life

ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN:

Reducing Stress
If you are stressed out, there are many good ways to get relief. Drinking or taking drugs however, won't solve anything and can lead to more problems. Here are some constructive choices:

Make a plan. Figure out what is really causing the stress. Think of as many possible causes as you can, and write them down. Now brainstorm for solutions that will reduce the stress, and commit them to paper. A trusted friend, family member or school counselor may be able to offer some good ideas as well. Now choose a few solutions to start tackling the issues. If they are complicated, break them down in to manageable chunks. Then give your plan a try. If one particular solution doesn't help, try another one. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. It's all a part of the process.

Get the stress out. Remember to take breaks when you feel worried or stuck. Do something relaxing every day. Sing, dance, and laugh--anything to burn off the energy.

Take care of your body. A healthy body can help you manage stress. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep, eat healthy food, stay hydrated and exercise regularly. Go easy on the caffeine. Shorting yourself on sleep, and especially pulling an all-nighter, robs you of energy and your ability to concentrate. A healthy diet improves your ability to learn. Don't skip breakfast.

Don't suffer in silence. Get support, whether from family, friends, your academic advisor, campus counseling center, or a trusted online community. A heart-to-heart talk with someone you trust can help you get rid of toxic feelings and may even give you a fresh perspective.

If these steps don't bring relief, or if you are still unable to cope and feel as if the stress is affecting how you function every day, it could be something more acute and chronic--like depression. Don't let it go unchecked!


DEPRESSION!
Common Signs of Depression
Depression is more serious and long-lasting than stress, and requires a different kind of help. In a 2010 survey by the American College Health Association, 28% of college students reported feeling so depressed at some point they had trouble functioning, and 8% sought treatment for depression

• Withdrawing from other people
• Feeling sad and hopeless
• Lack of energy, enthusiasm and motivation
• Trouble making decisions
• Being restless, agitated and irritable
• Eating more or less than usual
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble with memory
• Feeling bad about yourself or feeling guilty
• Anger and rage
• Feeling that you can't overcome difficulties in your life
• Trouble functioning in your class or in your personal life
• Thoughts of suicide

 

I thought you were the one stressing at first. Sheesh.

 

i have ptsd,Dyslexia

 

so ready has alway been a problem for me

 

Ahh ok, I'll sure to add some tips for that as well as that is another issue people face that's serious.

 

I'm seeing a therapist for my supposed social anxieties (well, and anger issues). My condition isn't as severe as described here, though I have suffered a case of mental breakdown a few years back due to the stress.

Depression also isn't as long-term for me, but I do have my days of existential crisis when I feel empty and lonely.

 

Nah nah... Just helping out as this does interfere with education. It did interfere with Mii but I never wanted help. So I thought I would add this here for others as well.

 

Any form of mental illness cases does not have severe or not. There's just breakdown or cool off well to Mii, that's how I view it. As long as you have a plan with it though. That's good.

 

There's seems to be an issue here, don't take this negatively but I don't think there's anything in regards to hating Skelo. I think what Core was saying was he misread the thread and thought it was aimed at someone in particular stressing rather than an actual help thread for everyone. I don't think his intentions were intended to be negative or hateful.

 

Great post @Kaede.

Mental health is a subject that has long been, and still is, in many cases, stigmatized. Until this century, our advances in the field of mental healthcare have been miniscule, or worse, outright ignorant, reductionistic, and barbarous.

Even today, many therapists, counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental healthcare providers have a "treat 'em and street 'em" approach to a variety of mental health issues, depression in particular, in which a mental healthcare provider takes your money, gives you some pills, and sends you on your way. But, in many cases, we cannot treat mental health issues the same way that we would treat a bacterial infection and expect that a drug will be able to resolve the issue. Instead, it may be far more healthy and beneficial to the affected individual to explore the underlying causes of their issue and attempt to address them.

Of course, I am by no means saying that you should not seek professional aid if you suffer from a mental health issue. All mental healthcare providers are different, just as all medical doctors are different, and, should you determine that you require or would benefit from professional aid, you should "shop around" and find a mental healthcare provider that suits your needs, preferably one that is willing to listen and to work with you. If you determine that medication is right for you, that's fine, but consider exploring other options, first. Some providers might see this as the path of least resistance, and it might be, but, in my experience, medication only serves to mask the problems and has serious drawbacks. Everyone's mental health is, to some degree, unique. The road to addressing mental health issues is long and arduous, but worth traveling. Find what works for you, don't be afraid to seek help, don't be afraid to say "no", and take care of yourself.

I suffer from PTSD and depression, much of which was brought on by military service. I've also suffered from mental and physical abuse as well as several other issues that have also contributed to my mental health issues. I used to regularly suffer from night terrors, which I could not be woken from lest I try to kill whomever tried to wake me. So many times I've wanted to kill myself. When I'm depressed, I can't function. Nothing seems fun, I don't enjoy anything, I feel alone but don't want the company of others, I barely want to get out of bed, I have no energy, I don't want to eat, my body just gives up on living.

For myself, I'm fortunate to have friends with similar experiences. I've also sought professional help, although I had to visit multiple counselors before finding one who could actually help me. I've learned not to hold things in, which is hard for me, and to reach out when I need help. To manage stress, I've learned to plan ahead and take a break when I need it. I no longer look for time for myself, I make time, because I know that if I can't look after myself, who will? I'm not medicated, but I do have a support network of friends and family. After initial months of counseling, I only seek professional help as need be.

If you suffer from a mental health issue, seek help. Even if it's only to determine where to go next.

 

Thanks!
That sounds like you've been through some hardships. Glad you've pulled yourself up, it's good to see people doing something about rather than letting it consume themselves. And spreading it into other people pitifully.

 

no no, it's all good. I just wasn't sure which way that topic was going to go so I thought I would try and solve it before we do end up with a stressful thread.

 

Sorry about that, forgot I couldn't make a whiny voice with text. Completely understandable why @SkeLo reacted.
I've been going to the Deviantart lately, and all too often I see crap threads of people saying "I want to kill myself", "I can't take it anymore", "Depressed and bored", "Everyone should just die", etc. Sheesh, at one time, all of the popular threads that were being featured on the forum homepage were nothing but negative, or negativity related. So seeing a thread about anxiety and depression here had me going for a moment, especially since it was made by a friend and not some random troll wanting sh!ts and giggles from reading the responses.

Skelo could have reacted much worse, like what I've seen on DA. My reason for liking this site so much, the people are certainly worthwhile.

 

I see. That sort of stuff annoys mii as well. The amount of people who abuse these types of illnesses is astonishing... Another reason why I posted this type of thread here as I've seen how this destroys lives and people's education because they abuse it, play on it or not seek help when the times right. I think one person kept walking around saying such negative things about ending her life. People tried to ask her what was wrong but she yelled in their faces. To Mii she seemed like an attention seeker rather than someone with an illness (I call them fakers) which made mii so mad that I nearly hit her with a chair. Not responsible on both the girl and my behalf but it clearly shows the extent people would go to in order to gain attention.
I hope I didn't cause too much of a commotion or anything with this thread Core as I clearly understand.

 

Ugh, I think I'm having a case of anxieties right now. I need my happy pills. It's times like this that I wish I had gotten a prescription from my doctor, despite the side effects.

 

You ok?

 

Yeah, I'm feeling a bit better now. I talked to a bunch of nice people at another anime forum. lol They made me feel better about feeling emotional.