Anxiety Stress

VS

Stress is a normal reaction to challenging situations happening right now. Things like a tough homework assignment, exams, social events, an argument with a friend, etc.

Stress is your body's way of giving you fuel to get through with the challenge. It can make you feel upset, tired, or even give you a headache or stomachache.

The Difference

Stress is also often temporary and goes away once the situation is resolved. Anxiety is often more intense where you feel worried all the time and affects daily life.

Anxiety can give you the same physical feelings as stress, like trouble sleeping or feeling irritable, but you might also have racing thoughts, or experience panic attacks.

Unsure About  Your Feelings?

Remember... If you're unsure about your feelings, it's important to talk to a parent, or trusted adult or seek help from a counselor who can provide guidance and support.

References American Academy of Pediatrics. (June 2016). American Academy of Pediatrics supports childhood sleep guidelines. https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2016/aap-supports-childhood-sleep-guidelines/ American Psychological Association. (2013). Stress in America™ 2013 highlights: Are teens adopting adults’ stress habits? https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/highlights American Psychological Association. (2018), Stress in America, Generation Z. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2018/stress-gen-z.pdfBeyer, K., Kaltenbach, A., Szabo, A., Bogar, S., Nieto, F., & Malecki, K. (2014). Exposure to neighborhood green space and mental health: Evidence from the survey of the health of Wisconsin. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(3), 3453–3472. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110303453 Bitsko, R. H., Holbrook, J. R., Ghandour, R. M., Blumberg, S. J., Visser, S. N., Perou, R., & Walkup, J. T. (2018). Epidemiology and impact of health care provider–diagnosed anxiety and depression among US children. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 39(5), 395–403. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000571

References National Institute of Mental Health. I’m so stressed out! fact sheet. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/so-stressed-out-fact-sheet#pub3 Smyth, J. M., Johnson, J. A., Auer, B. J., Lehman, E., Talamo, G., & Sciamanna, C.N. (2018). Online positive affect journaling in the improvement of mental distress and well-being in general medical patients with elevated anxiety symptoms: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. JMIR Mental Health, 5(4), Article11290. https://doi.org/10.2196/11290 Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Effective child therapy. https://effectivechildtherapy.org/ Tan, L., & Martin, G. (2015). Taming the adolescent mind: A randomised controlled trial examining clinical efficacy of an adolescent mindfulness‐based group programme. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 20(1), 49–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12057