AM I STRESSED, ANXIOUS OR NERVOUS? (QUICK CHECKLIST)

It’s really hard to know the difference between stress, anxiety and nervousness, unless you know exactly what each one means. They definitely can feel very much alike. Each one can be handled differently, so knowing which one you’re feeling is important. Let’s find out what each one truly is and a quick checklist to now if this is what you’re experiencing.

AM I NERVOUS?

According to Healthline, nervousness is a natural response to a stressful event. It’s temporary and resolves once the stress has passed. It can be controlled, even if you’re someone who is more prone to nervous feelings. Examples of feeling nervous are a job interview, starting something new, doing something new (cooking your first dinner for family or friends).

Signs you feel nervous:

•  My heart is beating faster
•  I feel restless
•  I’m breathing more quickly
•  I feel butterflies in my stomach
•  I feel a little shaky
•  Sweaty palms
•  Not as confident or feeling doubt

AM I STRESSED?

According to the American Psychological Association, stress is typically caused by an external trigger. The trigger can be short-term, such as a work deadline or a fight with a loved one or long-term, such as being unable to work, discrimination, or chronic illness. People under stress experience mental and physical symptoms.

Signs you may be stressed:

•  I’m feeling irritable
•  I’m feeling anger
•  I’m feeling fatigued
•  I have muscle pain or headaches
•  I have digestive troubles
•  I’m having difficulty sleeping
•  It’s hard for me to focus and/or concentrate
•  I feel overwhelmed
•  I keep getting sick

AM I ANXIOUS?

Anxiety is defined by persistent, excessive worries that don’t go away even in the absence of a stressor. In other words, it is fear or worry of something that is not happening or has not happened yet. Excessive worrying about the “what ifs” or the “worst case scenario”.

Signs you may be anxious:

•  My heart is beating faster
•  I feel restless
•  I’m breathing more quickly
•  I feel butterflies in my stomach
•  I’m feeling irritable
•  I’m feeling anger
•  I’m feeling fatigued
•  I have muscle pain or headaches
•  I have digestive troubles
•  I’m having difficulty sleeping
•  It’s hard for me to focus and/or concentrate
•  I feel overwhelmed

NOW WHAT?

All three of these trigger our “fight or flight” response. Therefore, they can have similar symptoms, especially stress and anxiety. You can even experience all three at the same time. Not a fun circumstance to be in. Fortunately, when you have mild symptoms of any of these they can be managed with techniques that help lower our adrenaline, so we don’t feel that “fight or flight” reaction.

If you are feeling a lot of these symptoms to a large or debilitating degree, seek help with your medical professional for advice and immediate assistance. It’s very important to not let the symptoms continue to build up and to get some relief. The longer you experience it the more likely that it has started to have an affect on your health and wellbeing.

This website and others have many ways you can manage stress, which also helps with nervousness and mild anxiety. Take a look at some of the techniques and start trying some of them to see what works best for you. The majority are easy and start working quickly to reduce the symptoms you’re feeling. Best of all, they are free!

Speaking of free, here is a link to download this checklist for free and use it as many times as you want https://still-band-89272.myflodesk.com/sa30zem14s

Here’s to you feeling better! ❤️

RECOMMENDED READ:

Why You Should Reduce Your Stress