EMDR Therapy Phoenix 101 - Anxiety vs. Stress and Ways to Manage Both

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Understanding What Makes Anxiety and Stress Similar and Different

Anxiety and stress are two words often used interchangeably, yet they’re not quite the same. If you’ve ever felt like a deer caught in headlights when deadlines loom or your mind races over what-ifs at 2 AM, you are not alone. Understanding the nuances between anxiety and stress can be the first step toward managing them effectively. Oh, and before I forget, my name is Kandace Ledergerber. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and EMDR therapy provider in Phoenix, Arizona. I specialize in working with anxious overachievers who have experienced trauma and are ready to stop allowing the past trauma to rule their lives. But enough about me - Let’s dive into the differences, similarities, and how you can tackle both anxiety and stress, especially if you're dealing with past trauma.

The Basics: Anxiety vs. Stress

Stress is typically a response to an external trigger. It could be a looming work deadline, a fight with a friend, or even positive events like moving to a new city, getting married or finally starting the job you’ve been dreaming of. Stress is your body's way of reacting to any demand or threat. When you feel stressed, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, prepping you for the infamous fight-or-flight response.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is more of a persistent feeling of apprehension or dread, often without a clear or immediate threat. It's like your mind and body are stuck in a state of heightened alertness, even when there’s no obvious reason to be. Anxiety can be a stress response, but it can also exist without any external stressors. In my experience as a an EMDR therapist, I often find these feelings of anxiety are the body’s defense mechanism from past trauma and experiences that have taught us there is a need to be anxious (even if there is not).

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Similarities and Differences

Similarities

1. Physical Symptoms: Both can increase our heart rate, result in muscle tension, and fatigue.

2. Impact on Daily Life: Both can interfere with our ability to function effectively, affecting our sleep, work, and relationships with others.

3. Mind-Body Connection: Both highlight the close connection between mental and physical health.

Differences

1. Duration: Stress is often short-term and linked to a specific situation, whereas anxiety can be long-term and persist even after the initial stressor is gone.

2. Trigger: Stress usually has an identifiable cause, while anxiety can be more generalized and sometimes seemingly without cause.

3. Emotional Experience: Stress often makes you feel overwhelmed or pressured, while anxiety brings a sense of fear or worry, even if it’s not always clear what you’re worried about.

Recognizing Anxiety vs. Stress

To manage these feelings, it’s essential to recognize them. Here are some ways we can do that:

Stress: You might feel overwhelmed, irritable, or angry. Physically, you could experience headaches, muscle tension, or digestive issues. Stress often feels tied to a specific task or event.

Anxiety: This might manifest as excessive worrying, restlessness, or feeling on edge. Physically, it can include symptoms like sweating, trembling, or feeling dizzy. Anxiety feels more pervasive and less tied to a specific cause.

In either case, it’s often easiest to locate when the body is having a response and then recognizing what happened before that response started. Was there a trigger to that stress or anxiety that you can find the root of? Sometimes finding the root cause can be difficult, especially if your body is reacting out of survival. Take some time to regulate your nervous system, come back to your body, recognize what you are feeling and focus on inhaling for a count of 4 and exhaling for a count of 4 until you feel your body regulating.

The Impact of Trauma

Trauma, whether big T (like abuse, accidents, or natural disasters) or little t (like ongoing bullying or chronic stress), can profoundly impact how we experience stress and anxiety, how we are able to naturally regulate our nervous system and our survival mechanisms.

Big T Trauma: Major traumatic events can cause severe and lasting anxiety disorders, including PTSD. This type of trauma can make your fight-or-flight response go haywire, leading to heightened anxiety and stress levels even in seemingly safe situations.

Little t Trauma: Smaller, chronic stressors can accumulate over time, leading to significant emotional and psychological distress. This type of trauma can also sensitize you to stress, making everyday challenges feel overwhelming and triggering anxiety.

It is SO important to note that these are our bodies way of reacting to the stress or trauma that we had no choice in. Too many people that I meet and get the chance to talk with say “Why am I like this” and feel blame and shame over their responses to trauma. Our responses to trauma are a very typical way of responding to very abnormal events. No one wakes up one day and decides they are going to go through something traumatic, it just happens, and it is not your fault.

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Managing Stress and Anxiety with EMDR Therapy Phoenix

Now, let’s get to the good stuff—how to manage these feelings effectively. None of these are a one-size fits all magic wand and unfortunately do take daily work and effort to execute, which I know is not the most fun thing in the world. But here’s the thing, our bodies and brains have the reactions they do because that neural pathway was built in our brain over time, it will equally so take time and vigilance in using any technique to see a difference in either stress, anxiety or trauma responses.

1. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Practices like meditation, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation can help calm your mind and body. It’s like hitting the reset button on your stress response. If you’re not much of a meditator, try a breathing practice. Breathe in for a count of 5, hold the breath for a count of 3 and then exhale for a long count of 7 and repeat that 10 times and see how your body feels differently.

2. Physical Activity: Regular exercise is a fantastic way to burn off excess adrenaline and release endorphins, the body’s natural stress relievers. Exercise does not have to be dreaded time on the treadmill, it could be a walk in nature or loading up a dance video on YouTube. You get decide how to move your body and what feels comfortable to you. Find something that gives you a feeling of joy that you connect with and focus on that.

3. Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and avoiding excessive caffeine and alcohol can help keep your stress and anxiety levels in check. Because let’s be real, running on three hours of sleep and five cups of coffee isn’t doing anyone any favors. This can be a tough one for many of us but is so incredibly important. Focus on one healthy goal at a time, make it small and achievable and keep working to build it up. This also gives your brain that added dopamine kick!

4. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Sometimes, we need a little extra help, and that’s okay. Therapies like EMDR can be incredibly effective for those dealing with trauma-related anxiety and stress. EMDR can help the brain and body process past traumas that it didn’t get to in the present moment because you were focused on surviving. If you’re curious to learn more about what EMDR therapy is or how it works, check out this blog.

5. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This type of therapy helps you identify and change negative thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and stress. Think of it as reprogramming your mental software. It can be helpful when you feel like you are not overly dysregulated and just need someone to help you challenge the thought patterns that are running the show.

6. Support Systems: Don’t underestimate the power of a good chat with friends or family. Sharing your feelings with someone who understands can be incredibly comforting. I will stress that it does need to be someone you feel like you can trust and be comfortable with. Going to that toxic co-worker or friend is the last thing you need when you’re going through something. Reach out to a trusted individual or find a therapist you click with.

The Role of EMDR Therapy Phoenix

EMDR Therapy has been a game-changer for many people struggling with anxiety and stress related to trauma. This therapy involves recalling distressing events while receiving bilateral sensory input, like side-to-side eye movements, tapping or tones. It sounds a bit sci-fi, but it’s backed by research and has shown to be highly effective, especially for those who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This modality mimics the REM sleep we get each night that helps our brains and bodies to naturally process the emotions and stressors from the day. When we go through something traumatic or stressful though, our brains and bodies aren’t worried about processing and storing the information effectively, they are just worried about surviving. EMDR therapy gives trauma survivors the chance to form resources they can use when faced with a trigger during the week while also working towards re-processing trauma that has been running in the back of their minds for all too long. The EMDR therapy process helps you reprocess traumatic memories so they’re less intense and disruptive. It’s like tidying up your mental closet, so those old memories don’t keep tripping you up.

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Final Thoughts

Whether it’s stress from your daily grind or anxiety stemming from deeper issues, remember that you’re not alone, and there are effective ways to manage these feelings. By understanding the differences between stress and anxiety, recognizing how trauma impacts them, and exploring treatments like EMDR Therapy Phoenix, you can find a path to greater peace and resilience.

So, take a deep breath, give yourself a break, and know that help is out there. Whether it’s through professional therapy or just a good laugh with friends, you’ve got this. And if you’re in the Phoenix area and are looking for EMDR therapy, you can book a free 15-minute consultation where we can chat and discuss if I’m the right fit for what you’re looking for in your healing journey.