How Do I Know if It’s Anxiety or Just Stress?

Stress is part of life — deadlines, responsibilities, and changes can make anyone feel tense. But when worry starts to interfere with your sleep, your focus, or your ability to enjoy daily life, it may be something more: an anxiety disorder.

The difference between stress and anxiety often comes down to duration and intensity. Stress is typically tied to a specific situation and eases when that event passes. Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, can create persistent fear or worry, even when there is no clear trigger.

Some signs it may be anxiety include:

• Ongoing tension that lasts weeks or months
• Difficulty controlling worry
• Physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath
• Avoiding situations out of fear
• Trouble relaxing, even in safe environments

If you recognize yourself in these patterns, know this: anxiety is treatable. Through evidence-based interventions, medication management, and supportive strategies, clients can find relief and resilience.

At Sacred Rose, we provide compassionate, personalized care for anxiety disorders of all types. You don’t have to live in constant worry.

Ready to take the next step? Book an appointment or visit our Anxiety Disorders page to learn more about treatment options.