Anxiety or Stress: How Can I Tell?
A guide from Bridget Moore, LCSW. General information, not medical advice.
The Short Answer
Stress and anxiety can overlap, so a checklist cannot tell you exactly what is happening. Stress may connect to a current demand, while anxious thoughts can keep returning even when that demand eases. I pay attention to how the worry affects your day, not just which word you use. You can ask for support without settling the label first.
Notice What Starts the Worry
Think about a recent moment when your body or thoughts felt on alert. Was there a deadline, a hard conversation or uncertainty about the future? I might ask what you expected would happen and what you did next. That gives us something concrete to discuss without deciding from one example that you have a particular condition.
Notice What Keeps It Going
A task may be finished while your mind keeps checking for mistakes. You might replay an email, seek reassurance or imagine the worst possible response. I can help examine that loop and the meaning you give it. The question is how much attention it takes from the rest of your day, not whether the concern sounds reasonable to someone else.
Include the Physical Details
Sleep changes, appetite changes, restlessness or tense muscles can be worth mentioning. These experiences are not proof of an anxiety diagnosis, and physical symptoms can have other explanations. I would want to hear about them alongside your routines and medical history. A medical provider should be involved with new, severe or concerning physical symptoms.
What We Might Do in Session
I might ask you to slow down a recent worried thought and separate what you know from what you predict. With CBT, we can practice a more balanced response to catastrophizing. With ACT, we can discuss a useful action even when discomfort remains. I draw on these approaches without promising that worries will disappear.
I want to know what worry costs you in an ordinary afternoon.
Bridget Moore, LCSWWhen to Reach Out
Contact me when worry is interrupting sleep, relationships, school or work, or when small demands keep leading to withdrawal. You do not need to prove that it is serious enough. We can talk about what is happening and whether my daytime practice fits. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 now, or call 911.
Keep This Guide in Perspective
I wrote this as general information, not medical advice or a way to diagnose yourself. A conversation can account for your history and current circumstances in a way a page cannot. You can bring the exact phrase you have been using, even if it is simply that everything feels harder to switch off lately.
Related Questions
Can Stress and Anxiety Happen Together?
I can explore overlapping pressures and worry with you rather than requiring you to choose just one description.
What if My Life Looks Fine?
I ask how your days actually feel. Meeting responsibilities does not mean worry is taking little effort.
More to Read
All Guides
Talk About the Worry That Stays
Read my Anxiety and Stress page for more on thoughts, overwhelm and practical skills. A free 15-minute consultation lets you describe what you have noticed and ask how I might approach it with you.
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