Stress is part of our daily lives. We experience it at school, work, and in our free time. It can be caused by a number of reasons and can take different forms depending on the person. A little bit of stress is normal and can be motivational in the long run. However, when it stays for too long it may harm our mind and body. 

Long-term stress can also be easily confused with depression disorder, a serious medical illness which affects the way we act, think, and feel. If you experience stress for a long time you may ask yourself ‘Am I stressed or depressed?’. 

Difference between stress and depression is what we are going to discuss today. We prepared for you a special quiz which will tell you if you are depressed or experience too much stress for too long. 

So which one is it? Are you stressed or depressed? Don’t ask yourself this question anymore and solve our quiz, where we analyze 20 different factors, allowing us to accurately predict the state of your psyche. We wish you fast recovery!

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Understanding Stress

Stress is considered any change that causes psychological, emotional, or physical strain in our bodies. It’s a mechanism formed according to the evolution laws; its task is to get your attention when something dangerous (or requiring your attention) is happening. In short, it improves our chances of survival. Without stress, our behaviors would be reckless and dangerous. Because we wouldn’t respond to threats accordingly, our chances of survival wouldn’t drop drastically.

However, too much stress is nothing good. It lowers the quality of lives, dulls cognitive and physical performance, and makes us unhappy as a result. If increased levels of stress sustain for too long, we can develop serious illnesses which can be difficult to treat. One of them is depression disorder we will discuss in the below paragraphs.       

Signs And Symptoms Of Stress

Telling the difference between being stressed and depressed is not an easy task, but certainly possible. The most important step in differentiating stress from depression disorder is by comparing their common signs and symptoms. The list below consists of physical and psychological symptoms caused by too much stress. Take a look and see if this applies to you.

Physical symptoms

• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Problems with sleep
• Getting sick more often
• High blood pressure 
• Chest pains 
• Digestive problems
• Headaches and muscle aches
• Low performance during sex
• Jaw clenching and muscle tension
• Weakened immune system
• Emotional And Psychological Symptoms
• Difficulty concentrating
• Problems with finishing tasks
• Worrying too much
• Eating too much or too less
• Problems with making decisions
• Getting angry or irritated more than before
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Pessimistic attitude
• Need to be alone
• Anxiety and nervousness

Behavioral Changes

There are some unhealthy habits we can develop as a way to deal with too much stress. People who don’t seek professional help may fall into a trap of dangerous addictions and worsen the state of their mind and body. Here are some of the most common unhealthy ways to cope with stress. Make sure to avoid the behaviors below or you will make your condition even worse! 

• Drinking too much alcohol or more often than before
• Eating too much sweets or salty snacks
• Smoking and abusing drugs
• Engaging in compulsive shopping
• Spending too much time browsing the internet, playing video games, watching movies etc.
• Gambling

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What Is Depression?

Unlike stress, depression is a disorder, or a mental condition, which heavily impacts one’s daily life, making it difficult to carry out even simple tasks. Its main characteristics are the overwhelming feeling of sadness and loss of motivation for hobbies and favorite activities. 

Another difference is that an ill person needs to be diagnosed by a medical professional in order to be called ‘depressed’. The state of being depressed can occur even if someone wasn’t exposed to high levels of stress. It is possible to have depression even if everything seemed fine before. 

Signs And Symptoms Of Depression

Although there are some similarities between being stressed and depression, most of the symptoms are more extreme versions of stress symptoms. Depression disorder also involves many more signs and symptoms which are not common for someone with increased stress levels. Have a peek at the list below to understand differences between these two conditions.

• Restlessness, anxiety and agitation
• Lack of energy
• Feeling too tired to do even little tasks
• Sleeping too much or too less
• Suicidal thoughts or suicidal attempts
• Frequent thoughts of death
• Feeling sad, hopeless, and empty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating, and making decisions
• Problems with memory
• Weight loss due to the reduced appetite
• Loss of motivation and interest in doing various activities 
• Sudden physical problems such as headaches or back pain
• Difficulty to speak clearly
• Feeling guilty
• Low self-worth and confidence
• Low sex drive
• Avoiding social gatherings
• Sudden need to cry
• Abusing alcohol or other substances
• Emotional outbursts

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Am I Stressed Or Depressed? Free Quiz Online

Do you have depression disorder or experience a lot of stress in your daily life? It’s time you solve this dilemma. Answer 20 questions and learn which one it is.

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