Is it Anxiety, Stress, or Burnout?

Anxiety, stress, and burnout are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct experiences. Understanding the differences can help you take the right steps toward relief.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a mental health condition marked by persistent and often irrational worry. It’s more than just feeling nervous—it’s a state of heightened fear and unease, even when there’s no immediate danger. Common signs include:

• Racing thoughts that won’t shut off

• A constant sense of impending doom, as if something will inevitably go wrong

• Physical symptoms like restlessness, tension, or trouble sleeping

Stress

Stress is a response to external pressures and occurs when you're at or beyond your capacity to manage responsibilities. It can stem from work, relationships, financial obligations, and societal expectations. While short-term stress is normal, chronic stress—when it recurs frequently or never seems to ease—can become overwhelming.

Burnout

Burnout results from prolonged stress and/or anxiety. It often mirrors depression, as the things you once enjoyed feel meaningless, life starts to feel like a never-ending grind, and hope for change seems out of reach. Over time, burnout fuels avoidance: the more overwhelmed you feel, the more you withdraw. But avoiding responsibilities only makes them pile up, deepening the cycle.

The burnout cycle follows a pattern:
➡ Feelings of overwhelm → Avoidance → Temporary relief → Feelings return → Increased avoidance

Without intervention, this spiral can quickly take over your life.

Break Free from the Burnout Cycle

If stress and anxiety are weighing you down, you don’t have to face it alone. Burnout doesn’t have to define you—there’s a way forward. Book a session today and start feeling like yourself again.

-Brenton Love, AMFT

(657) 201-9916

Therapy for Men, brentonlovetherapy.com