Stress and Anxiety: the two words get used interchangeably, but they name different things — and understanding the difference can change how you relate to your body, your thoughts, and your inner world.

The short version: stress is situational; anxiety is anticipatory. Stress is a pressure; anxiety...

Some anxiety gets rewarded. It looks like drive, perfectionism, responsiveness, ambition. In high-achieving environments it gets relabeled as leadership, initiative, and excellence. But under the surface, a great many high-functioning people are running on panic. Their accomplishments are a social...

There are two very different ways to explain anxiety, and each is partly right. One says anxiety is about the future — the mind bracing against a threat that hasn't arrived. The other says anxiety is about the present — a way of not feeling something that is already here. These are usually presented...