I Have Too Many Problems to Deal With
Stress, anxiety and low mood can overlap so much that it is difficult to know which word fits.
Stress, anxiety and low mood can overlap so much that it is difficult to know which word fits.
You might be worried and exhausted. You might feel low because you have been under pressure for months. Poor sleep can make everything worse. A practical problem can trigger anxiety, which then affects concentration and confidence.
The label matters less at first than understanding the pattern and its effect on your life.
Stress often has a pressure attached to it
Stress commonly develops when demands feel greater than your ability or resources to manage them.
Workload, caring, money, relationship problems, illness and major changes can all contribute.
You may feel tense, impatient, mentally overloaded or unable to switch off. Removing or reducing the pressure may help, although long-running stress can continue affecting you even when the immediate problem changes.
Anxiety can continue beyond the immediate problem
Anxiety involves fear, worry or a sense that something bad may happen.
There may be a clear trigger, or the worry may jump between subjects. Some people notice racing thoughts, physical tension, a pounding heart, nausea or avoidance.
NHS guidance recognises many possible causes of anxiety and notes that the experience differs between people.
Low mood can change interest, energy and motivation
Low mood can involve sadness, emptiness, irritability, reduced enjoyment, low confidence or difficulty motivating yourself.
A difficult event may be behind it, but there does not always have to be an obvious cause.
The NHS advises speaking to a GP if low mood lasts more than two weeks, you are struggling to cope or things you are trying yourself are not helping.
You can experience more than one at once
These are not separate boxes.
Financial pressure can create stress. Stress can disturb sleep. Poor sleep can increase anxiety. Months of worry and exhaustion can leave you feeling low.
Trying to decide which single word is “correct” can become another source of worry.
Ask what is having the biggest effect
Rather than diagnosing yourself, ask:
What happens most often?
What stops me doing things?
What affects my work or relationships?
What is disrupting sleep?
What feels hardest to manage?
That can point towards the first guide, conversation or source of support to use.
When to get professional help
If feelings are persistent, worsening or interfering with everyday life, professional support may help.
NHS Talking Therapies in England supports a range of anxiety and depression-related difficulties and accepts self-referrals. A GP can be particularly useful when you are unsure what is happening, have physical symptoms as well, or need help considering the wider picture.
Last reviewed
6 September 2026
Important informationThis guide provides general information only and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional healthcare advice. If difficulties with your mental health are persistent, worsening or affecting everyday life, consider speaking to your GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.