I’ve been trying to work out whether my low mood is coming from anxiety or just being under too much stress. Some days I feel flat and unmotivated, but my mind is still racing through every possible problem. Other days I’m mostly tense and irritable, especially after a poor night’s sleep, and then I feel guilty for not handling things better.
I remember having a week where I kept cancelling small plans because everything felt like effort. Nothing especially bad had happened, but I was constantly checking messages, worrying about work, and lying awake making mental lists. Once things settled down, my mood lifted a little, though not completely.
How do you tell when low mood is mainly linked to anxiety or stress?
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The constant message checking and mental lists sound familiar to me. I had a stretch where I kept refreshing work email late at night, then felt too drained to do anything the next day. The low mood eased a bit once I stopped feeding that cycle.
I try to look at what changes when I sleep properly and get some space from the pressure. If the racing thoughts and physical tension settle, stress or anxiety may be playing a big part, though I don’t think it has to be one or the other. Feeling guilty about struggling usually just adds another layer.
The part about lying awake making mental lists stands out to me. I’ve had periods where my mood seemed low, but the real clue was that my brain never got a proper pause. Even small decisions felt exhausting because I was already carrying ten other thoughts.
I’ve found it useful to notice what happens after a few decent nights of sleep and less checking. If the tension eases but the flat feeling stays, I take that more seriously instead of blaming myself for not coping well enough.