Stress and anxiety are different from each other, yet the terms are often used interchangeably. Stress is just a synonym for pressure. And pressure is a motivator. Too much of it is overwhelming, but without enough of it you won’t get anything done. Anxiety is very different from stress, in all the worst ways. Anxiety is a false alarm that is set off by anything that you perceive as a threat–and potential threats are all around us if you look for them.