Stress and anxiety are often paired together when people express their concerns, but recognizing the difference is helpful.  Stress is often caused by an external situation, like dealing with work demands, preparing for a major life adjustment, caring for a family member, or dealing with relational conflict.  With stress, symptoms like irritability, tension, and feeling overwhelmed are likely to decrease with the absence of the stressor.  Whereas with anxiety, the symptoms don’t necessarily go away with the absence of an event.  In fact, they may be triggered at various times without any event occurring.