When the game is coming to crunch time is it always easier to play with a lead than to be from behind?

Obviously when you're behind you need to catch up. Still, I feel it's a mental thing where if you're up 4-10 points with like 5 minutes left it feels easier to play without thinking too much. If you're down 2-6 points with a few minutes I feel you think more about every possession and can get more desperate causing you to make mistakes.

Even if it's only a 1-3 point game with less than a minute I feel you have more confidence being the team up even if you can potentially lose still. I think the best can stay calm in these situations but I notice there's a psychological impact when you're up vs. down.