5th
Are You Stressed? — The Symptoms of Stress
The symptoms of stress are not just simple bouts of headaches that you could just sleep off. They can take their toll on you both physically and emotionally, or your overall health in general. The illnesses that you have been experiencing may just be one of its effects as various conditions are associated with being stressed.
How easily a person get stressed is highly individualized. This means that what is stressful for you is not stressful for me. Individual factors affect this, including our physical health, the quality of our interpersonal relationships, how much commitments and responsibilities we have, the level of expectations that other people have on us, how much support we receive from others, and how many times we have met and experienced changes and traumatic events in our lives.
There is nothing really wrong about stress as long as your body does not have too much of it. What you may not have known is that it is actually one way of your body protecting you from the threat or danger, whether real or imaginary, that you have sensed. However, things can go out of hand if this response is always turned on.
The symptoms of stress include can be physical, emotional, and behavioral. If you experience a couple of them, then you may be overly stressed:
Physical – headaches, back, shoulder or neck pain, upset stomach, constipation, diarrhea, hair loss, muscle tension, fatigue, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, asthma, chest pain, sweaty palms or hand, cold hands or feet, skin problems (hives, eczema, psoriasis, tics, itching), periodontal disease, reproductive problems, immune system suppression, and growth inhibition
Emotional – nervousness, depression, irritability, lack of concentration, memory problems, and seeing only the negative
Behavioral - excessive drinking, increased smoking, substance abuse, overeating, undereating, crying spells, neglecting responsibilities, and social withdrawal
Having the symptoms of stress can be prevented if you just know how to manage the stressors that you face. Be sure that you know what stresses you so that you can avoid or do something about it. Do find time to relax; get a hobby. This way, you can free yourself from your obligations once in a while, enjoy, and recharge. Also, make sure that you eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep at night.
More importantly, think positively and focus on your good qualities and accomplishments. But, be sure that you know your limits and that you set realistic goals.
