How is STRESS affecting you?

Want to know what is Stress?

What makes us stressed?

How to assess yourself if you are going through stress?

 

What is stress?

Stress is our body’s response to pressures from a situation or life event.

What makes us stressed?

There are many things that can lead to stress.

The death of a loved one, separation, losing a job and unexpected money problems to name a few.

But not all life events are negative and even positive life changes, such as moving to a bigger house, gaining a job promotion or going on holiday can be sources of stress.

When we encounter stress, our body is stimulated to produce stress hormones that trigger a 'flight or fight' response and activate our immune system. This helps us to respond quickly to dangerous situations.

Feeling this overwhelming stress for a long period of time is often called chronic or long-term stress, and it can impact both physical and mental health.

How to assess yourself if you are going through stress?

You can see all these 3 types of changes or only of these.

Emotional changes

When you are stressed you may experience many different feelings, including anxiety, fear, anger, sadness, or frustration. These feelings can sometimes feed on each other and produce physical symptoms, making you feel even worse. For some people, stressful life events can contribute to symptoms of depression as well. 

Work-related stress can also have negative impacts on mental health.

Behavioral changes

When you are stressed you may behave differently. For example, you may become withdrawn, indecisive, or inflexible. You may not be able to sleep properly. You may be irritable or tearful. There may be a change in your sexual habits.  Some people may get to smoking, consuming more alcohol, or taking drugs.  Stress can make you feel angrier or more aggressive than normal. Stress may also affect the way you interact with close family and friends.  Behavioral can be noticed by people close to you rather than the person himself/herself.

Bodily changes

When stressed, some people start to experience headaches, nausea, and indigestion. You may breathe more quickly, sweat more, have palpitations, or suffer from various aches and pains.

If you experience stress repeatedly over a prolonged period, you may notice your sleep and memory are affected, your eating habits may change, or you may feel less inclined to exercise. 

Some research has also linked long-term stress to gastrointestinal conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or stomach ulcers as well as conditions like cardiovascular disease. 

Who is affected by stress?

All of us can probably recognize at least some of the feelings described above and may have felt stressed and overwhelmed at some time or another. Some people seem to be more affected by stress than others.

For some people, getting out of the door on time each morning can be a very stressful experience. Whereas others may be able to cope with a great deal of pressure.

Wait for my next blog to understand how to manage stress!!