“The seemingly innocent but warning signs of stresscould be as individualized as a fingerprint both inseverity and duration, hence because of the multi-faceted nature of its spectrum, the signs must notbe ignored….Dr Andrew Okpetu”
We all respond to different stressors in varying way that are circumstance,time,region biology or climate-dependent.Hence,our stress encounter may result in a wide spectrum of psychological,physical and behavioural symptoms which may not necessarily indicate the presence illness but rather an adaptive mechanism brought about by the body`s flight-fight-fright response.This also results in spontaneous burst of energy,speed alertness and heart rate as a threat-coping measure.
While stress activates the sympathetic system thereby increasing the levels of stress hormones(cortisol,adrenaline,GH),relaxation stimulates the parasympathetic system which results in decrease in the levels of stress hormones in the blood.
Common physical signs and
symptoms of stress:
- Headaches Palpitations
- Anxious Premenstrual syndrome
- Blaming others Tingling sensation
- Cynical Cluster headache
- Increased heart rate Breathlessness
- Urinary hesitancy Sleeping difficulties
- Dizziness Diarrhoea/constipation
- Dry mouth Excess perspiration
- Dysponesis Chest/jaw/neck tightness
- Increased cold/flu
- Hyperventillating
- Churning stomach
- Impotence
- Weight loss/gain
- Fatigue
Emotional signs and
symptoms of stress:
- Depression Jealousy
- Fussiness Narrowed focus Hostile Catastrophising
- Hypercritical of self Experience opportunities
- Anxiety Withdrawal
- Fear Obsessive rumination
- Irritability Self-deprecation
- Hopelessness Nightmares
- Nervousness Diminished initiation
- Impatience Tendency to cry
- Feeling of failure Over alertness
- Lack of concentration Mind in a whirl
- Excess guilt Tense
- Low self esteem Snappy
- Mood swings
- Negativity
- Pessimism
- Worring a lot
- Frowning
- Lethargy
Behavioural signs and
symptoms of stress:
- Accident prone Poor eye contact
- Nail biting Poor time management
- An eye tic Gambling
- Obsessive dieting Increased smoking
- Pacing the floor Increased caffiene
- Teeth grinding Frowning
- Difficulty relaxing Walking fast
- Agitation Talking fast
- Outburst of anger Substance abuse
- Making mistakes Eating fast
- Eating too much/ too little.
Work-related signs and
symptoms of stress:
- Inefficiency Inablility to delegate
- Persistent lateness Alcohol at lunch time
- Absenteeism Boredom
- Drop in productivity Frustration
- Procrastination Poor communication
Perception and communication are fundamental building blocks to combating stress. Your outlook and how you perceive the world can have profound effect on your stress coping mechanisms. Pay attention to what you say and how you say them. Are negative words dominating your self-talk? That might be wake-up call to seek profesional counselling and help.
When you constantly find yourself in a short fuse and irritated by very small things, it’s time to see your Doctor or Psychologist before it becomes contagious with spiralling effects on your loved ones.
I want to thank the blogger very much not only for this post but also for his all previous efforts. I found stressandhealthguide.com to be very interesting. I will be coming back to stressandhealthguide.com for more information.
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