Everyone feels
stressed at some point. Occasionally, you may feel a higher level of stress
than is common for you. Anxiety or a depressive mood related to high levels of
emotional stress are actually quite normal.What sets standard levels of stress
apart from harmful levels is the way they affect your daily life and the
methods you use to cope with them.By clearly identifying the ways in which you
exhibit emotional stress and using techniques to cope with the sources (work,
school, relationships, etc.), you can deal with the emotional stress present in
your life.
For to
be able to deal with stress, one needs to identify some symptoms, which may
include
1 Look for physical
symptoms. Stress can be incredibly disruptive to your physical
health, as well as your emotional health. In fact, stress places physiological
demands on your body that are called an “allostatic load.” When this load is
too heavy, it can place you at risk for a variety of medical ailments,
including serious diseases like diabetes, depression, heart disease, and
autoimmune disorders.[3] This is part of why it’s so important to keep an
eye on your stress levels; it could be causing physical symptoms that you can’t
otherwise explain and could be damaging your health. Common physical effects of
stress can include:
·
Headache
·
Muscle tension, aches and pains
·
Chest pain
·
Fatigue or exhaustion
·
Alteration of your appetite or sex
drive
·
Upset stomach and nausea
·
Heartburn or acid reflux
·
Difficulty with your bowels
·
Long-term effects of chronic stress
include a weakened immune system, premature aging, increased risk of illness,
hypertension, obesity, diabetes, depression, cognitive impairment, inflammatory
and autoimmune disorders, heart disease, and greater likelihood of developing
illnesses in older age
2 Examine your recent temper. An overload of stress can manifest itself
through a short temper or uncharacteristic difficulty managing anger. Anger (or
extreme irritability) is one of the three primary stress emotions, along with
anxiety and depression. This symptom of emotional distress is
unhealthy for both you and those around you.
·
These changes can also exhibit as rapid changes to your mood—or
mood swings—due to circumstances that wouldn’t typically bother you.
3 Log your sleep
patterns. While
certain symptoms of emotional stress are easily recognizable, other may be less
so. Ongoing sleep disturbances are an indication of stress. You may be sleeping
more or less than usual or having trouble falling or staying asleep when you
try.[9] If you have trouble sleeping more than
one or two nights a week with no identifiable physical reason that your doctor
can determine, then emotional stress is a likely candidate.
·
Chronic tiredness and lethargy are just as often signs of
emotional stressors as an inability to sleep, especially if no other illness
explains your fatigue.[11]
4 Note
changes in your weight or eating habits. If
you find yourself eating more than usual or—alternatively—unable to maintain an
appetite, this is a common sign of emotional distress. You may also notice fluctuations in weight without any
big changes to your diet or exercise routine.
5 Log
patterns of obsessive or compulsive behavior. The
anxiety associated with emotional distress can find an outlet in obsessive
behaviors related to other things. This can range from feeling a compulsion to
wash your hands more often than normal all the way to a constant dread that
something bad is going to happen.
6 Note the quality of your interactions with others. Another common sign of
emotional stress is a change in your social behaviors. This can include
anything from staying in far more often (when you used to be more social) to
noticing a decline in your sex life with your partner.As with most of these
symptoms, you can want to consult your doctor to rule out a potential physical
ailment.
·
You may also see this manifest as
a decline in your work or school performance or with colleagues.
7 Look for signs of depression. Chronic stress, or the
consistent, grinding stress that lasts for an extended period,has been
linked to the development of depression. Studies
have shown that stress can shrink the hippocampus, an area of the brain that
effects short-term memory, learning, and emotional regulation.This can
cause symptoms of depression, which include many of the symptoms mentioned in
this article, such as trouble sleeping, change in appetite, and mood
disruption. Depression is a serious health condition that often gets worse if
left untreated, but it is also highly treatable. You should
talk with a healthcare professional if you display these or other symptoms of
depression, which include:
·
Persistent feelings of sadness,
emptiness, or anxiety
·
Feeling hopeless, worthless, or
helpless
·
Loss of interest in things you
used to enjoy
·
Fatigue or exhaustion
·
Trouble concentrating or making
decisions
·
Changes in appetite, weight, or
sleep
·
Restlessness or irritability
·
Unexplained physical symptoms
·
Thoughts of harm, death, or
suicide. If you are experiencing any thoughts of harm to yourself or others,
call your emergency services
8 Determine your level of functioning. Stress is a natural part of
human life, and minor stress is often unavoidable. You may have a few areas of
dysfunction, such as trouble sleeping or irritability, but not feel unable to
cope. However, if you feel that your stress is interfering with your ability to
live your life or even get through the day, you should seek help from a health
care professional immediately. Here are some signs that your functioning may be
impaired and that you should seek help:
·
You have seen a marked decline in
your work or school performance
·
You feel anxious or depressed
·
You have begun to use alcohol or
drugs to cope
·
You feel unable to cope, even
with everyday things
·
You are experiencing fears that
you can't explain
·
You have become obsessed with
something, such as your weight
·
You have physical symptoms that
your doctor cannot explain
·
You have withdrawn from people
and activities you love
·
You have thoughts of harm to
yourself or others
9 Take a mood test. It can be difficult to determine what you’re
feeling and whether you should be worried about it. The best option is usually
to consult with someone about your thoughts and feelings, but you can also try
a mood assessment.
·
These types of self-assessment
should not be a replacement for consulting your doctor, but they can help you
identify whether your stress is minor and transitory, or whether you have a
more serious cause for concern.
source (wikihow.com)
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