Signs of Stress

Stress: The Warning Signs

by: Rachel Newcombe

You're feeling anxious, simple things irritate you, you've got yet another headache coming on and you're tired but there's no time to stop and rest. You're suffering from mood swings, feel tense, are worrying endlessly and can't concentrate on simple tasks. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, you could well be suffering from stress.

Stress can strike at any time during our lives and can be a debilitating condition. Many factors can cause it, but common triggers tend to be pressures of work, relationships, money, family problems or merely the fact that life suddenly seems to be a constant tough battle. Once stress starts it can impact on all areas of our health — physical, mental and emotional.

Continued stress that isn't dealt with can lead to increased feelings of insecurity and can cause other conditions such as depression, high blood pressure, peptic ulcers or a lowered immune system.

Are You Stressed?

One of the important aids to combating and dealing with stress is to first recognize that you are indeed suffering from it. Sadly, this isn't always as simple as it may seem. Despite the fact that other people notice something's wrong, sufferers are often the very last to realize and admit that they actually are stressed.

If there's a possibility you might be stressed out but are yet to actually admit to it, use the checklist below to spot the warning signs and symptoms.

Psychological Symptoms

Physiological Symptoms

If you're feeling really low with depression that won't seem to lift, are feeling increasingly anxious or are having suicidal thoughts, don't hesitate to seek medical help. Also, some of the symptoms of stress, such as a feeling of tightness on the chest or a low immune system, can be caused by other things, so do ensure that you check with your doctor first and rule out any other causes.

Admitting to suffering from stress is definitely the first step to recovery. Now that you know why you're acting and feeling this way you can gradually make changes in your life and really start to beat it!