Symptoms of Stress
Stress is a physical, chemical or emotional response to any event which is perceived to alter or threaten our wellbeing. In today’s society, levels of stress are increasing to record levels due to modern day living. Some stress is good for you as it keeps you alert and active but too much stress can cause physical as well as psychological problems.
The following are a list of physical and psychological symptoms of stress. No one person will have all these symptoms, but if you are experiencing several of the signs it may be due to stress and you may benefit from making some small lifestyle changes.
Physical
Tiredness; Difficulty sleeping, or else spending a lot of time in bed; Nightmares; Headaches; Back pain; Inability to relax; Dry mouth and throat; Feeling sick or dizzy; Pounding heart; Sweating and trembling; Stomach-ache and diarrhoea; Loss of appetite, or over-eating; Feeling very hot or cold; Shortness of breath; Shallow, fast breathing; Hyper-vigilance; Irregular menstruation; Frequent need to urinate; Increased risk of ulcers, high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
Emotional
Depression; Tearfulness, or feeling a desire to cry but being unable to; Mood swings; Anger (at self or others); Agitation; Impatience; Guilt and shame; Shock; Feelings of helplessness and inadequacy; Feeling different or isolated from others; Feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope; Feeling rushed all the time; Anxiety; Panic or phobias; Loss of sense of humour; Boredom; Lowered self-esteem; Loss of confidence; Unrealistic expectations (of self and others); Insecurity; Becoming self-centred, and unable to think about others; Feelings of vulnerability; Feeling worthless.
Behavioural
Withdrawal from others or becoming dependent on them; Irritability; Critical of self and others; Relationship problems; Lack of self-care; Nail biting; Picking at skin; Speaking in slow monotonous voice, or fast, agitated speech; Taking unnecessary risks (e.g. when driving); Trying to do several things at once; Lack of initiative; Working long hours; Poor productivity; Loss of job satisfaction; Carelessness; Absenteeism; Promiscuity, or loss of interest in sex; Increased smoking or use of alcohol or drugs (including prescription drugs); Excessive spending or other activities to try to take one’s mind off the situation; Loss of motivation; Self-harm or suicidal behaviour.
Thought patterns
Concentration and memory difficulties; Indecisiveness; Procrastination; Pessimism; Thinking in ‘all or nothing’ terms; Very sensitive to criticism; Self-critical thoughts; Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities; Imagining that the worst will happen; Preoccupation with health; Expecting to die young; Inflexibility; Confusion and disorientation; Excessive fears (e.g. about being attacked); Trying to avoid thinking about problems; Avoiding any reminders of a traumatic experience; Flashbacks, or intrusive thoughts about difficulties; Hindsight thinking (‘If only...’ ‘why didn’t I...’); Negative thoughts about oneself, one’s work, family, the future, and the world; Time seems to slow down or speed up; Suicidal thoughts.
It is normal to have some of these symptoms of stress at some point in your life and remember that it is not a sign of weakness or a sign that you are ‘going mad’ to feel stressed.
Symptoms of stress can be improved simply with a small change in lifestyle which includes some type of relaxation.
 | "Sue is a very nice person and easy to communicate with. I feel much more relaxed and able to control my feelings better. I have also learned breathing techniques to help control my panic attacks. " B C, Billingham |