How to Identify Symptoms of Stress - Part 1

The long-term effects of suffering from stress are well documented. They include cardiac disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, diabetes, heart attack, immune mediated diseases and more. In order to be able to reduce stress it is important for individuals to recognize the symptoms of stress in their lives. Only by recognizing the symptoms of stress will people be able to identify causes because, without a symptom, you won’t look for a cause.

Researchers believe that 12 million people in Great Britain suffer from mental health problems which include anxiety and depression and those numbers are even greater in the United States. Many of these mental health problems are related to the long-term effects of experiencing stress in your life. Psychologists believe that it is important to recognize early symptoms of stress in order to decrease the likelihood that there will be physical or psychological damage.

Physical symptoms of stress will include headaches which are repetitive in nature and different from the variety which we all experience now and then. In other words, it is common to have the occasional headache but getting them most days is important to take note of.

Other physical symptoms of stress can include muscle and back problems as well as general aches and pains and even skin issues. Acne is often the result of a change in hormonal balance which will be affected by the amount of stress an individual suffers. Weight gain is another warning sign of stress because many people are “stress eaters”. This means that is when, under stress, people turn to food in order to comfort themselves. Unfortunately, most of these foods include cakes, chocolate, sugar and high processed snacks. All of these things will pile on the pounds.

Other physical symptoms include grinding teeth, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, and nausea, increased pain, frequent illnesses and increased sweating. Stress will negatively impact an individuals immune system which will cause them to become ill more frequently. Individuals who are stressed may also shallow breathe which results in frequent yawning as they are starving their body of oxygen.