Your body runs on several systems for different functions. There is this one system, called an autonomic nervous system that is held responsible for functions like controlling heart rate, breathing, vision changes, and more. Not only this, but it also helps your body deal with stressful and upset situations. Autonomic nervous systems work on “fight-or-flight response, which is a built-in stress response. And because of this only, symptoms of stress become apparent.
If a person has been suffering from stress for a prolonged time (chronic stress), the stress response keeps on working in the body. But this continued exhaustion of stress response causes certain depletion in the body. As a result, the person starts developing symptoms that can be categorized into three different categories, namely physical, emotional and behavioral.
Contents
Physical Symptoms of Stress
These symptoms appear in the body and can be noticed by all. And they include:
Headaches
Headaches are one of the most evident symptoms of stress. Stress is an utmost primary thing that one looks at when dealing with headaches and migraine triggers. Headaches and stress work for each other. That is, if you are stressed, you are more likely to experience a headache. And headache can really stress you out.
Aches and Pains
Because of stress, your muscles go through tightness, stiffness, soreness, and pain. If stress continues for longer periods, your body starts producing cytokine molecules. These are the molecules causing inflammation and swelling in the joints, eventually leading to pain in our movements. Some severe cases may go to an extent where it can cause you diseases like arthritis and fibromyalgia.
Trouble Sleeping
It’s true that stress causes sleeping problems. And sometimes it gets difficult for the sufferer to differentiate between if he is stressed because of lack of sleep or if the stress stopping him from sleeping. Cortisol, a stress hormone, is released whenever you feel anxious and stressed out. This hormone releases a jolt of energy that enables you to respond. And this energy is the cause of disruption in your stress
Digestive problems
Stress affects your gut. The intensity of the effects depends on the time period your stress is with you. If you experience stress in short term, you may lose appetite and your digestion also gets disturbed. where long-term stress generates issues related to Gastrointestinal (GI) such as upset stomach, constipation, diarrhea for digestion.
Jaw Clenching
Jaw clenching is also called Bruxism, And it is often related to stress and anxiety. It is said that the jaw holds emotions of anxiety and fear. And so a tight jaw for a stiff jaw can be the sign of side effects of several conditions, and one of them includes stress. Or you may look into it from another perspective that is muscle tension. But again muscle tension is one of the major symptoms of the side jaw or clenched jaw.
Trouble Having Sex
A normal biochemical functioning helps you have sex. And When an excess amount of cortisol hormones are produced in the meantime of the biochemical functioning, the male reproductive system then gets affected. Also, long-term ongoing stress affects the production of testosterone that leads to a decline in sex drive, erectile dysfunction, or even impotence.
When it comes to a woman, too much stress affects her hormones and mood and also her desire for sex.
Weak Immunity
The immune system acts as an army against the intruders of the human body. And our immune system comprises a Huge number of white blood cells (called lymphocytes and phagocytes). The Lymphocytes and phagocytes fight back the bacteria viruses and other harmful cells present in the body. But when stress acres you, The stress hormone cortisol suppresses your immune system and its effectiveness to fight back the invaders. Cortisol hormone does so by lowering the numbers of lymphocytes and causing hindrance in cell communications.
Emotional Symptoms of Stress
Good stress doesn’t harm you. it comes to meet the need of the hour, does it work, and goes away. But bad stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms like:
Anxiety or Irritability
It is but natural that stress will lead you to anxiety and irritability. You can say that stress is a way of responding to the demands of the body, be it physical, emotional, or psychological. But when you are not able to manage stress and it overwhelms your personality and your life, it takes up even more serious anxiety and depression.
Depression
Depression makes your life almost static. you are not able to figure out where to go, what to do, and how to do it. You feel as if you are stuck in the middle of something and there is no way out. The connection between stress and depression is bi-directional. The former can cause the latter and the latter can cause the former. Both can make each other’s situations even worse. Stress over time makes me highly depressed.
Panic Attacks
Sometimes it so happens that you are not able to handle the severity of your stress. Stress occurring from a feeling of death divorce or joblessness can trigger panic attacks. Panic attacks are conditions where your body and mind are not able to handle certain situations.
Sadness
Nobody will be happy if you or she gets affected by any kind of ailment or disease. Because they make you weak physically and psychologically. You are not able to lead your life on your own terms. You need to act according to those invaders in your body. And when it comes to stress it is no less than a disease, if left untreated. It’s quite obvious that living under stress for the long term will lead you to utter depression and sadness.
Behavioral Symptoms of Stress
You might have come across a person who has been adversely affected by stress. How do they behave? Do you find something strange in them or in their behavior? It’s not necessary that it happens with every person suffering from stress, but yeah these can be noticed and some of them. You will find them figuring out ways on managing their and healthy behaviors that might include:
Gambling
It is very sad that when people experience chronic stress, their mental condition becomes more fragile and They are more vulnerable to gambling. what happens when you are stressed your capability of thinking and understanding things clearly lower down. You are not able to differentiate between good or bad, profit or loss.
You can look into the connection between gambling and stress from another perspective. People suffering from stress hunt for Little Moments of relaxation and gambling appears to them a quick solution to release stress because of the excitement the game provides.
Smoking
Cigarettes have nicotine which provides a certain sense of relaxation to your body. So people Going through a stressed situation look towards smoking As a relief from their conditions. But cigarettes provide a Temporary feeling of release and soon does it fade away. The saddest part is that the sufferers of the victims of stress do not realize and they land into conditions of even more serious symptoms and increased cravings of nicotine.
Eating Disorders
Stress can cause someone to restrict their meals and engage in binge eating episodes as well. That is it can lead to both situations, Either you will find them eating a lot or not eating at all. But have you given a thought to this question that why stress makes you eat more? Well, this is because the stress hormone cortisol increases hunger. So when you are stressed, Just go on eating.
And why is it so that you feel much better or at least better after eating? It is because the food you eat suggests your brain secrete a chemical called serotonin, and this chemical helps in boosting up your mood.
Using Drugs
Everyone suffering from stressful conditions looks for ways to cope up with the condition. Different ways suit different people. And some resolved to nonadaptive measures for managing stress, including using drugs. But such people don’t realize that drugs Being temporary relief will add more odds to his situation.
Drinking too much
Again, this is another measure of why people under stress take shelter. Yes, it does provide some relief and relaxation for the time being but most of them are not aware that drinking too much will ultimately cause psychological And physical imbalances, even more.
Having Sex Compulsively
Stress and anxiety make a person hypersexual. In fact, stress is one of the major causes of hypersexual behavior
Cognitive Symptoms of Stress
Under this the symptoms are:
Poor Judgment
Stress makes it hard to think. When you have stressed the blood pressure and the heart rate rise by flooding up your body with adrenaline and cortisol hormones. All this affects your decision-making power. So in order to avoid making bad decisions, work on your stress issues.
Some other cognitive symptoms of stress are:
- Reading problems
- Racing thoughts
- Lack of concentration
- Forgetfulness and disorganization
- Overthinking
- Pessimism
A Word From Mantra Care
Your mental health — your psychological, emotional, and social well-being — has an impact on every aspect of your life. Positive mental health essentially allows you to effectively deal with life’s everyday challenges.
For more information, please contact MantraCare. Stress can have both physical and mental effects on the body, leading to negative consequences such as anxiety, depression, and even physical illnesses. If you have any queries regarding Online Stress Counseling experienced therapists at MantraCare can help: Book a trial Stress therapy session
