If you are stressed, you might feel: Irritable, angry, impatient or wound up. Over-burdened or overwhelmed. Anxious, nervous or afraid.
feel isolated — disinterested in the company of family and friends, or withdrawing from usual daily activities. feel overwhelmed — unable to concentrate or make decisions. be moody — feeling low or depression; feeling burnt out; emotional outbursts of uncontrollable anger, fear, helplessness or crying.
Stress has a psychological impact that can manifest as irritability or aggression, a feeling of loss of control, insomnia, fatigue or exhaustion, sadness or tears, concentration or memory problems, or more. Continued stress can lead to other problems, such as depression, anxiety or burnout.
Irritable, angry, impatient or wound up. Over-burdened or overwhelmed. Anxious, nervous or afraid. Like your thoughts are racing and you can't switch off.
Stress causes a surge of hormones in your body. These stress hormones are released to enable you to deal with pressures or threats – the so-called "fight or flight" response. Once the pressure or threat has passed, your stress hormone levels will usually return to normal.
Don't have much or any control over the outcome of a situation. Have responsibilities that you find overwhelming. Don't have enough work, activities or change in your life. Experience discrimination, hate or abuse.
Common symptoms of stress in women include: Physical. Headaches, difficulty sleeping, tiredness, pain (most commonly in the back and neck), overeating/under eating, skin problems, drug and alcohol misuse, lack of energy, upset stomach, less interest in sex/other things you used to enjoy.
Chronic stress — stress that occurs consistently over a long period of time — can have a negative impact on a person's immune system and physical health. If you are constantly under stress, you may experience physical symptoms such as chest pain, headaches, an upset stomach, trouble sleeping or high blood pressure.
Although there are five proper stages (Pre-Contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, and Maintenance), they can also be separated into “early,” “middle,” and “late” stages.
Intrusive memories
Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event. Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks) Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event. Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event.
Some of the physical signs that your stress levels are too high include: Pain or tension in your head, chest, stomach, or muscles. Your muscles tend to tense up when you're stressed, and over time this can cause headaches, migraines, or musculoskeletal problems. Digestive problems.
Heaviness in your chest, increased heart rate or chest pain. Shoulder, neck or back pain; general body aches and pains. Headaches. Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw.
Toxic stress response:
This is the body's response to lasting and serious stress, without enough support from a caregiver. When a child doesn't get the help he needs, his body can't turn off the stress response normally. This lasting stress can harm a child's body and brain and can cause lifelong health problems.
We quietly hold our stress within: we don't speak up about how we feel, rather than over speaking […] Quiet stress creates a form of emotional paralysis that keeps us 'stuck' in unhappy situations.”
This can be emotional or physical. We may feel toxic stress when we face strong, frequent, or prolonged challenges. These can include abuse, neglect, violence, or substance use in the home. These experiences can trigger our body's stress response. This response floods our body with "fight or flight" chemicals.
A lingering cough, an ache with no explanation, or fatigue that persists despite plenty of sleep — any of these could be symptoms of stress of which you're not aware you're suffering. It's easy to think of stress in terms of its mental demands. However, stress also evokes physical responses from your body.
Crying spells, crying over nothing at all, or crying about small things that normally wouldn't bother you may be signs of depression. Inability to concentrate. If you are depressed, you may be forgetful, have trouble making decisions, or find it hard to concentrate.