Signs and Symptoms of Stress

Signs and Symptoms of Stress

Signs You’re Stressed and You Don’t Even Know It

For many people, stress is a common occurrence, arising from various events that happen each day. At some point, stress becomes something that we’re almost used to. However, whether you’re used to being stressed out or not, stress can have the same negative physical and mental effects on you.

Stress affects everyone differently. Different things can cause stress more than others depending on the person. However, there are some common signs of stress that you have to watch out for.

While you may not be able to realize that you’re stressed out right away, you’ll likely be able to notice these signs easily enough. First, you might find it to be easier to identify the physical signs of stress.

Strangely, stress can cause a variety of negative physical effects, including increased hear trate, headaches or migraines, lowered immune system, and even feelings of nausea.

These can all lead to further stress or worsened physical effects if they’re left unchecked. Next, you’ll notice the emotional signs. The most common one among people is that they start to become irritable and easily angered.

The smallest things can provoke them and set them off. On the inside, you might feel panicked, as if you’re losing all control and your life is in some kind of tailspin right now. Similarly, you might find it really difficult to focus.

With so many thoughts running through your head, your brain won’t be operating at its best, so you’ll find it a lot harder to sit down and focus on doing the things that you need to do.

Procrastination is often used as a means to relieve stress, but only tends to make the stress worse. Dangerously, you might notice in some people or in yourself that they begin to drink more or start to abuse drugs.

This can create a whole world of horrible issues, but is often used as a means of helping their stress initially. It’s important to pay attention to these signs if you really want to resolve your stress.

One of the most important things about stress relief is being able to seek out the sources of your stress and deal with them directly, but you won’t be able to do that if you don’t realize that you’re stressed out in the first place.

After you’re able to understand that you’re stressed out and you figure out what signs point to it, you’ll then be able to move on and start dealing with each issue on an individual basis.

Use our checklist to determine if you have any of the signs and symptoms of stress:

PHYSICAL
☐ Frequent headaches
☐ Clenching of the jaw or jaw pain
☐ Teeth grinding
☐ Stammered speech or stuttering
☐ Trembling or shaking hands or lips
☐ Muscle spasms
☐ General Body aches
☐ Back pain
☐ Neck pain
☐ Shoulder tension and pain
☐ Dizziness and/or light-headed
☐ Sweating
☐ Feeling flushed or blushing of the facial cheeks
☐ Sweaty and/or cold feet and/or hands
☐ Dry mouth
☐ Frequent illness, such as flu, colds, or infections
☐ Hives, skin rashes, itching
☐ Digestive problems
☐ Heartburn
☐ Stomach pain
☐ Nausea
☐ Diarrhea
☐ Constipation
☐ IBS
☐ Labored or difficult breathing
☐ Chest pain, heart palpitations, rapid pulse
☐ Frequent urination not otherwise explained
☐ Exhaustion and fatigue
☐ Unexplained weight gain or loss
MENTAL
☐ Panic attacks
☐ Anxiety
☐ Excessive worry
☐ Depression
☐ Loss of concentration
☐ Loss of focus
☐ Problems with learning and cognitive ability
☐ Racing thoughts
☐ Brain fog
☐ Forgetfulness and memory problems
☐ Difficulties with making decisions
☐ Overwhelm
☐ Burnout
MOOD
☐ Restlessness
☐ Nervousness
☐ Nervous habits
☐ Nail biting
☐ Fidgeting
☐ Feet tapping
☐ Angry outbursts
☐ Hostility
☐ Frequent bouts of frustration
☐ Mood swings
☐ Irritability
☐ Edginess
☐ Overreaction to petty annoyances
☐ Frequent crying spells
☐ Feelings of loneliness or worthlessness
LIFESTYLE AND HABITS
☐ Changes in appetite
☐ Binge eating or eating behind stress
☐ Poor sleep, including insomnia, and nightmares
☐ Obsessive or compulsive behavior
☐ Drugs
☐ Alcohol
☐ Gambling
☐ Impulsive shopping
☐ Smoking of cigarettes
☐ Loss of productivity at work
☐ Excessive defensiveness or suspiciousness
☐ Communication problems
☐ Social isolation and withdrawal
☐ Lack of sexual desire or interest