Typical problems people who suffer from stress a lot will recognize

In this day and age, we all suffer with stress from time to time. However, at times, levels of stress can become overwhelming and dangerous and affect our health, relationships and quality of life. If you can relate to some of the scenarios in this article, now is a good time for you to seek some support while you attempt to deal with your stress load.

You get frequent headaches

Stress can lead to tension in the jaw. You may be clenching your teeth, or you are tensing other muscle groups. This tension will translate into a headache. It is better to relieve your headache through exercise, meditation, or relaxation rather than simply reach for the painkillers if you can avoid them. Similarly try to avoid caffeine wherever possible as this will ease the likelihood of headaches.

You feel poorly much more than is normal

People who are stressed tend to catch every cough and cold that is doing the rounds, this is because chronic stress can impact on the immune system meaning you’re more susceptible to all the viruses that are being shared around. Similarly, constant stress may mean that you feel tired and achy a great deal, or it can lead to upset stomachs. If you suffer with diarrhoea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, rapid heartbeat or chest pain, you may need to speak to a medical professional about your symptoms.

Aches and pains

Holding onto tension in your muscles will lead to aches and pains. Relieve these by relaxing in a warm bath, listen to music, doing some gentle stretches or yoga, or getting someone to massage you.

You cannot sleep

People with stress may find themselves feeling constantly exhausted. They’ll take advice, have a warm bath and a soothing drink and go to bed early. Then several hours later, they’ll be awake and won’t be able to drift back to sleep. The brain becomes horribly active – thinking over things that have been said or done, worrying about the future, conjuring up wild scenarios of what might be, regretting what has been, and so on.

You just can’t concentrate

Excess amounts of the stress hormone, cortisol, affects the memory. People who suffer with stress may find that they have difficulty in remembering even silly little things like names, or they may forget appointments. People with stress will be worrying about many little things at once, and so it becomes hard for them to concentrate.

You find it impossible to relax

You find that rather than sink back into the sofa when you sit to watch TV, you perch on the edge. You’re constantly ready for action. You just can’t sit still. You feel nervy and twitchy and are visibly tense.

Everything is going to end badly

Whenever you think what might be, or envisage the future, you find you can only conjure up negative scenarios.

You’re snappy

If you suffer with stress one of your most typical problems will be that you your moods are uneven and you can get a little short-tempered. You might find yourself expressing annoyance or being snappy for no real reason. You may not notice it at first, but you can be sure that other people will comment about how bad-tempered you are! Other behavioural symptoms to watch out for include over eating or under eating, and using alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.

You prefer your own company

You genuinely may be an introvert who prefers your own company to being with other people, but if you have recently started to isolate yourself more and more, or if you’re turning down invitations to spend time with family, friends or work colleagues, you may be more stressed than you think.

You put off going to the bathroom

It sounds bizarre, but people with stress often put off going to the bathroom for hours on end. They are so focussed on the task in hand, or want to do just a little bit more, and a little bit more, that they put off taking a break. This is not healthy and they could well end up with a urinary infection.

The idea of speaking in front of someone is heart stopping

Many people with stress find that being placed in the spotlight can be terrifying. They are already dealing with increased levels of adrenaline, meaning that they are in fight or flight mode. They’ll be sweating, have fast and shallow breathing, and their heart will be racing fit to burst. Suddenly increasing the amount of stress, could be the final straw for them!

Your sex life is suffering

Stress and tension ultimately lead to a decline in sex life. In men this can manifest itself in erectile dysfunction: for women, it’s more a lack of libido and interest. Increased communication and intimacy in other areas of your life can certainly help.

Reach out for support

If you recognise any of these scenarios, you need to reach out for some help and support. There are plenty of agencies who can help you, or you may find useful self-help information on the internet. If you want to lead a healthy and fulfilling life, it’s important to deal with the causes of your stress, so identify and address the issues as quickly as you possibly can.

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