Everyone will deal with stress in their life. It is a normal and expected response, and can be of great benefit when dealt with in a healthy and productive manner. Living with continuous stress, however, is detrimental to mental and physical health. Living with continued stress can increase the risk of:
- hypertension (high blood pressure)
- heart disease
- increased susceptibility to illness and infection
- increased susceptibility to pain and headache
- increased risk of developing diabetes
Talk to your doctor about how to reduce the risk of developing these conditions.
Stress is the body’s normal response to situations that may involve danger, fear, or difficult life circumstances. In many instances, stress is a good and natural thing, often called the “fight of flight” response. When utilized properly, the stress response protects people in emergency situations, giving someone the strength, alertness, or energy to defend themselves or make quick decisions. In day to day circumstances, stress helps people accomplish daily challenges, such as meeting deadlines, making appointments, and driving people forward with productivity instead of procrastination.
However, when stress becomes unmanageable, it can have a serious impact your health, such as causing headaches, ulcers, back pain and trouble sleeping. Long term stress can also contribute to heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and obesity. Previously existing health problems can become worse. Mental health can suffer as well, causing a depressed mood, affecting relationships and quality of life.
Causes of stress are usually thought of as being negative events, such as work stress or personal life stress. However, positive life events can also be stressful, such as the birth of a child, getting married, or even getting a promotion at work. Whether a situation becomes stressful is dependent on the person’s perception of the event. Common causes of external stress can include life changes (death of a parent, birth of a child), work stress, difficulty with a romantic relationship or friendship, being overextended and too busy, or one of the most common stressors, financial problems. People can also have internal causes of stress, such as being a perfectionist, being pessimistic, or having difficulty being assertive.
Symptoms of being overstressed may be very obvious or subtle. Some people can be very angry, agitated and emotional, while others may appear to ‘shut down’, showing little energy or emotion. Some people may show signs of both. Regardless, stress can affect all parts of the body. Someone may experience cognitive and emotional symptoms such as difficulty with memory and concentration, moodiness, irritability and agitation, anxiety and racing thoughts, and constant worry. People may feel lonely and depressed as well. Physically, an overstressed person may feel aches and pains, nausea, a loss of libido, and heart palpitations and a racing heartbeat. They may start behaviors that are similar to those of people with depression, such as increasing their use of alcohol or tobacco, eating or sleeping too much or too little, and generally neglecting their responsibilities.
It can be extremely difficult for some people to manage chronic stress, as the causes may not be something that can be removed from someone’s life. However, there are numerous methods that people can use to attempt to manage stress. Physical activity is one of the most used techniques, as it has been repeatedly shown that exercise and working out give excellent results. Relaxation therapies such as yoga, meditation and deep breathing can also help alleviate both long term stressors as well as provide short term benefit. Some people with long term stress may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness based stress relief.
Just like similar stressors can cause vastly different outcomes in different people, similar treatments for stress may not work for each person. Each person’s stress will need an individualized treatment to get the best results, and your doctor or therapist should be able to help guide you.
While the obvious answer may be to eliminate causes of stress from your life, that may not be feasible. Someone who is being caused significant stress from their job usually cannot just quit or change careers. Changing the lifestyle around the stressor is a good place to start.
Simple lifestyle changes can often have a dramatic effect. Eating healthy, getting regular exercise, and getting on a decent sleep schedule can greatly improve symptoms of stress. Limiting the use of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine especially can also help.
Certain activities are proven stress relievers, especially exercise. Getting involved with physical activities such as yoga, tai chi, and meditation can help.
Learning to take breaks to do the things that you enjoy is helpful. Scheduled leisure or family time should become a top priority. Making a dedicated effort to reconnect with hobbies, friends and family, and intellectually stimulating activities is a must.
Sometimes stress can’t be treated just with lifestyle changes. Treatment with a therapist can help change behaviors and provide a willing and helpful ear to help figure out problems. In cases of clinical anxiety or depression, your doctor or psychiatrist may prescribe you an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication to help you start treatment.
Causes of stress can be, and usually will be, different for every person. What causes one person an extreme amount of stress may not affect another person at all. Some people thrive in stressful situations, while others shrink. While one person may find great success and enjoyment in a high pressure job, it may take a great psychological toll on another. Meanwhile, perhaps the person in the high pressure job may find incredible stress with his or her home life, while the other person’s home life is a sanctuary. It will be different for every person, and you should not hesitate to speak with your physician and be honest about what is causing stress.
Common causes of stress will include:
- Work or career demands
- school or education demands
- problems with romantic relationships
- difficulty with children or family life
- being overextended with responsibility
- dealing with health problems, either personal or in the family
- dealing with aging or dependent parents
- problems with money or making ends meet
Never feel embarrassed or ashamed about what you feel is causing you stress, and you should never feel that you should just have to ‘deal with it’. Ask your doctor or therapist for help.
Everyone will experience stress at some point, and to a certain degree, stress is normal and needed to function properly. When it gets out of hand and starts causing symptoms, it’s time to get help. Be aware that stress can be intimately related with:
- alcohol abuse
- drug abuse
- major depressive disorder
- generalized anxiety disorder
- panic disorder
- obsessive compulsive disorder
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- eating disorders
Please seek help from your physician and be aware of the potential for co-morbid mental or physical illness.
The symptoms of stress can range from the very mild, such as being slightly agitated or depressed, to extremely severe, causing severe psychological changes and physical discomfort. Everyone responds differently to stress, and similar stressful situations may elicit very different responses in different people.
Psychological symptoms
- Excess anxiety, worry, guilt
- Depression, dysthymia, or mood swings
- Difficulty with concentration and attention
- Feelings of loneliness, isloation, worthlessness
- Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities
- Loss of productivity or efficiency at work or school
- Excess irritability, anger, or frustration
Physical symptoms
- Headache, TMJ pain, teeth grinding
- Nausea, stomach pain, heartburn
- pain in the neck, upper back, or shoulders
- Constipation or diarrhea
- weight loss or weight gain without intent
- sudden panic attacks that can cause chest pain or hyperventilation
- loss of sexual appetite
- itching, hives, rashes
- chest pain or heart palpitations
This is not a complete list of symptoms. There are many other physical and pyschological manifestations of stress that you can speak with your doctor about.
There is no specific medical test or diagnostic tool for stress, but your doctor will be able to use your current symptoms, family history, and information about your life to help determine if you are suffering from the effects of untreated stress. Your doctor will likely order blood work and some other medical tests to rule out any underlying medical conditions that may be causing symptoms (For example, if you’re suffering from heart palpitations, your doctor will likely order an EKG to rule out any arrhythmias; if you’re suffering from digestive problems, your doctor may order a stool test to see if you have an infection or inflammatory disease).
Simple stress can often be alleviated on your own by making some lifestyle changes. Talking to a close friend or loved one whose opinion you find helpful can go a long way in reassuring you or taking steps to solve problems and stressors in your life.
If you feel that you have no one to talk to or no one who will understand, make an appointment to speak with your family doctor. He or she will be able to direct you to a therapist who is trained to help you deal with issues causing immense stress. If you are experiencing depression or anxiety, your family doctor may feel that a prescription medication can help begin the stress reduction process.