It may sound strange when I say to you that we all need some stress to keep us alert and healthy, but it is when it is severe and prolonged, stress can start to affect your mental, emotional and physical health. The sources of stress are varied, but usually lie in one or more of these areas:
• Marriage and/or intimate relationships
• Family
• Social life and friends
• Housing
• Money
• Work
Do you think you are stressed?
You may not realise you are suffering from stress! You may even think you have a physical illness, and therefore don’t realise that the symptoms you have are caused by stress. Stress has a habit of showing itself in many different ways. As you look at this list how many signs of stress do you suffer from?
Physical signs
• Feeling sick
• Chest pains
• Feeling light headed/faint
• Frequent headaches
• Frequent butterflies in stomach
• Heart palpitations
• Constant colds
• Allergies
• Trembling
• Frequent visits to the toilet
• Skin irritation
• Heartburn, stomach cramps, acidic problems
• Sweating
• Muscular pains in back, shoulders and/or neck
• Difficulty in swallowing
Psychological signs
• Withdrawing into self
• Being forgetful
• Being resentful
• Unable to make decisions
• No sense of humour
• Lack of interest
• Lack of self esteem
• Lack of concentration
• Lack of confidence
• Unable to relax
• Becoming unhelpful
• Flying off the handle
• Becoming suspicious
Behavioural signs
• Becoming isolated
• Drinking more
• Being obsessive
• Smoking more
• Taking less interest in your physical appearance
• Eating more
• Accident prone
• Talking more quickly
• Not going to other commitments or appointments
• Eating more quickly
• Not going to work
• Walking more quickly
• Being moody and offhand
• Fidgeting
• Interrupting conversations
Want to read some techniques for coping with stress? Click here to read on……