What is stress
Stress is
an inevitable part of life and we need a certain amount of stress to motivate
us, to excite us and to ensure that everything keeps on working within our
minds and bodies. This sort of stress is called eustress and is essential to
our continued wellbeing. Indeed, it has been said that no stress is dead!
However, when the external demands
overwhelm the internal resources that you have for dealing with the demands
(your coping mechanisms), then this becomes dis-stress and is damaging in both
the short and the long term. It is what most people are referring to when they
say they are stressed.
Symptoms of stress
The
following list is not exhaustive, but does include the main symptoms of
dis-stress. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms
on a regular basis, then you are probably stressed and need to take some
action. It is worth checking with your doctor to exclude other possible causes
for some of the symptoms.
·
Emotional symptoms
1. Feeling
angry, weepy and or irritable all or a lot of the time
2. Loss of
interest in sex
3. Feeling
indecisive and unable to cope
4. Feeling
like a failure
5. Feeling
unliked and uncared for
6. Not liking
yourself or others very much
7. Fearing
that something terrible will happen
8. Unable to
tell people how you feel
9. Lack of
concentration
10. Finding it
hard to finish one task before starting another
11. Loss of
your sense of humour
12. Lack of
interest in life
·
Physical symptoms
1. Loss of
appetite
2. Indigestion
– constant or frequent
3. Bowel
upsets – constipation or diarrhoea
4. Trouble
getting to sleep or/& staying asleep
5. Always
tired
6. Frequent
sweating
7. Fidgeting
and nail biting
8. Headaches
9. Pains in
the back &/or neck
10. Breathlessness,
dizziness, nausea
11. Palpitations
12. Chest and joint pains
13. Excessive alcohol use
