Symptoms of Stress  

Different disciplines have different opinions of stress. Each of their definitions differs from the other. Psychology has a different view when compared to medicine and management. Off all the differences, Richard S Lazarus gives the most widely accepted definition. According to him, “stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” 

Before anyone starts treatment, it is necessary to identify a situation as stress. For proper identification, it is necessary to know the symptoms of stress. This article aims at giving a brief idea about the various symptoms of stress. 

Medical studies reveal that the stress symptoms can affects the immune system of an individual. Irrespective of the nature of the stress, the mind (subconscious) reacts and the resulting body responses lead to secretion of stress hormones. This causes the biochemical state of the body to change. The blood stream then experiences an extra concentration of adrenal steroids. Such changes are also responsible for chronic palpitations and accompanied by a dramatic increase in the blood pressure. Apart from this, the other symptoms, which are visible, are manifestations of mind like fear, anger, aggression etc.  

Is there any other way to understand the stress? Yes, there is! Increase in the chemical concentration of the blood stream is not visible from outside. However, what happens when such changes occur? Outburst of such chemical changes requires a lot of energy. The internal energy of the body is used and most often, they wasted with no good results. The energy is lost without achieving anything! This leaves the person in a state of mental, physical and emotional exhaustion! 

Some Physical Symptoms : Mentioned below are some of the physical symptoms of stress. 

·         Pain in chest 

·         Muscle tension. 

·         Neck/shoulder pain 

·         Stomach pain 

·         Muscle spasm 

·         Skin irritations 

·         High palpitation 

·         Sweating in a state of physical inactiveness 

·         Breath shortness 

·         Diarrhea 

·         Indigestion 

·         Excessive sleep or unable to sleep 

·         Sweaty palms 

Some Emotional Symptoms : Let us have a look at some of the emotional symptoms of stress. 

·         Feeling restless 

·         Feeling irritated 

·         Drastic memory problems 

·         A general feeling of upset 

·         Losing sense of humor 

·         Negative thinking 

·         Getting confused 

·         Problems in making decisions 

·         Heavy swings in mood 

·         Negatively talking about oneself 

·        Concentration problems 

Of these many problems, medical examinations have proved that severe stress or anxiety can cause changes in the body’s nervous system, cardiovascular system and the endocrine system. This can cause pregnancy issues. Studies also show that long-term exposure to adrenal stress hormones can boost aging problems in the later stages. 

Stress and anxiety are the impediments to a person’s growth and development. This cannot only hamper the social life but also disrupts the personal life. Identifying the problems and treating them on time is an absolute necessity to prevent a life from getting lost in the oblivion. 

The effects of stress on the body can be dramatic.