by Minor Magical

Created on: May 08, 2010   Last Updated: July 10, 2010

HOW DO YOU TELL THAT IT’S STRESS

A stressful situation is one that makes you feel mentally and physically uncomfortable. Such situations have the effect of shifting an individual’s concentration from dealing with normal life challenges to less productive activities mainly characterized by being demoralized.

Stress is akin to being sick. People suffering from stress show symptoms similar to those displayed by a clinically ill person. However, stress is a necessary evil and an important part of our lives. It is the by-product of day to day living. Without stressful situations in our lives we would have stunted social and emotional growth.

It is therefore correct to assume that stress keeps us on our toes. It is the fuel with which we thrive knowing that we can conquer it-not by running away from its causes-but by managing it effectively. Once we succeed, then we are assured of taming it to tolerable levels.

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS:

There are many symptoms of stress. However It is also hard to distinguish between which of these are as a result of stress and which ones give you an indication that what you are feeling is actually physical or mental illness and not stress.

Some of the symptoms or signs of stress include.

Body aches Head aches Tense muscles Chest pains Involuntary sweating Rashes and pale skin High blood pressure Irregular heart beats and rapid pulse Lack of appetite Insomnia Regular colds and flu Shaky lips Disjointed speech Constipation Diarrhea and frequent visits to the bathroom Low sex drive Abnormal menstrual cycles Fatigue High irritation Short temper Memory loss Blurred vision and blood shot eyes
Negative Mood Swings Over dependence and sometimes feeling lonely Depression Insatiable urge to use stimulants and caffeine Nervousness and confusion

Indeed the symptoms are many and constitute what we go through every day. If one is not sure what is going on, they are best advised to seek the specialized services of a medical practitioner.

CAUSES OF STRESS:

Stress can be caused by many factors in our work life, social life, the environment, life at home, conflicts, personal responsibilities etc.

At work, the work routine is a great source of stress. Waking up every morning to go and do the same thing and anticipating the same thing at the end of the day can stimulate discomfort and a feeling of monotony. Other causes include dealing with annoying co-workers, meeting deadlines, interruptions and pressure from superiors.

Responsibilities can cause stress if the person faced with such responsibility has no power or authority. The organizational hierarchy and overlapping jobs are also common causes of stress at the work place.

Many causes stress are to be found at home. Family and spousal demands cause conflicts and stress by extension. We spend a lot of our time with family members. Each member expects so much from the other family members i.e. in the form of moral, emotional and financial support. These are potentially explosive areas that result to stress.

In short, other examples of factors that cause stress include insecurity, loss of identity, poor communication, noise and air pollution (this includes all forms of environmental pollution), difficulty in achieving personal goals, over protective parents, lack of role models or following inadequate leaders, unpleasant news, competition and failure, religious dogma fear of the unknown and unfavorable climatic conditions.

The list is endless and basically every thing that we do or come across in every day life can cause stress.

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