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Am I Over-Stressed?

Having already said that everyone experiences stress and not all stress is bad (without it we would roll over and do nothing), this chapter will list some of the many signs and symptoms experienced by people who have bad stress (i.e. stress which is too great, unreleased and/or which has built up over time).

It's a depressing list, but even if you seem to be able to tick everything, identifying your own signs of stress is your first positive step! Please note that the following list of symptoms-both physical and mental-are common signs of stress, but they may be signs of something more serious, and if you are concerned, it is advisable to see your doctor.

Signs & Symptoms of Stress

accident proneness; addiction; aggressiveness; alcoholism; allergies; anaemia; anger; angina; anorexia; anxiety; apoplexy; appetite loss; arteriosclerosis; asthma; backache; bed wetting; breathlessness; bulimia nervosa; cardiac failure; chest pains; colitis; common cold; constipation; coughing unnecessarily; depression; diarrhoea; difficulty swallowing; digestive problems; dizziness; dissatisfaction; drinking a lot (any liquid); embarrassment; fainting; fear; flatulence; hair-loss; hay fever; headaches; heart problems; heartburn; hyperactivity; hypertension; hysteria; incontinence; indigestion; insomnia; irritability; itching; lack of confidence; loss of appetite; loss of concentration; low self image; memory failure; menstrual problems; migraine; nausea; neck pains; nervousness;; nervous breakdown nightmares; obsession; overeating; palpitations; panic attacks; peptic ulcers; personality changes; phobias; raised blood pressure; self-absorbtion; sexual problems;
skin problems; stammering/stuttering; stomach upsets; strokes;
suicidal thoughts; suicide; sweating unnecessarily; tightened muscles;
thyroid problems; ulcers; vomiting.

Apart from the signs and symptoms above, there are some common habits and mannerisms that people often develop as a result of stress. Do you recognize any of the following in yourself?

Becoming very fussy about food

Biting your nails, your fingers or lips

Blinking repeatedly

Clenching your muscles

Drumming your fingers

Fidgeting

Fiddling with objects or your hair

Frowning unconsciously

Hunching your shoulders

Licking your lips repeatedly

Making obsessive notes (mental or written)

Repeating words or phrases in your head

Scratching unnecessarily

Swallowing repeatedly

Swinging or tapping your foot

Talking incessantly

Touching your face or hair repeatedly

Any change in personality or behaviour can be a result of stress. People under stress may find themselves more bad-tempered than usual, less able to cope with things, more easily irritated than usual or more easily reduced to tears. On the other hand, too much stress may leave someone apathetic, uninterested and seeming not to care about anything.

Obsessive behaviour - a sign of extreme stress overload - can take many forms such as workaholics, alcoholism, and phobia. All of these stem from an attempt to cope with something stressful and keep life under control. Stress rings the 'fight or flight' alarm bells, and the individual reacts by completely avoiding the source of stress (e.g.. phobia), by never letting it rest (e.g.. workaholics) or by distracting their own attention to something else (e.g.. daydreaming, alcoholism).

Low self esteem and excessive nervousness or worrying are also signs of stress, although sometimes it is difficult to say whether they are a cause or a symptom! Someone with low self-esteem is likely to feel vulnerable to 'attack' (e.g.. criticism), and unlikely to release anxieties freely. An extremely nervous person is clearly in the 'flight' stage of stress, with a heightened awareness of possible 'dangers' or problems.

If you are aware of physical tension, aches and pains or any of the above signs and symptoms, don't panic! If you are concerned, it is always advisable to see your doctor for advice, but I hope that this page hasn't left you convinced that you're a walking time-bomb! Most people will recognise that some of the symptoms apply to them, whilst also seeing that they aren't in too bad shape. Here we look at ways of managing the stress that you do have.

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