Why do we get irritated easily, even with the tiniest problem, like dropping a pen?
It’s easy to have negativity ruin our day. As you can see, not everyone faces stress the same way, and it could never be compared with one another. However, it is important to understand how stress affects individuals differently. And understanding how our body responds to stress may help prevent the pre-existing symptoms from worsening.
Key topics:
- Common Symptoms of Stress
- Impacts of Stress
- Stress can harm our mental health
- Stress can trigger high blood pressure
- Stress can harm relationship
- Stress can lead to poor performance
- Stress can lead to drug abuse
When you are stressed, you might feel:
Common Symptoms of Stress
- Irritation: difficulty controlling anger, feeling annoyed, aggression.
- Changes in appetite: overeating (weight gain), loss of appetite (weight loss).
- Fatigue: overwhelming tiredness, exhaustion, restlessness.
- Sleeping disorders (insomnia): trouble falling asleep, sleep disturbance, poor sleeping quality.
- Feeling sick: headaches, muscle tension, heavy chest, etc.
- Difficulty concentrating: trouble paying attention or focusing on tasks.
- Lack of confidence: discouragement, low morale, negative thoughts.
Impacts of Stress
1. Stress can harm our mental health
Ignoring stress is a mental decision to search for a detour that aims to get around the obstacle of stress (Morris K., 2021).
Failing to be aware of the signs of stress is dangerous. Underestimating or neglecting the impact derived from its symptoms, in the long term, can lead to inevitable mental disorders, including anxiety and depression. Without the concern for managing and coping with stress, the risks of suicidal thoughts could happen.
According to the W.H.O., an estimated 3.8% of the global population experience depression and more than 700 000 people die due to suicide every year.
2. Stress can trigger high blood pressure
Stress can have a wide range of impacts beyond mental health. Chronic stress can increase the risk of heart health issues, such as high blood pressure (Pulge M., 2021).
In response to a perceived threat, our body produces the cortisol stress hormone. The persistence of high stress in the long term can increase the cortisol level. This triggers a rise in blood pressure.
About 20%-30% of people with high blood pressure are affected by depression. It is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which can be harmful and raise the risk of death (Davis J., 2021).
3. Stress can harm relationship
Now that you know how stress can negatively impact our physical and mental health. So what comes next?
People who experience chronic stress are more likely to suffer communication difficulties. They tend to suffer difficulties in interpreting and comprehending messages with others. This may cause unnecessary or unintended arguments and misunderstandings. Thus, they may tend to isolate themselves, withdraw from social interactions and refuse to communicate. Loss of trust may also strain relationships and make it difficult to maintain close connections with others. Over time, these situations may harm relationships in families, between couples and friends, and even at workplaces.
4. Stress can lead to poor performance
Stress can significantly impact an individual’s life. Individuals who struggle with unpleasant stress symptoms, such as tiredness, difficulty concentrating and lack of confidence can significantly affect their ability to perform. For instance, trouble meeting a job’s expectations might cause a loss of job. Poor academic performance may result in lower grades, increasing individuals’ stress levels and anxiety.
5. Stress can lead to drug abuse
According to the results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, around 50% of individuals with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse.
The danger of intensive stress could also lead to drug abuse as a way to escape. Consequently, addiction to drugs, such as pills, alcohol, and cocaine can cause harmful effects on our health as well as worsen the existing stress condition. The danger of drug abuse may not be limited to individuals, but it may also affect relationships in families. Society may eventually pay significant costs in various aspects due to drug abuse-related criminal issues.
If you happen to experience unpleasant symptoms of stress, don’t be afraid to seek help!
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Good post! Recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress will help us figure out ways of managing stress effectively. —-ciyun
ReplyDeleteThe article gives a kind of “true feeling” when reading it. Although the discussion is from a general perspective, it is good enough on how it highlighted the impacts of stress can significantly affect our life. Simple but a clear message has been delivered.
ReplyDeleteVery good article. It is simple and straightforward to read. The use of reference supports the points and greatly strengthened the article’s credibility. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteA very nice article, summarizing very relevant points raised including signs and symptoms to watch out for to identify stress. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI like this
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