Causes of Stress
Stress has become a common factor that we have to deal with on a daily basis. Stress can be both within the home environment and at workplace. If we are in situation that we find it hard to handle that is when we feel stressed. During this moment of stress, adrenaline rushes through the body. We feel sweaty and tingly. This is termed as “flight or fight” response of the body. The stress hormones are always present in the body. These hormones are the adrenaline and cortisol. Whenever we are stressed, these stress hormones respond and we feel the “flight or fight” response.
Some of the Common Causes for Stress are:
- Stress due to excessive work
- Stress of not being able to be gainfully employed
- Financial stress
- Grief and bereavement
- Loneliness
- Alcohol abuse
- Domestic violence
Effects of Stress
Short term stress is quite normal and one tends to deal with it quite smoothly but when stress becomes excessive it becomes difficult to handle and a consultation with a psychologist for a counseling session can be of benefit depending on the cause of the stress.
If we are able to handle stress more smartly then a lot of the problems that can be caused by excessive stress can be overcome.
Excessive stress is not good for health and can cause various ailments like:
- Damaging the immune system
- Increase risk for serious medical conditions, especially cardiovascular conditions
- Decreased libido
Warning Signs of Excessive Stress
Relentless pressure whether at work or at home without any time for recovery may lead to excessive stress and some of us may not even realize that we are dealing with excessive stress.
Some of the warning signs of excessive stress are:
- Appetite changes with eating less or more than normal can be warning sign of excessive stress
- Frequent mood swings with being more irritable
- Increasingly low on self confidence and self esteem
- Always feeling anxious and tense is also a sign of excessive stress
- Improper sleep
- Frequent memory lapses
- Resorting to excessive drinking
- Feeling lethargic with no energy whatsoever is also a sign of excessive stress
- Not being able to enjoy family or other social gatherings
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks at hand
- Losing interest in things you previously used to enjoy
- Some of the physical symptoms of excessive stress are:
- Frequent headaches
- Digestive problems with irritable bowel syndrome
- Muscle aches and pains
When Should You Consult a Physician About Excessive Stress?
If the signs and symptoms of excessive stress start to go out of hand and you feel that things are slipping out of control from you then it is recommended to consult with a physician or psychologist/psychiatrist who can recommend therapy and medications which may control the release of stress hormones and thus help you get rid of Excessive Stress.
