Life is full of deadlines, wrangles, demands and frustrations. For a huge number of people, stress is so common that it has become part of their life. It is not that stress is always bad. In moderate amount, it can encourage you to do your best and also help you work under pressure. However, when you are regularly under pressure, your body and mind become affected. You can secure yourself by detecting the symptoms and signs of anxiety caused by extreme stress and making a move to prevent or mitigate the damages.
What is stress and anxiety?
Stress is a usual physical reaction to happenings that make you feel upset or threatened by your stability in some manner. Upon sensing danger—whether it’s imagined or real—the defenses of the body rise in a faster, automatic process referred to as the stress reaction or the “freeze” response.
Anxiety, on the other hand, is feeling anxious when going through a situation that is challenging, like a job interview, a tough exam or a blind date. But if your fears and worries tend to be overwhelming and intervene in your day to day life, you might suffer from anxiety disorder. There are various kinds of anxiety disorders—and a large number of working self-help plans and treatments. The very moment you get to know your anxiety disorder, there are measures you can take to bring back stability to your life
The Body’s Stress Reaction
Your body reacts to stress when you become aware of a threatening event; your nervous system reacts by producing stress hormones, among them cortisol and epinephrine. The hormones stir your body for emergency operation.
Your heart starts to beat faster, blood pressure increases, muscles become tight, breath fastens, and your senses sharpen. These physical alterations raise your stamina and strength, speed response time, and improves your attention—making you ready to either flee from the current danger or fight. The stress reaction is how the body safeguards you. When properly working, it allows you to be attentive, alert and energetic. In emergency circumstances, stress can rescue you—providing you with extra energy to protect yourself.
Ordinary external causes of anxiety and stress
- Principal life changes
- School or work overload
- Relationship hardships
- Financial challenges
- Family issues and problems with children
Ordinary internal causes of anxiety and stress
- Chronic tensions
- Negative self-talk
- Expectations that aren’t realistic
- Rigid thoughts
- Inadequate flexibility
- Poor attitude
Emotional signs and symptoms of anxiety and stress
To add on to the basic signs of excessive fear and worry, other emotional symptoms of stress and anxiety involve:
- Feelings of dread or apprehension
- Trouble focusing
- Feeling jumpy and tense
- Expecting the worst
- Being restless
- Watching for danger signs
- Feeling like your mind is blank
Physical symptoms and signs of anxiety and stress
Ordinary physical symptoms of anxiety and stress include:
- Heart beats faster
- Dizziness or stomach upsets
- Frequent diarrhea or urination
- Shortness of breath
- Twitches and Tremors
- Muscle tension
Behavioral Signs and symptoms
- Eating less or more
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Isolating yourself
- Neglecting responsibilities or procrastinating
- Using cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs to remain calm
- Nervous habits
Overcoming stress and anxiety
You may feel as if the anxiety and stress in your life are beyond your control, but you can control your way of reacting. Controlling stress and anxiety is all about being a boss: being in control of the way you think, your plans, your emotions, your surroundings, and your way of solving problems. Stress and anxiety control includes altering the stressful and anxious situation when you are able, altering your response when you can, being careful, and making time for relaxation and rest.