Symptoms Of Stress

Our lives nowadays are crazier than ever. Between work, family and even pleasure, it's so easy to get stressed out. People stress us out. You wake up in the morning and it's your kids or spouse... You go to work and it's your co-workers. Then on the way home, some stranger cuts you off and that stresses you out! There is just no relief! Places also have the ability to add stress to our lives. We start to associate certain locations with certain feelings of anxiety.

Now a little bit of stress in your life is normal - even beneficial. In a way it helps us to complete tasks quicker. Nothing like a deadline to kick your butt into gear! It also comes in useful if you find yourself in a "fight or flight" situation. It's thought that stress and adrenalin come from the same place so feeling a bit stressed when your child is in trouble is definitely a good thing.

If the stress is taking over your life, though, you have a problem. I've outlined a few different types of symptoms to look for. If you're experiencing these things often, you should seriously consider some solutions.

When it comes to symptoms related to stress, there are basically three different categories that they fall into.  These categories are Cognitive, Emotional, And Physical. 

This category basically includes any symptom related to the brain.  Usually you'll experience cognitive symptoms while at work.  Here are three different things to look for if you are an extremely stressed individual.

Memory Loss

Are you having trouble remembering things in your daily life?  Are you finding that you're forgetting more and more things every day?  If so, you could be over stressed.  As your mind spends more and more energy being anxious, you see, it takes energy away from other cognitive functions - One being it's ability to remember.

Lack Of Concentration

If you're having a difficult time concentrating on the task at hand, it could be as a result of stress.  As the mind gets consumed with thoughts, be it of family, bills, or the weather, it's being taken away from the present moment.

Pessimistic Views

Is everything always negative all the time?  Is the glass always half empty?  If so, you've probably got too much stress in your life.  If you feel this way some of the time, it's no big deal.  If your always bummed out, however, something isn't right.  Your stressed filled mind is casting a dark cloud over everything

There are quite a few emotional symptoms to look for in your life if you think you are over stressed. Here are three of the most common ones.

Moodiness

We're all a bit on the moody side once in a while but no one should be grumpy all the time. If you experience constant mood swings try to take some of the stress out of your life. Likewise, if you see someone that always grumpy, consider sending them an email with a few key links or resources for their review. I've included a few good ones at the end of this hub.

Short Temper

This is a step on top of the moodiness discussed above. A person that's constantly short tempered is almost certainly over-stressed. If you always snap at co-workers or family members, you may have a problem.

Depression

Depression is at the extreme end of stress. A person who is depressed needs medical attention. Consult a doctor if you think this may be you

Stress can also take it's toll on us physically.  If you experience the symptoms below every day, chances are you have some anxiety issues to deal with.  Here are some of the most common physical symptoms of being overly stressed.

Loss Of Sex Drive

Uh Oh!  If this article hasn't caught the attention of men yet - Here ya go!  Stress can definitely our sex lives.  In order to be intimate, we need to be relaxed you see.  Having a mind consumed with anxiety and panic isn't good for the bedroom...

Aches And Pains

Pains due to stress usually occur in the shoulders.  This is way massage therapists spend so much time working those pressure points!  Folks who suffer from extreme stress, though, could experience pains all over their bodies.

Migraine Headaches

I've been lucky enough to never experience a migraine.  People who experience these brutal headaches regularly are almost certainly overstressed.  There is decent medicine available though.  Talk to your doctor for more info.

So how many of these symptoms do you regularly feel?  If you feel that it's quite a few, check out the following resources on dealing with stress.  I'm currently working on another hub about some common stress treatments as well.  Check back often for updates!