Stress is often seen as a psychological condition; it is a descriptor of mental or emotional turmoil caused by extraneous triggers. It is incredibly common for a lot of people to experience stress at one point or another. However, long-term or chronic stress can have a number of adverse effects on the body; if left untreated, your health can really start to decline because of stress. The following manifestations of stress could indicate that you suffer from chronic stress and should make an appointment with your GP.
Acne & Other Skin Issues
Arguably one of the most noticeable examples of stress can be seen on the skin in the form of acne. This may be due to hormonal shifts, which can lead to the secretion of more oil, which then blocks pores and causes spots. Some people also tend to touch their faces more when stressed, which deposits bacteria and leads to spots. Finally, stress can also weaken your immune system, which can, in turn, lead to acne.
Stress can manifest itself in the skin in a number of ways. Acne is fairly common; however, if you already have a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis, then you can expect to experience a flare-up during times of stress. A lot of people also experience a stress rash, whereby their feelings of stress and anxiety manifest in a red rash somewhere on their skin. After the stress is over, the skin does often return to homeostasis.
Hair Loss
Another common sign of chronic stress is hair loss. Obviously, there are other factors that can encourage hair loss in women and men. Stress tends to disrupt the hormones that play a role in hair growth and maintenance. There is also a form of alopecia that is triggered by trauma and the stress that it causes. For the most part, stress-induced hair loss is temporary.
Headaches/Migraines
Chronic stress can also manifest as headaches or migraines. The internal causes for this are still relatively unknown. It could be due to intramuscular tension; it could be because of the hormones secreted during times of stress or the resulting adrenaline crash. Whatever the cause, stress headaches can be episodic or chronic, and they can be incredibly debilitating depending on the severity.
Frequent Bouts of Sickness
Experiencing chronic stress can lead to prolonged increased levels of cortisol which can take its toll on your immune system. Over time, your immune system is likely to get weaker and weaker, which can make you more vulnerable to common illnesses like coughs and colds. Your body is simply less able to fight off invading bacteria and infections.
Chronic Pain
In the same vein as the symptom above, if you experience prolonged, higher levels of stress, then you are more likely to suffer from chronic pain too. This can also be attributed to increased levels of cortisol. However, the pain is not likely to come out of nowhere, but stress may exacerbate other factors that can also cause pain, like poor posture, old injuries, nerve damage or even ageing.
Change in Appetite or Digestive Issues
Appetite changes often occur as a result of stress, and it often goes one of two ways, either you find yourself ravenous, or you have absolutely no appetite whatsoever. The result will likely be influenced by your relationship with food in general. The changes in appetite might be so great that your weight fluctuates; some people lose weight when faced with stress while others gain it.
Your change in appetite might go hand-in-hand with digestive issues. It can lead to diarrhoea or constipation, and it may also worsen or lead to a flare-up of an existing digestive issue like IBS, IBD or even Crohn’s disease. However, again there are a number of other triggers that could cause or worsen digestive issues, like medication or dietary changes.
Fatigue & Insomnia
Feeling tired all the time could be the result of chronic stress. The abundance of stress hormones in the body, as well as the psychological aspects, can lead to insomnia and make it harder for you to sleep at night. This then leads to low energy levels and fatigue during the day. A lot of people use meditation and other mindfulness techniques in order to instil a sense of peace, making it easier for them to fall asleep at night.
Changes in Your Sex Drive
A lot of people find that their libido is affected when they are experiencing periods of stress. For the most part, their sexual desire tends to decrease, but that may not always be the case, people deal with stress differently, and if you find sex to be a stress reliever, your libido may increase. Other manifestations of stress may also be affecting your sex drive too, like fatigue or insomnia or even bouts of sickness and headaches.
Mental Health Issues
The common theme emerging from this list is that episodes of chronic stress can worsen any underlying conditions that you already have. Therefore, it makes sense that in times of chronic stress, you are likely to find that your mental health begins to plummet. There have been links between stress and anxiety or depression. It can lead to an increase in symptoms, and oftentimes, chronic stress and depressive episodes have often been linked, but the association doesn’t necessarily prove causation.
Heart Palpitations
Stress can often also manifest as heart palpitations. When faced with stressors or triggers, your heart might begin racing or beating erratically. This, again, is often in answer to the stress hormones flooding the body. It may also be a precursor to a panic attack. The increased heart rate can also lead to higher blood pressure overall.
Excessive Sweating
Feelings of stress can also trigger the sweat glands and lead to excess sweating. Again, this is due to the stress hormones flooding the system. Relaxation techniques can help to keep your calm and the sweating under control. A stronger deodorant might also be beneficial, as will wearing looser clothing.
Panic Attacks
Lastly, if a few of the symptoms above are combined together in the right way, you might experience panic attacks as a result of stress. Panic attacks usually involve heart palpitations, sweating, tunnel vision, headaches and nausea, among a myriad of other symptoms. Panic attacks can be incredibly debilitating, and some people even mistake them for a heart attack. Relaxation techniques can prove to be helpful. However, you should really work on learning more about the trigger and lessening its power over you.
Final Words
For the most part, stress is simply an unavoidable aspect of modern life; most people will experience some form of stress fairly regularly. Acute stress doesn’t tend to have too much of a reaction in the body because it is over fairly quickly. However, the issues tend to arise when the stress becomes chronic and lasts for long periods of time. Too much stress can have a number of effects on the body and your overall health too. If you have noticed any of the twelve symptoms above, it could be indicative that your body is under too much stress. Luckily, there are a number of ways for you to relieve stress and foster a calmer approach to life.
