The Signs & Symptoms of Stress
There are many different signs and symptoms of stress, and stress can affect us all in different ways. It can affect our physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Many of the signs and symptoms of stress can often be put down to other things and therefore dismissed, it’s not until we can see them all in one place that we can start to join the dots and make sense of things.
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of stress is so important because if we are aware then we can do something about it.
A little but about me….
Before we dive into the common signs and symptoms of stress, I want to share a little bit about me.
For years I knew there was something wrong with me, I had all these different symptoms but I couldn’t pinpoint anything specific to take to my GP.
It was only by chance that I stumbled across a magazine article about stress which listed some of the symptoms, and I had them all! Suddenly everything started to make sense.
I wish I’d known and fully understood how stress would impact me in the long term.
What I’ve learned over the years is that many of the signs can be dismissed as being down to ‘something else’, this was the case for me and it’s the same for many of the women that I work with.
I’ve also learned over the years that awareness is key. When we are aware of something we can start to make changes and that’s why I’ve written this blog.
I want you to recognise stress sooner rather than later, so that you can take steps to manage stress and avoid suffering alone for a long time like I did.
The Common Signs of Stress
Here are some of the more common signs of stress:
How stress can make you FEEL
- Irritable, angry, impatient, wound up
- Overwhelmed
- Anxious
- Emotional
- Racing thoughts, can’t switch off
- Unable to enjoy yourself
How stress can affect you PHYSICALLY
- Muscular aches and pains
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Constipation or diarrhoea
How stress can make you BEHAVE
- Find it hard to make decisions
- Unable to concentrate
- Unable to remember things
- Snapping at people
- Being restless like you can’t sit still
- Crying or feeling tearful
Can you relate to any of these?
These are just some of the most common signs and symptoms of stress. If you’ve read this and are thinking that stress may be affecting you, but you’re still not 100% sure, then I have something for you: The Stress & Burnout Symptom Checklist.
This is a much more comprehensive list of the signs and symptoms of stress and includes the signs of stress that you SHOULDN’T IGNORE