Recognising Stress

Having some stress in your life is a good thing.

The adrenalin that accompanies stress can keep us motivated and focused.  Not only is stress something we all have, it’s something we all need to have in our lives, but only to a certain degree.

The trick is to understand when stress is becoming dangerous, spot the signs of stress and know how to deal with it.

The main reason why coping with stress is so important is that stress – especially emotional stress – is one of the main triggers of depression and can adversely affect your physical health.  By learning to identify stress symptoms you’re naturally in a better position to deal with both the stress itself as well as the effects. It’s a matter of treating the underlying cause rather than the symptoms.

What causes stress

The causes of stress are as different and unique as you are yourself.  What is a causeof anxiety to one person may be of no consequence to another.

But some things are generally accepted as deep-rooted causes of stress in most people.  Emotional stress can be caused by bereavement, money worries, divorce, long-term illness, disability, life changes like the menopause, or even a child leaving home.

Worrying about work related issues such as deadlines, job security and whether or not you’re able to complete a particular task are also common – and probably more obvious – causes of stress.  In fact life in general can be pretty stressful.

Strangely enough – what we expect to be pleasant occasions can also lead to stress. Often these occasions are doubly stressful because our reactions to them are bound up in guilt about how we are feeling. 

‘What’s wrong with me?’ is often the common reaction to stress experienced around a much anticipated event.  This is something we wanted to happen – made happen – maybe even longed to happen and it’s causing us anxiety and stress.

We are often unhappy about that kind of reaction in ourselves and that can turn easily to negativity and self-loathing.  We assume, wrongly that no-one else feels like that in such circumstances – or that it’s simply not natural to feel that way.  Some examples of postively anticipated events which can turn out to be highly stressful include:

family weddings or any other family gathering

christmas

pregnancy or birth of a baby

time alone with a partner when you’re used to having the children around

much loved family member coming to stay

travel of any kind

holidays – especially where travel is involved

moving house – relocating is In fact considered one of the most stressful events of our lives, even when we’re looking forward to living in the new property.

Of course – it isn’t the event itself which causes the stress, it’s our own reactions to it.  A suposedly "stressful" event can be completely stress-free in certain circumstances and totally stressful in others. 

What matters is how we deal with what is happening and one of the key factors is the degree to which we understand how we are reacting and spot the danger signals before it’s too late.

Stress Symptoms

There are many signs that your reaction to the stress in your life is becoming a problem.  Here are some that you should watch out for in yourself and anyone close to you particularly when any of the known triggers figure in your life:

More irritable than usual

Difficulty sleeping or waking earlier than usual

Inability to accept criticism

Increased use of alcohol

Smoking more heavily

Lack of concentration

Nail biting or any other form of habit you revert to at times of anxiety

If you recognize any of these symptoms of stress in yourself or others it’s important you take steps to manage the stress before it affects your health.  The way in which we react to stress is a totally individual thing.  If you are someone who is likely to become stressed easily then it is even more important to watch for some of these signs.