Knowing When You Are Stressed

Take a look at yourself. Are you stressed?

Sometimes we are 'stressed out' and we are not even aware of our rising stress levels. But not all individuals respond to stressors in the same way. Your genetic make-up, personality and past experience all dictate how you deal with and react to stressors. In other words, susceptibility to stress-related medical problems varies among individuals. Some people are particularly vulnerable to stressful situations or events, while others may be highly productive under pressure.

To Know Stress is to Manage Stress

If you recognise the major symptoms of stress, you will associate situations in your life with specific stress symptoms, and consequently learn better coping strategies for those situations. However, sometimes your body experiences stress while you remain unaware. This chart lists some of the manifestations of stress:

Physical

Emotional

Muscular tension Headaches Insomnia Fatigue Backache Neck aches Upset stomach Grinding teeth Changes in eating/sleep habits
Irritability Anxiety Frustration Depression Worrying Nervousness Moodiness Anger Self-doubt Resentment

Mental

Social

Low concentration Forgetfulness Lethargy Pessimism Low productivity Confusion
Loneliness Nagging Less social contact Shouting at others Isolation Reduced sex drive

Read up about some stress-management techniques.