Stress Symptoms

By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
updated on 11/19/2007 at 03:03PM

We all experience stressful situations and events throughout our lives. Sometimes the stress is temporary, such as being stuck in a traffic jam. Other times, such as when a loved one passes away, the stress can be more intense and long lasting. Stress can manifest in our lives through physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. These symptoms may vary in duration and intensity depending upon the stressor. Under normal conditions, these symptoms will dissipate with time. However, if stress builds up and becomes overwhelming, the symptoms of stress may become chronic. Here’s a look at some of the classic symptoms of stress.

Physical symptoms

The physical symptoms of stress can often mimic the symptoms of other illnesses, such as ulcers, spinal problems, asthma, or cardiovascular disorders. Nevertheless, you should not make any assumptions. If you’re unsure of the cause of your symptoms, you should seek the advice of a qualified health care professional. The following physical symptoms may be the result of, or at least aggravated by stress:

sleep disturbances
heart pounding
back, shoulder or neck pain
tension headaches or migraines
skin rashes
indigestion, cramps, heartburn, gas, irritable bowel syndrome
constipation, diarrhea
nausea
weight gain or loss, eating disorders
hair loss
muscle tension
tightness or a “knot” in the stomach
fatigue
high blood pressure
irregular heart beat, palpitations
asthma or shortness of breath
breath holding
insomnia
restlessness
sleeping too much
chest pain
sweaty palms or hands
cold hands or feet
skin disorders
periodontal disease, jaw pain
reproductive problems
immune system suppression (frequent colds, flu or infections)
growth inhibition
chronic pain

Emotional symptoms

The emotional symptoms of stress can also mimic the symptoms of other emotional disorders, such as depression, or anxiety disorders. These emotional symptoms can affect you performance at work, your social relationships, and your enjoyment of daily activities.

Mood changes
Nervousness
Anxiety
Depression
Irritability
Frustration
Difficulty remembering things
Hostility
Abrasive behavior
Difficulty concentrating
Trouble thinking clearly
Phobias or excessive fear
Lack of control over emotions
Loss of sense of humor

Behavioral Symptoms

Stress can also cause people to behave irregularly. It can cloud judgment and make it difficult for sufferers to manage work, chores, and daily responsibilities. Here are some of the behavioral symptoms of stress.

Forgetfulness
Disorganization
Confusion
Apathy
Negative outlook
Low self-esteem
Fuzzy perception

Coping Mechanisms

Stress causes people to react in different ways. The coping methods that some people use, such as substance abuse, can deteriorate the sufferer’s health, wealth, and relationships with family, friends, co-workers, or even strangers. A person under stress may cope in the following destructive ways:

Excessive aggression or arguing
Violence
Road rage
Changing jobs frequently
Conflicting with employers or co-workers
Over-reacting
Abusing drugs or alcohol

Intensity of Stress Symptoms

In dealing with stress, it’s important to understand the intensity of the symptoms that you’re dealing with. The symptoms of stress can be categorized as either acute, episodic or chronic.

Acute Stress: Acute stress is very common and very short lived. This type of stress may accompany a major lifestyle change, such as moving, or finding a new job. Daily aggravations such as a cranky toddler or irritating noise in the neighborhood can also bring on acute stress. The critical component of acute stress is that it is short term and it dissipates when the stressful situation ends. This type of stress does not usually stick around long enough to cause any real physical or mental damage.

Episodic Acute Stress: Episodic acute stress affects people that experience many short-lived stressful situations throughout the day. These situations may even compound one another…you’re running late so you drive too fast and get a speeding ticket that you don’t have the money to pay for, etc. If you suffer from episodic acute stress, you are likely disorganized, hurried, running late, and always expecting something else to go wrong.

Chronic Stress: Unlike acute or episodic acute stress, chronic stress never dissipates. Instead, it wears the sufferer down, day after day, week after week, year after year. The sufferer may even come to accept this stress as simply part of their personality. A relentless stress accompanies situations such as poverty, war, childhood abuse, or a traumatic situation. People who suffer from chronic stress often feel powerless, hopeless, and that there’s no way and no point in getting help.

Complications of Stress Symptoms

The symptoms of stress can also lead to other serious illnesses and conditions. These include obesity, heart disease, cancer, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, ulcers, hair loss, hyperthyroidism, and gum disease. If you’re suffering from an overwhelming amount of stress, it’s important to seek help to avoid the development of additional health disorders.

My theory on the cause of depression, stress and anxiety is the lack of exercise, poor diet, excessive caffeine intake, dehydration, fluorescent lighting, radiation from cell phones and computers, alcohol consumption, refined sugar, white flour, MSG, nutritional deficiencies and not enough personal relaxation time.

For more information on Dr. Group or coping with stress, anxiety or depression naturally, using drug free methods go to www.stress-anxiety-depression.org or www.ghchealth.com. We also have a forum where you can interact and ask questions regarding your condition.