Early Signs of Stress

September 7, 2006 by Vishal | No Comments

Knowing and understanding the early signs of stress can help you take action against it before it leads to a total nervous breakdown. Ignoring the many signs that your body gives you can lead to total failure of systems.

The very initial signs of stress are becoming overly tired and exhausted. At times like these you mat feel that you cannot focus on any activity, however mundane and easy it may be. Small tasks seem monolithic and you tend to get frustrated. Reaching out for a cigarette or alcohol may relax you for a short while but these tend to be harmful in the long run. This is primarily so because smoking and drinking are habit forming and before you know it resorting to a drink or a cigarette becomes a reflex whenever you feel stressed. Alcoholism and chain smoking are then not far away. Social drinking is fine but if it is a haven of unconsciousness that you are looking at, it will only lead you to becoming a weak and frustrated person.

Other things that get affected during stress are sleep and eating patterns. There are people who just cannot eat when they are tense. The sight of food itself puts them off. But then there are others who will grab a bar of chocolate the moment they face a stress-inducing environment. If you are witnessing a yoyo effect of weight loss and weight gain, then you need to take time off and think of the circumstances that are causing stress. Similarly, some people just cannot seem to grab enough sleep and as a result the drain shows on their countenance. Dark circles appear and you tend to look older. While some can’t fall asleep due to their inability to shut their mind off, others wake up lethargic and tired in spite of spending 10-11 hours in the bed. Both the problems are equally dangerous if allowed to become chronic.

While undergoing stress, we tend to pay no heed to rules and regulations. We tend to get so bogged down by the stressful situation that we develop a ‘care a damn’ attitude that percolates across situations. Accidents are a common consequences due to such an attitude / behavior.

Physical manifestations of stress can range from nail biting, twiddling thumbs, stammering and nervous quick movements. At higher levels it can cause the mouth to dry and give a feeling of choking.

Though the physical manifestations of stress are relatively easy to spot, emotional reactions like withdrawing or feeling frustrated may not be easy to identify. Different individuals may react to stress in their own unique manner and it is important to understand the manner in which you respond to stressful situations. This can help you mould your reactions and train yourself to handle stressful situations better.

Posted in Stress Management

Bookmark and Share!