It can be difficult to be completely aware of your mental health in the face of the busyness of contemporary capitalist society. This can lead to the neglect of your mental self-care which can have disastrous results for your overall health. Particularly important to watch out for is the common issue of experiencing too much stress which could create bigger health issues and can even cause death. The following are some of the symptoms you should be on the lookout for.
Emotional symptoms
You may experience emotion-based symptoms of being overstressed. This may include moodiness, frequent upsets, and frustration. It is common to find yourself being overwhelmed overall with everything going on with your life. You might have racing thoughts you cannot control which can become disruptive to your daily routine.
Self-image problems could arise due to stress. Many people will have an overall bad feeling about themselves accompanied with feelings of worthlessness, loneliness, and depression.
Physical symptoms
Along with emotional symptoms you may also have physical symptoms of being overstressed. One symptom is having less energy and feeling tired overall. Probably the most common symptom of prolonged stress is the onset of headaches. You could also experience stomach-related problems such as diarrhea, constipation, and nausea.
Stress over longer periods of time can cause an unusually rapid heartbeat and pain in your chest. It can even be the cause of more frequent colds, infections, and other illnesses. Even having decreased sex drive can be a result of prolonged stress.
Cognitive symptoms
Suffering from being overstressed can result in cognitive symptoms, decreasing your quality of life. It is common to start worrying incessantly about all types of things while experiencing racing thoughts. Having a more pessimistic outlook may also be a sign of having too much stress in your life. Many will experience memory problems and become overall more disorganized. Making poor choices in various areas of life and not being able to focus can be a sign of problematic stress levels.
Behavioral symptoms
You may experience a change in your behavior from dealing with too much stress. You may end up losing your appetite and not feel like eating. On the other hand, the opposite can happen, and you start eating too much.
Many will find themselves wanting to procrastinate on tasks and avoid taking on more responsibilities. It is also common to see an increase in consumption of alcohol and other drugs when people are under prolonged stressful conditions. You could exhibit behaviors related to being nervous, such as nail-biting, being fidgety and pacing back and forth.
Stress reduction can help you live longer
Being able to recognize when you are experiencing too much stress can enable you to take action to alleviate the situation. This can allow you to avoid more serious health complications evolving from constant stress. It has also been shown reducing stress can actually increase your chances of living longer.
Opinions expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Raymond James. All opinions are as of this date and are subject to change without notice.