One of the first steps in managing your stress is recognizing any warning signs and identifying your life stressors. Managing your stress will require you to change the stressful situation when you can, and when you cannot do that, change what you can in regards to your reactions and how you deal with the stressful situations in your life.
Keep in mind that psychological and medical conditions can also cause the signs and symptoms of stress. Thyroid issues, heart conditions, and hormone imbalances are prevalent causes of anxiety and can diminish your ability to cope with stress. Sometimes side effects from medications can cause these symptoms as well. Even if you are dealing with stressful situations, it never hurts to seek a medical evaluation to rule out anything physical. It’s not uncommon to be dealing with multiple things at once. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can suppress your immune system, upset your digestive and reproductive systems, increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and speed up the aging process. It can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s, and other mental health problems.
Health problems caused or exacerbated by stress include:
Depression and anxiety
Pain of any kind
Sleep problems
Autoimmune diseases
Digestive problems
Skin conditions, such as eczema
Heart disease
Weight problems
Reproductive issues
Thinking and memory problems
The most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it, and it starts to feel familiar, even normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, even as it takes a heavy toll. That’s why it’s essential to be aware of the common warning signs and stress overload symptoms.
