What is Stress: Types and Symptoms of Stress
What is Stress
If you think you may have stress, keep in mind that it’s just a normal response from the organism that subconsciously responds to situations that are potentially harmful or dangerous. To face these situations, we have to adapt and use our physical and mental resources, which may make us emotionally unbalanced. Learn about the different types of stress and discover ways to manage it to avoid it turning into chronic stress that lasts for a prolonged period of time.
When our environment changes and we have to adapt to it, our body needs a bit of stress to be able to adapt appropriately and effectively. This is an example of positive stress, because it’s a necessary and useful impulse. If this response is prolonged or is too intense, it may begin to affect our health or other important aspects of our life.
Symptoms of Stress
Now that you know why we get stressed, you should know what its main symptoms are.
-Frequently feeling anxious or disoriented.
-Having problems thinking and concentrating. You may constantly criticize yourself and overanalyze problems and situations.
-Behavioral changes like a nervous laugh or difficulty speaking, social awkwardness, or consuming addictive substances like alcohol or tobacco.
-Muscular stiffness, fatigue, migraines, increased heart rate, stomach pains, and other physical symptoms of stress.
Types of Stress
There are different types of stress depending on duration:
-Acute stress: It only happens at specific times, like before an exam or job interview. It is intense and exhausting.
-Episodic acute stress: This happens when someone frequently suffers from bouts of acute stress. People who have this kind of stress are emotional and may tend to overreact.
-Chronic stress: This happens when a person is in a constant state of alertness, even though there is no immediate threat. If this carries on for a prolonged period of time, it may cause problems like diabetes, depression, hypertension, and other medical issues.
How to Relieve Stress
One effective way to fight off stress is by exercising. You may feel tired, but exercising is one of the best and most important ways to keep stress from being a big problem. It releases endorphins (a hormone that makes us happy) and helps us sleep better.
You should also try to eat healthy. Avoid fast food and lots of sweets as they could make the situation worse. Replace sugary desserts with a fruit and coffee for tea. You’ll be able to see the difference pretty quickly.
Lastly, try to disconnect from technology. Spending all day on your phone or computer may overstimulate you, which makes stress worse. Try to use your phone as little as possible, and replace relaxing on your phone or in front of the TV for something else, like reading or exercising.