Physical & Mental Symptoms of Chronic Stress & Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are normal reactions experienced by everyone in scary or uncertain situations, according to the Help Guide mental health website. They prepare you to confront a challenge by putting your mind and body on "high alert." This can be helpful in the short term when you have to deal with a situation like giving an important presentation, competing on a sports team or something similar. It becomes harmful if the stress and anxiety stick around for the long term and are not associated with anything specific. Instead, you may experience ongoing physical and mental symptoms.

Sleep Problems

• Chronic anxiety and stress will interfere with your sleep patterns, according to Help Guide. You may experience sleepless nights or find yourself sleeping too much. Either of these extremes can be caused by anxiety and stress because fear might keep you awake or exhaust you so badly that you don't want to get up.

Irritability

• Your emotional reserves are tapped by chronic stress and anxiety. This can make you irritable, agitated and short-tempered, Help Guide advises. You won't have patience when dealing with other people or everyday issues, even if they are minor, because you are mentally worn down.

Eating Problems

• You may eat too much or too little when you're suffering from chronic stress and anxiety, Help Guide warns. The agitation may lead to overeating, or you may skip meals because you are so preoccupied with worry. Stress and anxiety may also cause stomach cramps, nausea and other physical symptoms that interfere with eating, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Impaired Concentration

• You won't be able to concentrate on other things when stress and anxiety are constantly consuming your thoughts. You may have trouble fulfilling home and work obligations that require focused thought.

Isolation

• Chronic stress and anxiety may cause you to withdraw and isolate yourself socially, according to Help Guide. You will feel lonely but be unable to read out to others. This can eventually lead to increasing unhappiness and depression.

Racing Heart

• Chronic stress and anxiety will make your heart race, which can lead to chest pain. You may also experience dizziness and shortness of breath, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some people who suffer from long-term stress and anxiety fear they are having a heart attack because of these physical symptoms.

Self-Medication

• People with chronic stress and anxiety often try to self-medicate with cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. Help Guide warns this can lead to substance abuse issues because the symptoms are only alleviated temporarily, leading to continued and increasing use of the substance in an effort to get more relief.