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Psychological Effects of Stress and Anxiety

Anxiety can become a part of everyday life as we deal with challenges from work and from home. Stress is also a common aspect of our world. When the two aspects combine for some people, great psychological difficulty can occur. Stress and anxiety can begin to interfere with normal life, especially through negative thoughts, irritability and nightmares.

  1. Anxiety and Stress

    • Anxiety and stress are related. For anxiety patients, the stress can come from obsessive, automatic negative thoughts about real and perceived situations. These thoughts go beyond the norm and can begin to interfere with regular life. Sleep, communication and concentration can all suffer.

    Automatic Negative Thought

    • One component of stress-induced anxiety is automatic negative thought. Automatic negative thoughts are those that instantly follow a presented situation, such as a short-notice meeting scheduled for tomorrow. Anxiety patients could automatically think that they won't be prepared for the meeting and it will be a disaster, regardless of the meeting's subject matter or importance. One important facet of these thoughts is that they are believable, especially to the patient. They may not even be expressed; in fact, a stress-induced anxiety patient may unconsciously act on these thoughts.

    Irritability

    • The physical aspects of stress-induced anxiety can also lead to psychological symptoms. Stress often creates the hormone Cortisol, which induces muscle tension in the body. Anxiety patients can have an overabundance of Cortisol, leading to constant tension, even during sleep. The anxiety patient can wake up irritable from lack of sleep. Irritability can also be the result of not completing certain goals that may have been unachievable in the first place. Communications with family members and coworkers can lead to arguments. Situations can become blown out of proportion. The longer the patient goes without good sleep, the worse the irritability can become.

    Nightmares

    • It isn't uncommon for anxiety patients to have nightmares, especially when they undergo a lot of stress. Nightmares are dreams in which terrible and traumatic events take place. They can feel so real that people wake up feeling the physical symptoms of anxiety: rapid heart beats, excessive sweating, tremors and fear. Returning to sleep can also be difficult, contributing to restlessness and a lack of concentration the next day.

    Exercise

    • One coping skill for dealing with stress-induced anxiety is exercise. Exercise can reduce Cortisol levels in the body, relaxing the body and making sleep easier at night. Exercise can also serve as a healthy distraction from thoughts. In team sports or aerobics, exercise can serve as a confidence-builder, which can reduce negative thoughts.

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