Health Symptoms Caused From Stress

Stress gets a bad rap, but stress isn't always what we think it is. Sometimes it produces an automatic reaction that helps to keep us safe from harm --- part of the "fight or flight" response, which is the normal process to fight danger. When we're under pressure or need to perform, our mouths feel dry, our palms sweat and we breathe a little faster.
These body mechanisms are safeguards, but when overstimulated they create symptoms that can lead to illness and disease.

Systemwide Reaction

• When our stress intensifies, it sets up a mental and physical reaction that, in turn, triggers our nervous system, our endocrine system, our muscular system and some of just about every ounce of what we are and what we do. In response to being overstimulated, we begin to feel out of balance.
  So the nervousness that helps you to step on the brake to avoid an accident produces anxiety when the stress response veers out of control.

Stress Warning Signs

• When you're under stress, you may experience rapid heartbeat and breathing, rising blood pressure and tight or stiff muscles. Your movements may become more rapid, and your eyes may dart. You may feel edgy or threatened, and your senses may seem heightened. Stress hormones release the floodgates, and adrenaline and cortisol begin racing through your body.

Physical to Immune Dysfunction

• When stress becomes chronic, the risk of heart attack or a stroke is present. Stress over the long haul can lead to depression. It can rob your immune system of the ability to fight disease, and can even contribute to infertility and make you old before your time.
  With a depressed immune system, you may get frequent colds or common illnesses you would normally be able to fight off.

Thinking Robs Normal Rhythms

• A danger in being stressed for so long is that we may lose the ability to detect stress. If we operate in high gear much of the time, these key mechanisms can physically produce pain: pain in the chest and back. If our hearts react or race too long, the system misfires and creates heart palpitations or irregular beating which can lead to dizziness, fainting, weakness and, ultimately, heart disease. Headaches are often a common symptom.

Stress and Digestion

• Anything that affects your total body system like stress does will also hit your digestive process and trigger acids or stomach upset, which can lead to problems with diarrhea or constipation. That, in turn, stimulates fluctuating weight or weight gain or loss. And since nutrition is thrown off, it can even generate shingles and eczema.

The Demon Anxiety

• Mentally, stress can affect your memory or make you anxious or forgetful. A constant worrying may take away your ability to focus or be happy. You may become argumentative and relationships suffer. If you're alone you may feel depressed and dejected, but if there are people around you, you may want to be alone.
  These feelings often mean the overstressed don't sleep or sleep too much, develop nervous habits or obsessive-compulsive behaviors such as doing the same things over and over--- pacing, biting nails, washing hands or crying, for instance.
  Unrealistic fears can develop and even swelling in the neck or protruding eyes may occur because of overstimulation of the thyroid.

Failing at Self-care

• It's being able to channel stress that's key. Why? Because our lives are often filled with the stress of daily events, and we find ourselves battling different demons such as project deadlines, driving hassles, frustrations with our boss, demands from our children, and, after awhile, our bodies can't tell the difference between danger and just being overwhelmed. So the mixed signals mean that our bodies are operating in high gear too much of the time.
  When someone tells you that you're not taking care of yourself or when the ability of self-care feels hopeless, professional help may be the only option --- seek medical advice and care.