Signs of Stress

Stress is a psychological and physiological response to the events that upset our personal balance to certain extent. When you are facing a tough time in your life, physically as well as emotionally, the body's defenses kick into high gear in an automatic, rapid process called as “fight-or-flight” response.

We all face different obstacles, challenges and this creates a lot of mental pressure which becomes difficult to handle. Some signs of stress are when you feel tensed, when you're not sure of satisfying others needs, or when you feel overwhelmed. Stress keeps you on toes during your examination.  Stress can be helpful to a certain extent. It gives you the push, motivates you to do your best and helps you to stay focused and alert. However, when it becomes difficult for you to cope up with this demanding world, you experience emotional as well as physical stress. There are various signs of stress and you can also recognize them. The signs vary from person to person. Stress affects body, mind and behavior of a person. Some primary signs of stress are stomach problems, skin outbreaks and lower back pain. Emotional signs of excess stress include hypersensitivity or crying jags.

Signs of stress can be categorized into three types:
* Physical signs of stress.
*  Emotional signs of stress.
* Cognitive and perceptive signs of stress.

Physical signs of stress:
The body responds to the adrenaline that is generated and enables it to take explosive actions for survival or high performance in presence of a stressor. Body retains its normal state if stress is relieved else physical conditions exhibit themselves. These physical conditions include

* Increase in perspiration resulting in sweaty hands and sweat all over the body.
* Heart beat rate increases.
* Pain or tightness in chest, jaw, back muscles, neck. Jaw tightness may result in speech difficulties and muscles may tremble and twitch.
* Chronic pains in various parts of the body and headaches.
* Skin crawls and pales.
* Nervous ticks and restlessness.
* Diarrhea
* Nausea and vomiting as body does not accept foreign particles in stomach

Not-so physical (commonly ignored) signs of stress include :
* Increase in the blood pressure, which affects the heart and arteries in the long run.
* Increased levels of sugar and insulin in the bloodstream.
* Increased levels of cholesterol.
* Indigestion and constipation.
* Increased cortisone from adrenal glands.
* Increase in amount of urine.
* Increased endorphins from hypothalamus.
* Increase in the thyroid hormone.
* Premenstrual tension.
* Decrease in the sex hormones.
* Excessive fatigue.
* Sickness because of weak immune system.

Stress affects emotional life as well. Emotional disturbances are that caused in people due to stress are as follow:
* Hostility, aggression and jealousy.
* Stammering and speech difficulties.
* Impatience , anger and anxiety.
* Withdrawal from social life or difficulty in coping with group situations.
* Loss of sexual desire and infertility.
* Nightmares.
* Loss of peace of mind resulting in anxiety, restlessness and feeling of insecurity.
* Loss of positive spirit.
* Emotional upsets.
* Irregular, over or under eating.
* Impulsive behavior, irritable and moody.
* Crying for no valid reasons.

Stress leads to significant decline in the cognitive faculties in the humans. People lose their capacity to think rationally and this can lead to:
* memory loss and forgetfulness.
* Lack of attention and fail to think from a broader perspective.
* Irresponsible acts and carelessness.
* Reduced capacity to think creatively.
* Compulsive behavior.
* Consumption  of cigarettes, alcohol or drugs.