Stress
By: Mansi Arora
What is stress? Stress is a body’s response to when you are feeling nervous, scared, or sad. Anyone who has experienced stress is able to express oneself through his or her body and thoughts. When you are feeling stressed, it is always important to find the cause of the stress and identify what you can do to get rid of it.
Many external and internal factors can cause one to experience stress. Some external factors include work or school, financial problems, family, family health problems, and changes in life. Internal factors include those that involve you and things that are within your reach, like your strengths and weaknesses; a few internal factors are unrealistic expectations, negative self-talk, the inability to accept present situations, a traumatic past, personal health problems, and safety.
All of these can lead to negative health effects. Too much stress for the brain disrupts synaptic regulation, which can lead to neuronal death. Young individuals who experience neuronal death have a 70% chance of dying. Stress can also give one headaches, anxiety, chest pains, overeating or undereating disorders, drug or alcohol misuse, insomnia, sleep paralysis, fatigue and lack of motivation. Insomnia and sleep paralysis are extremely detrimental and one must consult a doctor immediately.
Stress comes with its signs and symptoms. It breaks down into four categories, cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral. Some of the cognitive signs and symptoms are memory problems, lack of concentration, constant worrying, anxious and racing thoughts, and pessimism. Depression, unhappiness, moodiness, anger, agitation, loneliness, and feeling overwhelmed are signs and symptoms of the emotional factor. Some physical signs and symptoms are aches and pains, diarrhea and constipation, muscle tension, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, rapid heart rate, and frequent colds or flu. Lastly, behavioral signs and symptoms are loss or gain of appetite, too much or too little amount of sleep, nervous habits and procrastination.
The amount of people that experience stress is rapidly increasing on a daily basis. In Canada, one out of four people have stress because of job loss. The estimated percentage of people having stress in Canada is 21% in 2018 and after 2 years, the number has increased to 42%.
As stress begins to become a critical issue in the 21st century, it is always important to know how to handle it effectively. It is crucial to understand the origins of why you are experiencing stress. Try connecting with others to express your thoughts and feelings. Keep your mind occupied by doing things that you enjoy. It is important to keep a balanced diet and get a lot of rest as well.
As stress is inevitable, it is important to know how to solve problems that are causing the stress. It is good to always seek help from friends and family or doctors when you can’t solve the stress issue on your own.
Q: What are the sources of stress?
A: Some main sources of stress include family responsibility, money, work, and health concerns.
Q: What are the 2 main types of stress?
A: The 2 types of stress are acute and chronic stress. Acute stress is one of the most severe types of stress that causes the body’s immediate reaction to a new challenge, event, or demand. Chronic stress is acute stress that lasts for a considerable amount of time.
Citations:
- https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-anxiety-depression
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987#:~:text=Indeed%2C%20stress%20symptoms%20can%20affect,heart%20disease%2C%20obesity%20and%20diabetes.
- https://food.ndtv.com/health/6-types-of-stress-you-should-know-about-1669721
- https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-signs-and-causes.htm
- https://www.tuw.edu/health/how-stress-affects-the-brain/#:~:text=It%20can%20disrupt%20synapse%20regulation,responsible%20for%20memory%20and%20learning.
- https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/causes-of-stress#1
- https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/stress/related/stress-statistics/#:~:text=Regardless%20of%20age%2C%20sex%2C%20ethnicity,people%20report%20feeling%20extreme%20stress
- https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/stress-becoming-way-life-canadians#:~:text=Toronto%2C%20ON%20%2D%20The%20results%20of,compared%20with%20five%20years%20ago.
Image Credit:
Originally published at https://www.helyx.science on December 23, 2020.
