Stress refers to the feeling caused by a lot of pressure and demands at home, at work, at school, etc. It can also be a result of life's events like death within family or friends, lost of job, marital break-up, major catastrophe, etc.
Stress has emotional and physical effects that may create negative or positive feelings. Stress, on rare occasions, drives people to do their best and pushes them to the limit to do amazing things. However, most of the time, stress results to anger, rejection, depression, and distrust.
Studies show that people who are always stressed out experience health problems like high blood pressure, upset stomach, frequent headaches, heart disease, insomnia, and stroke.
100% of people experience stress at least once in their lives and it is perfectly normal. However, when it affects people negatively and prohibits them from living their lives fully, it is a sign that a professional is needed to effectively manage stress.
Here are the types of stress and their symptoms:
1. Acute Stress.
This is the most common type of stress that affects people on a regular basis. It is usually caused by pressures or demands of life, real or imagined. Acute stress has short-term effects and does not cause extensive damage to people who experience it. Common symptoms include anxiety, irritability, and anger that specifically target human emotions.
In addition, it causes muscular problems like jaw pain, extreme headache, and muscular tensions that prohibit a person to function comfortably. Other symptoms include heartburn, diarrhea, and constipation.
It is important to note that these symptoms may appear during major events. It is normal for people to be stressed when they suddenly lost employment or someone dear to them. It is natural to get some of the symptoms mentioned above, but they should only be temporary. The problem starts when people do not move on for a considerable amount of time and they display the same symptoms for a long period of time. These people require professional help in order to overcome stressful events.
2. Periodic Acute Stress.
This is the type of stress that is being experienced frequently. Experts have deeply associated episodic or periodic acute stress to managers, lawyers, business owners, etc. They are usually short-tempered, tense, anxious, and irritable. They generally make their office an extremely stressful place.
Symptoms on this type of stress include hypertension, heart disease, tension headaches, chest pain, and migraine. People who are suffering from this kind of stress should seek immediate professional help.
3. Chronic Stress.
This is what experts call destructive stress because it destroys minds, bodies, and lives. This is commonly seen on people who have dysfunctional families, suffer from poverty, or are generally unhappy about their marriage and job. Most people suffering from chronic stress commit suicide or die from heart attack and stroke. Chronic stress leads to extreme depression and requires extensive medical and behavioral treatment as well as stress management.
Symptoms include frequent conflict with employers, friends, family members, and co-workers, frequent change in employment, inability to socialize, and workplace and domestic violence.
Stress can be beneficial or destructive depending on how it is handled. Knowing the symptoms on when to seek professional help to manage stress cannot only improve the quality of life, but it can ultimately save lives.
