Are you mentally stressed? Check the symptoms.
When our body or mind perceives a task, living being, person, or event as threatening, or reacts in an adverse environment, that is what we call the stress response or reaction to mental stress.
What poses a threat to our body and mind is stress or pressure on the mind. This can arise from demands or excessive workloads that are beyond the body's or mind's capabilities, or from attacks by animals, unwanted events (such as accidents or conflicts with loved ones). Each of us experiences mental stress at some point in life, which can be mild, moderate, or severe.
The causes of this stress vary for each person, and the impact of this stress manifests differently in different individuals, rooted in differences in genetic traits, social skills, social support, etc. In many cases, it is observed that indirect negative thoughts related to mental stress cause more harm than the direct effects of the stress itself.
A person under prolonged mental stress exhibits various cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. For example:
Cognitive Symptoms:
- Forgetfulness
- Problems with attention
- Decreased judgment
Physical Symptoms:
- Pain in various parts of the body
- Suffering from diarrhea or constipation
- Nausea, dizziness
- Chest pain, increased heart rate, loss of interest in sexual activity
- Frequent colds and coughs
Emotional Symptoms:
- Feeling depressed or constantly unhappy
- Anxiety, restlessness
- Irritability, feeling annoyed
- Feeling exhausted or overwhelmed
- Suffering from loneliness, feeling isolated
Behavioral Symptoms:
- Overeating or undereating
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Withdrawing from everything
- Neglecting or procrastinating responsibilities
- Using cigarettes, alcohol, or various drugs for mental relief
- Moreover, prolonged mental stress can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, reduced fertility, and weakened immune response.
Causes of Mental Stress:
- Long-term physical illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, etc.
- Emotional issues, such as depression, grief, guilt, lack of self-confidence, etc.
- Strain in close relationships, lack of friends, or absence of supportive people.
- Major life changes, such as the death of a spouse or parent, job loss, marriage or divorce, childbirth and child-rearing responsibilities, relocating to a new city or country, etc.
- Illness in a family member can also affect others in the same family.
- Poverty or financial loss.
- Excessive workload or an unfavorable work environment.
- Experiencing various forms of physical and mental abuse.
- Physical and mental changes due to aging.
- Conflicts arising from one’s beliefs and values.
Some level of stress will always exist. A certain amount of stress is necessary; it motivates people to work, positively impacts growth and productivity. Therefore, instead of solely thinking about reducing or being free from stress, one should focus on managing stress. Whether mental stress becomes an enemy or a friend depends on how a person copes with it.