20 Clear Signs We Are Under Stress

Stress affects us all. We notice its effects while we are busy at work, while studying for exams, raising children, stuck in traffic…

Simply put, stress is almost everywhere. A bit of stress is completely normal and can even be useful to us. However, when there is too much of it, it can drain us, both mentally and physically.

That is why it is important to be aware of the way we experience stress, so that we know where changes need to be made.

Here we are talking about 20 clear signs of stress.

1. Frequent crying

Stress arises when we try to adjust to some sudden, unpleasant influence, and as such it stirs up various intense and mixed emotions. Because of this, it can trigger crying "out of the blue". The triggers for this kind of reaction can also be things that are not connected to the cause of the stress at all.

1. Heightened sensitivity or a feeling of being overwhelmed by strong emotions.

Prolonged, intense stress can create a feeling of being overwhelmed by strong emotions and heightened sensitivity. Then we are "hit" by words and actions that would not normally provoke our strong, pronounced reaction.

1. Frequent mood swings

Every day, all of us change our moods. However, if this happens independently of other factors that are at play at that moment and disrupt our functioning, this may be a symptom of stress.

1. Irritability

Long-lasting feelings of frustration and agitation are common companions of stress.

1. Poor concentration

The symptoms mentioned above, as well as those that follow, negatively affect concentration and interfere with its normal establishment and functioning.

1. Lack of motivation

When we find ourselves in a situation of heightened stress, we invest almost all of our energy in experiencing it and fighting against it. As a result, we may run out of strength for activities that used to motivate us.

1. Negative thoughts about the future

Here we mean so-called negative forecasting, i.e. constantly thinking that the outcome of a situation will be bad. Such thoughts have a markedly harmful effect on a person's life and can develop into further problems.

1. Sleep or digestive problems

Stress, like other emotional experiences, causes certain physiological changes. Irregular sleep, problems with digestion and with processing food may be some of them.

1. Memory problems

We have already mentioned the symptom of poor concentration; stress affects memory in a similar way. Simply put, the brain is exposed to an excessive load, and then learning and remembering new information is not considered a priority.

1. Difficulty making decisions

Making decisions can in itself be a relatively stressful experience, especially if that decision is supposed to resolve some inner conflict of ours, or if for some reason we perceive it as final. When we add another source of stress that we are facing, it is clear why difficulty making decisions is a clear sign of stress.

1. Avoiding responsibility

Procrastinating or avoiding taking responsibility is something all of us resort to at times. However, when it becomes a daily behaviour that disrupts our functioning or our relationships with others, we are talking about a possible sign of stress and of our way of trying to sweep the problem "under the carpet".

1. Racing thoughts

Racing thoughts are often accompanied by thought processes that overwhelm us with their intensity. For example, you may have experienced racing thoughts while thinking about bills, a change of job, an embarrassing experience or a phobia. Given that all of these situations are stressful in themselves, racing thoughts are also an attempt to avoid or resolve these situations.

1. Chest pain and dizziness

Also, we often feel the physiological changes that stress causes. They can be very intense and thereby further interfere with a person's life.

1. Loss of sexual desire

The sex drive is an innate phenomenon and is considered necessary for the normal functioning of an adult. Thus, if it is absent or significantly diminished, stress may be the cause.

1. Changes in sleep or eating routines

Stressful circumstances can also affect our routine behaviours. There may be a drastic decrease in food intake or, on the other hand, excessive eating in an attempt to superficially soften the negative emotions caused by stress. Also, insomnia or excessive sleeping may occur.

1. Feeling of loneliness

A feeling of loneliness can be experienced in many ways and is a normal occurrence, of course, as long as it does not interfere with a person's functioning and life. However, if that is the case, stress may be the cause that stirs up feelings of helplessness and hopelessness in us.

1. Headaches

One more physiological symptom. An organism saturated with stressful situations can lead to headaches, which over time may develop into migraines and thus create a serious, long-term consequence of stress. That is why it is very important to listen carefully to your body and to the signals it sends you.

1. Burnout syndrome

Long-term, prolonged stress, especially at work, can lead to burnout syndrome, i.e. occupational exhaustion, which manifests in various ways in our body.

1. Anxiety

In certain situations, a symptom of anxiety may appear under stress. Of course, this sign is much more likely to occur in people who already have some anxious tendencies.

1. Weakened immunity

Stress affects us on a mental level, but also on a physical one. In this way, it can also weaken our body's ability to defend itself.

As we can see, the symptoms of stress are truly numerous, and each of us encounters signs that are characteristic of us. However, the first step in managing stress is precisely to learn what its signs are so that we can recognise them in time. Only then can we set for ourselves the goal of successfully overcoming the challenges that stress brings us.