Effects of Stress

A person may be affected with stress either immediately or over a period of time. The initial sign of stress is tension. A person who is tensed will feel that their muscles are becoming tight and hard. A person who is tensed often feels irritable and is not able to concentrate. The onset of tension is the signal of a person to take action about the stress to be able to find immediate comfort and avoid long term effects of stress.

A person who has been subjected to stress would usually show symptoms like: headache, rapid heartbeat, backache, stiff neck, sweating and nausea. Effects of stress in the body may be noticed as a person would feel irritable, exhausted, unable to concentrate, worries much, has self doubts, and pessimistic

The body’s immediate response to any situation which may look demanding or dangerous is what we call acute stress. A person usually immediately recovers from acute stress but it may also cause for problems if it happens often. Chronic stress on the other hand is a result of a long-term life condition. The effects of stress for people who have high levels of chronic stress are: cardiovascular disease, gastro intestinal problems, muscle pain, problems in reproduction, and develop a weak immune system.

How a person will be affected with stress will rely on several things, like inherited stress, how they perceive stress, their coping mechanisms, their social support and their previous experiences with stress. There are some people who may get stressed often but they are also able to cope easily so they are able to go back to their normal lives immediately. There are also people who tend to thrive on stress. They seem to find it hard to get away from their stress or they are just too stubborn to look for ways to solve the problems that brought about their stress.

Knowing how to deal with stress is very important as this will make you adjust to any type of stress that will come your way. The more you are able to deal with stress properly, the faster it will be for you to recover from stress.

A stress that is without relief may lead to distress, known as a negative stress reaction. Distress may cause symptoms of chest pains, hypertension, sleep problems, headaches and upset stomach. Persons who have illnesses may also feel worst as effects of stress.