Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
"When the body cannot handle emotional overload, it simply begins to shut down. And that is often manifested by a sense of extreme tiredness and fatigue," says Kalayjian.
Respiratory and cardiovascular systems
Under stress, your heart also pumps faster. Stress hormones cause your blood vessels to constrict and divert more oxygen to your muscles so you'll have more strength to take action. But this also raises your blood pressure.
If you are stressed, you might feel: Irritable, angry, impatient or wound up. Over-burdened or overwhelmed. Anxious, nervous or afraid.
The term "nervous breakdown" is sometimes used by people to describe a stressful situation in which they're temporarily unable to function normally in day-to-day life. It's commonly understood to occur when life's demands become physically and emotionally overwhelming.
Chronic stress — stress that occurs consistently over a long period of time — can have a negative impact on a person's immune system and physical health. If you are constantly under stress, you may experience physical symptoms such as chest pain, headaches, an upset stomach, trouble sleeping or high blood pressure.
Don't have much or any control over the outcome of a situation. Have responsibilities that you find overwhelming. Don't have enough work, activities or change in your life. Experience discrimination, hate or abuse.
If stress renders one incapable of working or functioning at home because of the recurrence of physical symptoms even in the absence of the stressor, it is best to immediately seek medical help from professionals. Examples of these physical symptoms include feelings of dizziness, rapid breathing, or racing heartbeat.
Blood tests can be used to estimate how much stress one is experiencing. A cortisol blood test is one of the most commonly used blood tests. Cortisol is a hormone that is released by the adrenal glands when one is under stress. Higher levels of cortisol would indicate higher levels of stress.
Some of the physical signs that your stress levels are too high include: Pain or tension in your head, chest, stomach, or muscles. Your muscles tend to tense up when you're stressed, and over time this can cause headaches, migraines, or musculoskeletal problems. Digestive problems.
You may experience headaches, muscle tension, and an upset stomach, along with changes to your heart rate and blood pressure. Stress can also affect breathing, with some people experiencing asthma attacks or panic attacks.
For example, the following factors could potentially result in a period of poor mental health: childhood abuse, trauma, or neglect. social isolation or loneliness. experiencing discrimination and stigma, including racism.
Some event or change in your life is causing you an intense amount of stress, which is causing symptoms such as fear, anxiety, worry, nervousness and depression. You may feel “stuck,” overwhelmed or incapacitated, which makes you unable to cope and function with life.
Symptoms of a nervous breakdown may include emotional distress as well as physical effects, like chest pains and difficulty breathing. This kind of breakdown typically comes after experiencing a great deal of stress that you find you can't cope with in healthy ways.
feel overwhelmed — unable to concentrate or make decisions. be moody — feeling low or depression; feeling burnt out; emotional outbursts of uncontrollable anger, fear, helplessness or crying. feel depersonalised — not feeling like themselves or feeling detached from situations.
Being Able to Identify a Nervous Breakdown
being easily fatigued/having erratic sleep schedules. changes in routines (exercise, eating habits, etc.) being paranoid. experiencing feelings of hopelessness and despair.