Stress is part of everyday life, especially nowadays. But, depending on some factors (such as causes, manifestations, intensity and duration), it may characterize a psychological disorder. Check below what is this condition, what is its relation with anxiety, what are the main causes and some clinical presentations of stress!

What is stress

Essentially, stress is a physical and psychological response we present when faced with situations that generate tension. The word we use to describe this response is our version of the English word " stress "But its etymological origins are somewhat uncertain.

There is a hypothesis that the English term came about as an abbreviation of " distress "This word refers to physical and emotional responses to situations that generate distress or anxiety.

What is known is that the word "stress" is related to some Latin terms, such as " strictus ", which would be something like "tight" or "compressed", besides the word "stricture" (in Portuguese), which refers to the act of compressing.

As you can see, even in its origin, the word "stress" denotes tension. This describes well what commonly lies behind the causes of this condition and the physical manifestations that accompany it.

Stress and anxiety

Both stress and anxiety are characterized by physical and emotional responses. Many of these responses are common to both conditions, and usually one is actually present when the other is experienced. Because of this, it is common to confuse them, but they are not the same thing.

While stress is more related to the physical part, anxiety is closely linked to emotional aspects. For example, anguish is a feeling always present in moments of anxiety, but not necessarily in a stressful situation. On the other hand, muscle tension is always present in stress, but not necessarily in anxiety.

In addition, stress is usually linked to more concrete situations and to events that are happening or have already happened. Anxiety, on the other hand, can arise in the face of a real or perceived threat (i.e., not necessarily concrete and may be the result of distorted thoughts), so that it is related to the anticipation of something that may (or may not) happen.

In a brief and somewhat oversimplified way, we can say that stress is related to the present, while anxiety occurs more by future projections.

The most common causes

The concern with day-to-day situations is the main generator of stress, and the most common source of it is work. As it is a sector of life responsible for the maintenance of several others (mainly in the financial aspect), its stressful potential is very high.

This potential is aggravated when we take into account the need to maintain a professional posture, which commonly implies suppressing emotions in order to have a good relationship with colleagues and superiors and make a good impression.

Family problems are also a recurrent and powerful cause of stress. Being the first social circle we are inserted in, the family has a great psychological impact on us, and family tensions reverberate in our emotional and generate tension.

Some other situations are common causes of stress, such as a traffic jam, illness and the process of making a decision, especially when it is very important.

Acute stress

Acute stress is initially that stress experienced incidentally during or shortly after a tense situation. However, it can present itself with greater severity, particularly when the tense situation is traumatic, such as being the target of an assault or witnessing an accident.

When acute stress disrupts the individual's daily life for a long time, it is interesting to consider the possibility of acute stress disorder. It may or may not be confirmed by a psychiatrist or psychologist, and the diagnosis depends on the intensity and frequency of symptoms. The condition is fortunately temporary, but as long as it is present, it can result in a lot of suffering.

Chronic stress

Chronic stress is inevitably a clinical condition. Like other chronic conditions, it has a long duration and requires a change in the lifestyle of those who suffer from it in order to be treated.

When stress has become a part of everyday life, it is worth considering whether it is not a case of chronic stress. People with this condition usually have an extremely stressful routine and experience stress symptoms very often.

Chronic stress is a risk factor for several diseases, such as hypertension, accelerates aging of the body and may contribute to the development or worsening of psychological disorders such as depression.

Burnout

Burn out is an English expression that can be literally translated as "to be reduced to ashes" or "burn out" and has the meaning of exhaustion. From the combination of the words, we have the term that characterizes a well-known condition: Burnout Syndrome.

It is a level of stress so extreme as to be incapacitating. It is when one reaches the limit, so much so that mental health is totally compromised and physical health is at risk. Also known as Job Burnout Syndrome. This condition is usually associated with work, which we already know is one of the biggest potential stressors we have.

The symptoms of stress

Many symptoms of stress can be present in other conditions as well. But they can be accurately identified from the presence of multiple characteristic symptoms along with the presence of stressful factors. Check out more details below!

Psychological and physical symptoms

Stress generates a series of physical and psychological symptoms, and it is important to pay attention to them in order to manage it in the best possible way. It is worth mentioning that psychological symptoms can have influence on the physical ones and vice-versa.

Psychological symptoms: In stress, the most common emotional manifestation is irritability. People who are stressed can find themselves losing their temper easily and feeling anger over things that normally would not generate this response (at least not to the same degree). Some people can also show greater emotional fragility and cry easily.

Physical symptoms: A good part of the physical symptoms of stress revolve around muscle tension, which can trigger a series of other bodily signs. Symptoms linked to inflammation are also common, as well as the emergence of diseases due to a drop in immunity.

Acne outbreaks

It is common to observe the appearance of pimples in those who are stressed, especially when there is already a predisposition to acne. This can happen for a few reasons.

As you already know, stress is responsible for a decrease in immunity. This causes the skin to not react in the best possible way to the presence of bacteria. With the damaged defense system, it is easier the action of these bacteria, as well as the clogging of the pores. With this, pimples and blackheads can arise.

Stress also has an inflammatory action on the body, and pimples are largely inflammation, so they may appear more in this situation. In addition, pacifying gestures, such as rubbing hands on the face, are more frequent when we are under stress, and hands can carry bacteria that worsen acne.

Getting sick or cold often

Stress harms the immune system, so your body loses efficiency in the defense against viruses and bacteria. This results in a greater propensity to colds and flu, among other diseases, because the body becomes more susceptible to infections.

It is worth noting that there are other possible causes for low immunity, as well as for the other symptoms listed here. It is always good to investigate each symptom, even taking into account the whole.

Headaches

Headache is a very common manifestation of stress. It may or may not be accompanied by neck pain and usually happens due to muscle tension in that region.

Tension headaches (or tension headaches) can also be caused by poor posture, but are commonly the result of stress. Stress headaches can also occur due to the inflammatory nature of this condition.

Allergy and skin problems

Due to the weakening of the immune system, it is common for the body to have difficulty fighting some skin problems. Those who already suffer from problems like psoriasis and herpes may notice a more intense manifestation of them when they are under stress.

There is also nervous allergy, a type of dermatitis that commonly manifests itself through lesions such as red plaques or blisters, and also through itching. It can arise during the experience of emotional problems and after very stressful situations.

Insomnia and decreased energy

Stress causes great mental agitation. It is among the most common causes of changes in sleep pattern, and the main one is difficulty in sleeping. This can mean abnormal delay in falling asleep or total insomnia.

In addition, prolonged stress can cause chronic fatigue or constant unwellness because it wears the body down. Both of these consequences, both insomnia and low energy, can aggravate stress, so it creates a cycle that is very unhealthy.

Chronic pain

Stress conditions involve an increase in cortisol levels. Studies show that this hormone may be associated with chronic pain.

But the cause-and-effect relationship is not very clear: it is possible both that stress results in chronic pain and that having chronic pain generates stress. It is also possible that both things are true, creating a cycle, like what happens with stress and insomnia, for example.

Muscle tension

Muscle tension is the most classic manifestation of stress. You can feel back pain and have those famous tension knots, for example. Sometimes you can even get torticollis because of it and due to tension in the neck region.

Having headaches and teeth clenching are symptoms that can also be associated with muscle tension, as well as some others, such as muscle spasms and cramps.

Sweating

When we are under stress, the glands responsible for sweat production end up having a more intense activity. This occurs in part by the greater presence of hormones such as adrenaline, which increase the rate of heartbeat and cause this reaction.

A common variation of this is night sweats. When you are sleeping and wake up sweaty (possibly after a nightmare), even if it is not hot, this is a likely symptom of stress.

Bruxism

Muscle tension triggered by stress often results in a tensed jaw that causes you to clench your upper teeth against your lower teeth. This can be accompanied by teeth grinding and commonly happens while we sleep.

This condition is called bruxism, which can result in tooth wear and other symptoms, such as headaches. It is common for someone to have recurring headaches without knowing why when it is a case of bruxism during sleep.

Acceleration of the heartbeat

Stress implies the exacerbated production of some hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. This causes the heart rate to become faster.

Some people are even frightened by stress-related tachycardia, which in most cases does not cause any major problems (other than discomfort), but can be dangerous for people who already have heart problems.

Moreover, stress is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, so it is good to control it as much as possible and make sure that the heartbeats do not get so sloppy.

Hair loss

Stress results in the production of hormones that interfere with the activity of the hair follicles and block the entry of nutrients into the strands. This dysregulation results in the weakening of the hair and an early end to the growth phase.

Therefore, hair loss is a common symptom when you are stressed. It is worth noting that it also commonly occurs due to vitamin or iron deficiency, so it is important to do a check to make sure it is just due to stress.

Change in appetite

High levels of stress and anxiety imply chemical changes in the body. These changes can result in either a loss or considerable reduction in appetite, or an exaggerated desire to eat.

Both pictures are harmful: while, in one, you fail to give your body what it needs, in the other, excesses can compromise your health and result in weight gain, which is undesirable for some people.

Digestive problems

There are several digestive problems that can be caused or aggravated by stress. Gastritis is the most common digestive problem for people with high stress, because it leads to an increase in acid production in the body, which results in stomach pain typical of this condition.

Overproduction of acid can also lead to other problems, such as heartburn and reflux and, in more serious cases, the appearance of ulcers.

Even diarrhea and constipation can be the result of stress, but when it comes to digestive symptoms, it more intensely affects people who already suffer from intestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

Alteration in libido

The libido is closely related to our psychological state, so when we are under stress, it is common to feel less sexual desire, and this should be respected. Some people, however, may experience a spike in libido and use sexual practices as an escape valve to relieve stress.

The physical symptoms of stress can also result in a decrease in libido. For example, if you are feeling fatigue and headache, it is natural that the desire to have relations becomes less or even non-existent. If you want to know more about stress and its symptoms, check out the following article after reading this one: