Physical symptoms of anxiety stress show up if you experience too much stress or you have poor coping skills. Knowing what to look for can help you avoid having stress and health problems.
Everyone has stress in their life. Small amounts of stress can be good for you, and, stress can be a motivator that helps you work hard to complete a difficult task or to be more productive. In this scenario, stress is good stress, called
eustress.
However, when stress gets out of control, or you can't cope well with it, it becomes bad stress or distress. (referred to simply as “stress” from here on in...)
Photo courtesy of Mike "Dakinewavamon"
Even people who normally have good coping skills can have times in their lives when stress gets out of control. During a major event like a
flu pandemic
or the loss of a job, stress can become intense.
Physical Signs of Stress
Stress can take its toll on your health. It can affect your immune system and lower your resistance to diseases that you normally would not get. And you may be more likely to suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like anxiety disorders, depression, aggressive behaviors, and even addictive behaviors like alcohol or drug abuse.With anxiety, you can develop some of these physical symptoms of stress:
- Twitching of an eye
- Trembling of hands
- Muscle tension, headaches
- Sweating
- Dry mouth
- Headaches
- Backache or neck pain
- Heartburn
- Difficulty swallowing
- Abdominal pain – Oddly, this may be the only physical symptom of stress, especially in a child.
Not quite as common, you might also see some of these physical symptoms of anxiety stress:
- Rapid or irregular heart rate
- Rapid breathing
- Fatigue – can't seem to get rested.
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Frequent need to pee
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sexual problems
- Trouble sleeping, nightmares
- Short temper, grumpy with others
Stress and health, of course, are linked together closely. If you are under a lot of stress, you need to learn how to cope with it effectively, or it could take its toll on your health.
Left on their own, the physical symptoms of anxiety stress can develop into more serious problems like hypertension or even a heart attack.
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