What to watch for: symptoms of stress
In the latest Healthy Mind Show, behaviour and stress expert Judi James joins presenter Glen Tomsett for an in-depth look at stress. Judi explains what causes stress, how to recognise the symptoms, and the importance of perception and control in managing stress in our lives.
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Transcript
What to watch for: symptoms of stress
Glen: Stress affects people in different ways and at different times. What's the most common complaint, the most common form of stress that you've dealt with?
Judi: I think the one that most people recognise is, they'll often say they get a stress headache, and most people know that a stress headache feels quite distinctly different from most other headaches. But apart from that, really it often goes out into the unknown. Often, people will recognise symptoms in somebody else more than you can in yourself. So often we'll be getting snappy, irritable, maybe catching an illness that goes around, and not realising that it's stress caused.
Judi: So apart from the basic ones - as I say, headaches, sometimes a few skin complaints - it could be virtually any symptom, and it's very difficult to pinpoint that that's stress related or stress caused.
Glen: Is eczema stress related?
Judi: It certainly can be. I mean, keep in mind that stress tends to break down the immune system, so often anything that you might get prone to normally, that your body would normally fight off, you'll suddenly find that you're getting frequent bouts of it, and things like eczema will be a very common symptom.
Glen: So what are the symptoms of stress then - you mentioned earlier headaches, maybe eyes aching, stiff neck?
Judi: Stress tends to affect us in three different ways and it's good to know the symptoms, because otherwise sometimes you think, 'I'm going mad' or 'What's wrong with me?' There are the physical symptoms, and those will be either feeling run down, the muscle tension that can cause backaches, headaches, the skin problems. Indigestion is very common because, when you're under fight or flight, the digestive system stops working. The feeling of panic attacks and things, as well, because of the hyperventilation that can come from the shallow breathing that's caused by stress.
Judi: But the immune system starts to break down and that means that - I hate to say it - but almost anything can get caused by stress. I mean, it could be heart problems and much more serious diseases. But then you've got also the emotional problems. It affects the emotions. I think everybody will identify with the fact that you can get very ratty, irritable, you can get very tearful at nothing. It kind of exaggerates all the negative emotions.
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