Stress

Stress is a normal response to the demands and pressures in life. Specifically, stress is a response to an external cause, such as having a deadline at work or having a disagreement with a friend, and subsides once the situation has been resolved. 

Most people experience stress at some points in their lives. Life can be stressful – one might feel stressed about presenting a project at work, a significant life change (e.g., relocating to a new city or having a baby), or a traumatic event such as a pandemic (e.g., COVID-19). When a person is stressed, they may feel irritable, anxious, angry, and might withdraw from engaging with family and friends. They might be thinking “I can’t cope” or “There’s just too much to do”.

Stress is associated with both physical and mental symptoms. Some of the physical symptoms include tension, headaches, stomach issues, and appetite changes. Some of the mental symptoms include constant worrying and poor concentration. 

When stress is prolonged (i.e., chronic stress), a person may experience “burnout”. Burnout is characterised by constant physical and emotional exhaustion, feelings of resentment, cynicism, and disinterest in daily activities that used to bring enjoyment. Some of the other symptoms of burnout include general body aches and pains, dizziness, nausea, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, loss of appetite, and social withdrawal. When a person is experiencing burnout, it can have a significant impact on their personal and professional functioning, and could lead to further mental health difficulties such as Depression or an Anxiety Disorder. 

It is important to distinguish between stress and anxiety. While stress and anxiety have a number of similar emotional and physical symptoms, the origin of them differs significantly. Anxiety is a person’s specific reaction to stress, thereby meaning that its origin is internal. Anxiety is characterised by a persistent feeling of worry in situations that are not actually threatening. Unlike stress, anxiety remains even after the concern has passed.  

Whilst everyone experiences stress from time to time, it is important to manage stress so that it does not impair one’s functioning and overall quality of life.
Stress management includes a wide range of techniques (e.g., identifying sources of stress, communication strategies, physical exercise) to ultimately improve everyday functioning.