The International Institute For  Self-Help Holistic Therapies Ltd.

Identify Stress

Stress is perceived when “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” (R. Lazarus)

Learning how to recognize stress symptoms is the first step to eliminating it.

It is essential for the top-level manager to be able to recognize the symptoms of stress at their onset in others and in his/her own self. Each individual reacts differently under stress but generally

• Men are easily exasperated or become aggressive
• Women will withdraw or get depressed

Stress symptoms

Problems come surreptitiously, some of the premonitory symptoms can be, from benign to more serious:

Psychological reversal (Callahan):

• “Polarity behaviour” : moving the opposite way (a 180° mistake) like turning right when you want to go left, reversing words like “the hot is tea”, concepts like saying “cold” for “hot”, or numbers like giving your telephone number the reverse way.
• Mood swings, grumpiness, negativity in contrast to the usual
• Self-sabotaging behaviour
• Sudden and marked change in your handwriting
• Sudden mental block for some activity
• Procrastination

Negative cognitions:

I cannot trust anyone, I cannot let it out, I cannot get what I want, I did something wrong, I cannot be trusted, I cannot trust myself, I am not good, I cannot succeed, I am going to fail, I am stupid, I am weak, I am guilty, I do not deserve this promotion, I am worthless, I have lost my market value, I am the one to blame, It is other people’s fault, It is too much, I cannot have it anymore

Emotional signs:

irritability, fits of temper, hostility, depressive feelings, jealousy, feelings of unreality or hyperalertness, crying easily, self-deprecation, nightmares, impatience, obsessive rumination, bent on trivial things at the detriment of other more important tasks. Social withdrawal, withdrawal at work, boredom, intolerance, low mood, concentration problems, inattention, libido fatigue, hypercriticism, nagging, difficulty in judgment and decision-making, lack of self-esteem, lack of initiative, irritability and chain-smoking.

Psychosomatic symptoms

Sleep disorders, pounding heart, increased, high blood pressure, heart rate due to adrenaline (epinephrine) release, breathlessness, nail-biting, nervous tics or spasms, back pain, stiffness of the neck, jaws, shoulders, nervous laughter, sweaty hands, stuttering, headaches, dryness of mouth (need to carry drinking water), eating disorders (loss of appetite, compulsive eating, upset stomach, gastric pains and colitis, cold extremities, migraine headaches,  sexual dysfunction in both genders

Stress can lead to generalized anxiety:

This condition is due to a release of noradrenaline (norepinephrine) triggering anxiety, panic reaction, sweat, wet hands, fatigue. Generalized anxiety is there when excessive anxiety and worry about work or other events are becoming difficult to control for at least six months, with three or more of the following symptoms associated :

• restlessness, edginess, emotional irritability, substance abuse to escape stress through self-medication

• tiredness, fatigue

• inability to focus, mind going blank, inability to concentrate, loss of attention

• irritability

• muscle tension, headaches

• sleep disorder

Depression is now only one step away

(when five or more of the following symptoms are present for two weeks, one of them being depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure):

• Depressed mood or feeling sad most of the day

• Loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities most of the day nearly every day

• Significant weight loss

• Sleep disorders nearly every day (hypersomnia or insomnia)

• Agitation and restlessness observed by others, jumpiness, fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

• Feeling of worthlessness, helplessness, guiltiness

• Indecisiveness and diminished ability to think or focus

• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation without specific plan

Consequences of hormonal imbalances:

The immune system may be affected with infections on the rise, frequent flu or colds, cancer, increased allergic responses, development of auto-immune diseases (asthma, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis)