Explains what stress is, what might cause it and how it can affect you. Includes information about ways you can help yourself and how to get support.
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Stress can affect our emotions, our body and how we behave, in lots of different ways. Sometimes when we are stressed, we might be able to tell right away. But at other times, we might keep going without recognising the signs.
This page covers some of the common signs and symptoms:
“It was quite a revelation to notice my frantically beating heart, racing thoughts, hyperactive personality and behaviours all resulted from being massively and permanently stressed out.”
If you are stressed, you might feel:
Some people who go through severe stress may experience suicidal feelings. This can be very distressing.
The hormones that our bodies produce to respond to stressful situations can have many physical effects. These effects might include:
If we experience high levels of stress, these physical effects can get worse. This can also happen if we experience stress for a long period of time.
In some cases, stress may cause more severe or long-term physical health problems. These might include:
“I started waking up in the morning in a panic, feeling nauseous, with my heart racing. That feeling would stick around for as long as I was awake. 99% of the time, I felt like something really bad was about to happen.”
If you feel stressed, it might make you:
“[It feels like] the world is closing in on me, I can't breathe and I'm running out of time.”
This information was published in March 2022. We will revise it in 2025.
References and bibliography available on request.
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