We face a lot of challenges in our day-to-day life that affect our “body” and “mind.”

Life is so stressful with so many challenges to meet, deadlines to keep and relationship’s to maintain. Although stress is useful in a way that it actually allows us to react in situations that need urgent decision making or problem solving.

Controlled stress motivates us in time of need and inspires to go that extra mile or do extraordinary things to prove ones worth or competence. But Stress Diagnosis is imperative to identify whether we experience good or the bad stress.

Stress diagnosis can be done by taking quick online stress tests or by identifying the general symptoms pointed out by health care professionals.

Symptoms and Causes of Stress -

“Acute stress” or “prolonged stress” symptoms might be fatal to the physical and psychological well being of the person involved. Stress causes events or incidents are known as stressors ad they usually exhaust or brings negative energy. Any kind of adjustments or incompetence to cope with daily issues can be highly stressful.

Unable to meet life’s demands or finding hard to cope with family or business pressure might cause stress, which might lead to DEPRESSION or even SUICIDE. There are however intellectual symptoms, emotional symptoms, physical symptoms and behavioral symptoms to help identify stress.

Physical Symptoms: Headaches, digestive problems, muscle tension, high blood pressure, weight gain or loss are some of the physical symptoms.

Behavioral Symptoms: Eating disorders, insomnia or excessive sleeping, isolation, short temper, nervous habits like nail biting and teeth grinding can all be behavioral symptoms.

Intellectual Symptoms: These symptoms may include loss of memory, lack of concentration, negativity, judgmental and confusion etc.

Emotional Symptoms: Emotionally the stressed person can behave restlessly or can be irritable or very angry to deal with.

Most commonly known causes for chronic stress are financial worries, unemployment, harassment, relationship problems and post trauma effects. Apathy and lack of confidence and other behavioral disorders might also pin point a stressed person.

Whatever is the symptoms timely diagnosis and treatment can help relieve stress and ensure better health and a balanced life. Following a healthy lifestyle with regular exercises and healthy eating habits can ensure stress free and optimal living condition.

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“Good stress” and “bad stress” are two different contradictory forms of stresses encountered by the people of all ages.

The stress response or flight response is very imperative in critical thinking and reacting. As this stress is good because it allows us to work with competence and increases our capacity to face challenges in life.

Stress exercises for relief can combat any form of stress and increase or boost the confidence level to perform better under pressure when needed.

Stress related to overcoming trauma, or any incident like accident, divorce or loss of job could be termed as bad stress. They affect the mind and general balance in our day-to-day activities.

People under stress tend to eat less or more and usually neglect their physical needs. The body needs essential vitamins and minerals to function effectively. Although DRUGS or ALCOHOL might relive stress that is only short life span and might lead to addiction and more serious form of stress.

Our nervous system is always under pressure and pumps stress hormones, which destroy the physical body’s immunity and might be the cause of various other physical and mental ailments like frustration and depression. Stress exercises are varied and many and a right combination of these stress busters will help overcome stress during the course of time.

Regular stress relief exercises and a good balanced diet will help to keep stress at bay. The exercises for stress relief will usually lie under variations like from aerobics to yoga and pranayama. However, many exercises are practically chosen to relive stress.

Just keep in mind, choose only one stress relief exercise at a time that suits your body, and mind condition. Choose to outdoors exercise in a more natural environment.

• Try some easy stretching exercises in the beginning and do not opt for complex ones.
• Early morning walks surrounded by nature or a stroll on the beach might be a pleasurable way to fight stress.
• Massage therapy, aromatherapy and a visit to a spa might also relive stress and instill positive energy.

Aerobic exercises are highly beneficial in relieving stress and don’t be sluggish or lazy to take time off to take care of those stresses which might prove detrimental if neglected for a long time.

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Pressure exerted while doing or facing situations, which may not be up to our dire expectation, can cause stress. When stress is encountered in less frequency it might prove to be a good activator to our brains working capacity.

Mental stress can become serious when it reflects or hinders in our overall performance.

Mental stress can be “exhaustive” and “tormenting” as it creates an imbalance in almost every activity that we might undertake. There are also some good stresses involved in daily life like waiting for a call from your dream date or marriage blues. Watching your favorite football team perform or waiting for exam results can also be termed as stress.

What Causes Mental Stress?

Overall business or family pressures, frustrations and conflicts might lead to stressful circumstances.

Whatever be the cause, mental stress affects a person’s body, mind and soul and create imbalances in the physical and emotional well being. However, an acute stress can be identified by certain symptoms, which might vary from person to person.

“When you are under great mental stress you are prone to have a weak memory and will be incapable of taking important decisions.”

The person under stress usually is very confused and lacks concentration. Negative thoughts and losing self-confidence might also be a symptom of stress.

Overall it affects the daily normal routine of a person who will find it difficult to make things done, as he is always pressurized and angry. They get irritated most often and maintain poor relationship with friends, family or colleagues.

Prolonged stress is detrimental to the physical health and psychologically the stressed out person might end up in depression and anxiety. Almost 90 percent of the illness suffered today is based on the stress factor.

Meditations and anti stress exercises can relieve day-to-day stress. Medical help should be sought if acute stress is identified. As stress can exhaust your immunity to fight diseases a stressed out person is exposed to a higher risk of being diseased.

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It is always hard to cope with the traumatic experience especially when it involves people whom we love.

It is even harder to cope with the post-traumatic stress that causes acute stress in most of the people who had to undergo a traumatic stress. According to medical terms, “post-traumatic stress occurs when actual or threatened death, serious injury or a threat to physical or psychological integrity is at stake.”

The post-traumatic stress depends on the intensity of the experience, the duration, and the individual person involved in the situation.

“Although post traumatic stress is at its beginning stage of post traumatic stress disorder which is a more severe state that affects the physical and psychological well being of the individual adversely.”

The post traumatic stress causes various disorders in the individual and can be detected by the change in the lifestyle of the individual like: the night mares, flashbacks, emotional detachment, insomnia, memory loss, irritability, short temper, excessive response, over alertness, loss of appetite and many other similar disorders.

These disorders can be reduced with some coping methods and confidence. It needs patience and support from family members, friends, relatives, and from all nearer and dearer.

Along with some coping techniques…

…the individual after detecting post-traumatic stress symptoms should try to avoid situations and conversations relating to the trauma, and engage himself in other activities that keep him busy.

If possible, a self-analysis and an open talk with friends and family about the experience may relieve the TENSION and STRESS.

“It is also recommended to consult a doctor to get some medication for controlling the disorders until the desired situation is achieved.”

Post-traumatic stress is not only stressful to the individual facing it but also to the people around him. It may sometimes lead to stress to these people who need to be patient and considerate to the individual and help him to recover from the post-traumatic stress.

Unless it may lead to the much adverse situation of post traumatic situation disorder, which has serious psychological and physiological disorders that can be life threatening in some cases. Relaxing environment and soothing music may be helpful to distress the mind.

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Physical stress actually means any from of physical exertion. Food habits can also be blamed for physical stress. Often, a poor nutrition poses great risk of infection. The reason for nutritionally unbalanced eating is the intake of inadequate nutrients. We need to supplement the body with some nutrients, for proper functioning.

What Is Physical Stress?

Physical stress can be defined as the body’s reaction to everyday activities. People tend to respond differently to stress. Depending on the situation, everyone shows a particular “sign” or “symptom.” It also depends upon their temperament. For instance, one might show signs of anxiety while preparing for the exams, which is one of the forms of stress.

The common physical stress symptom experienced by people are: fatigue, poor concentration, insomnia, mood swings, low self esteem, exhaustion, poor memory, changes in appetite and muscle tension.

People with physical stress are “prone to headache” and “fever.” If you have a physical stress symptom, such as poor concentration, you may feel tempted by eating junk food.

People with any physical stress symptom should follow a healthful eating and exercise plan so that it does not affect their body.

Showing a physical stress symptom does not imply that you are “mentally weak” or “inferior to others.” It simply indicates that your body cannot take it anymore and you need some rest.

Physical exercise is acknowledged to be good for the body. In fact, one should indulge in some physical activity to keep his body active. It is also a fact that lack of physical activity is a risk factor for artery diseases.

So STRESS is often considered to be beneficial for the heart, as long as it is in the limitations.

However, physical stress is sometimes good for you. If there is some coronary heart disease, physical stress can be dangerous. But one should know the limitations of their body. And if they are in a state of emotional breakdown, one should seek medical and professional help immediately.

PHYSICAL STRESS and TENSION can affect in our thinking and outlook.

We tend to look be negatively influenced. One needs to release and manage stress in regular intervals.

Tip: Stretch is one of the ways to reduce physical tension. One should also indulge in sports and recreational activities. Yoga is also a very good stress buster. In this way, we should spend some time, doing what we like. It may be reading, listening to music or sports.

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A responsive action to the adverse external environment that affects the physical and emotional state of a person can be called as stress. As quoted by Maureen Killoran “It is not what happens to us but it is our response to what happens, and response is something we can choose”.

“The effects of Stress distress both physical and psychological character of a human being.”

Starting with small psychological disturbances, stress effects can lead to physical strains and sometimes cause major injuries. Stress can be caused by external factors like pain, elevated sound levels, events, rush hour traffic, work, study, personal relationships, smoking, drinking, marital separation, loss of job, change in financial status, or a death of spouse or close relative.

Depending on the individual’s mental strength, neural and hormonal status, the stress effects will differ.

Stress is not negative in all cases. According to psychiatrists, a medium level of stress is required to keep us reaching our goals and targets. These may be small targets like reaching office on time to studying for examinations instead of watching TV.

These are healthy stress effects that often result in achievement and satisfaction. This type of stress causes small stress effects like headache, tension, rapid heartbeat, sweating, and frustration, which will disappear once the task is accomplished.

Acute stress which may occur due to severe incidents like death of spouse, divorce, jail term, accident or loss of a body part, or continuous strain due to over-work. These factors may increase the stress effects that may not only lead to psychological and small physical disturbances but also may result in severe physical diseases like “high blood pressure,” “cardio-vascular problems,” “stomach and intestinal problems,” “failure of immune system,” and “nervous breakdowns.”

It is most common now-a-days with the work pressure in multi-national corporations that the employees often suffer from nervous breakdowns due to tremendous work loads.

• Coping with such situations completely depends on one’s ability to look at the situation, willingness to cope with the situation, and support from his family and friends.
• It is always better to keep our mind cool and concentrate on the core problem instead of reacting to the stress effects that make us tense and block us from thinking a solution.

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