In today’s fast- paced world, stress affects many people. It’s essential to understand how stress can impact mental health and behavior. In this article we explore the relationship between stress, psychological stress, and behavior and learn how to manage and reduce its negative effects. For more research you can also visit Healthline.
What is Psychological Stress?
Stress is the body’s response to feeling threatened. It triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, preparing the body to face the threat. While this response is useful in dangerous situations, long-term or constant stress can harm mental psychological stress and behavior. We can all probably recognize stress, but did you know stress can also be positive. Good stress, known as eustress can actually benefit you. Unlike bad stress, or distress, good stress can boost motivation, focus, energy, and performance. For some, it can even feel exciting. In contrast, bad stress usually causes anxiety, worry, and decreased performance. It feels uncomfortable and can lead to serious problems if not managed.
What are the Symptoms of Psychological Stress?
According to the National Health Service (NHC) stress may affect a person’s mental and physical health and behavior.
Mental Symptoms:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty making decision
- Forgetfulness
- Constant worrying
- Feeling of overwhelm
Physical symptoms:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Increased heart rate
- Asthma
- Muscle tension pain
- Digestive problems
- Sexual problems
- Musculoskeletal problems
- Metabolic disorder
- Immune disorder
- Gastrointestinal disorder
- Disease of the reproductive system
- Heart disease
Behavioral Symptoms:
- Eating too much or too little
- Sleeping too much or little
- Drinking or smoking more
- Avoiding certain places or people
What are the Causes of Psychological Stress?
Stress can be short-term (acute) and long term (chronic) depending on the cause. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists the following as potential causes of acute stress.
- Job interview
- School exams
- Unrealistic workload
- Conflict with family, friends or colleagues
Causes of Chronic Stress:
In 2022 global market research company conducted a survey on behalf of the APA, investigating the prevailing causes of stress among US citizens. So the survey identified several major causes of psychological stress, including:
- The current political climate
- The current racial climate
- Concerns over violence, crime and safety
- Worries about money and inflation
What is the Diagnosis of Psychological Stress?
Stress is not an illness, though chronic stress can make a person more susceptible to serious illness. For this reason, people must learn to recognize and treat the early symptoms of stress.
A stress diary should record any stressful episode that occur over 2-4 weeks, along with notes on the following:
- The date and time that the stressful episode occurred
- The place the episode occurred
Who was present?
- The thoughts and emotions a person experienced
- The physical sensations experienced
- So stress rating from 0-10, with 10 representing the most intense level of stress
What is the Treatment of Psychological Stress?
There is no single treatment of psychological stress. So treatment involves identifying the cause of stress and developing appropriate coping mechanisms. Often this will involve making multi lifestyle changes.
Eating Healthy:
The central nervous system releases the hormones adrenaline and cortisol in response to stress. Acute stress can reduce appetite while chronic stress can increase carvings for fat and sugar. A nutritious diet can help boost energy levels, making it easier to handle stress. People should eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and walnuts while keeping unhealthy fat, salt, and added sugars to a minimum.
Getting Enough Sleep:
Daytime stress can negatively affect nighttime sleep, leading to mood swing and cognitive problems. Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can help improve sleep quality.
Regular Exercise:
Physical activity can reduce stress levels and counteract some of its negative effects. People should aim to get around 2.5 hours of exercise per week.
Alcohol Consumption:
Some people drink alcohol to relieve stress, but alcohol does not address the cause of stress and can seriously affect health. People should drink in moderation or avoid drinking altogether. Moderate drinking means up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
Quit Smoking:
Many people believe that smoking relieves stress. However, smoking can actually cause or add to stress due to the unpleasant nicotine cravings a person experiences.
Practicing Relaxation Techniques:
Stress causes muscle tension, leading to various physical symptoms like headaches, backaches, and fatigue. The following relaxation techniques can help reduce stress and promote relaxation:
- Gentle exercise or stretching
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Deep breathing exercise
- Meditation or mindfulness
- Taking a warm bath
- Engaging in activities that bring a sense of calm or joy
- Spending time in nature
Connecting with Others:
A person can talk with trusted friends or family members about how they are feeling or the issues that are causing them stress. Talking to friends and family about your stress can be comforting. Connecting with loved ones helps lessen the emotional burden.
Trying Therapy:
The APA recommends cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a potential treatment for stress. CBT involves understanding how thoughts influences emotions and how those affect behaviors. By reframing thoughts about a stressor a person can manage their emotions and reduce stress.
Seeking Professional Help:
If stress is seriously affecting your mental health and behavior, reach out to a therapist, counselor, or psychiatrist for support and coping strategies.
Time Management:
So managing your time effectively and setting realistic goals can help reduce stress from work or school pressures.
FAQs:
How does stress affect behavior?
Stress can lead to a lack of interest in activities that were once enjoyable, impulsive behavior, decreased productivity at school or work, and feeling irritability, anger, and sometimes even aggression.
What hormone is stress?
The hormone associated with stress is cortisol. So cortisol, which is the primary stress hormone, raises the level of sugar in the bloodstream. It enhances the brain’s use of glucose and increases the availability of substances in the body that aid in tissue repair. Additionally cortisol slows down functions that would be considered nonessential or potentially harmful in a fight-or-flight situation.
What is an Overthinker?
Overthinking is when you dwell on or worry about the same thing repeatedly. People who overthink can be paralyzed by their worries and may struggle to make decisions or take actions. So overthinking can be caused by and contribute to depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions.
Are overthinkers smart?
Yes, in some cases overthinking can be associated with intelligence. It might indicate a person’s ability to analyze situations deeply and consider multiple perspectives. However, it’s essential to note that overthinking can also become a hindrance if it leads to excessive worry, so indecision or difficulty in taking action. It’s a matter of finding a balance between through analysis and practical decision-making.
Is overthinking a bad habit?
Yes, overthinking is often considered a challenging habit. While some individuals may believe that analyzing situations in their minds helps them overcome challenges, some studies suggest otherwise. So overthinking can interfere with problem solving by causing individuals to dwell on the problem excessively and imagine scenarios that may never occur, rather than focusing on finding practical solutions. It can be counterproductive and contribute to increased stress and anxiety.
Are overthinkers unhappy?
Yes, overthinking is often associated with feelings of unhappiness. The habit of overthinking can contribute to stress, anxiety and a sense of being overwhelmed. It may lead to decision making paralysis, making it difficult for individuals to find joy and happiness in their lives. So overthinking can become a self-destructive pattern that hinders well-being and satisfaction. It’s important to manage and address overthinking to cultivate a healthier mindset and lifestyles.
Is overthinking an obsession?
While overthinking and obsession share similarities they are not the same. Obsessive thoughts are typically beyond one’s control, frightening, and disturbing, often leading to compulsive actions to alleviate the anxiety associated with those thoughts. On the other hand overthinking is usually a voluntary process that individuals engage in consciously. It involves dwelling excessively on a particular thought problem or situation but it doesn’t necessarily involve the same uncontrollable and distressing nature and obsessions. While overthinking can be a hindrance it is generally within the individual’s ability to redirect their thoughts and behavior.
