Symptoms of Stress
Some early warning signs
The following are lists of the common physical, mental, behavioural and emotional symptoms of stress. As personal stress increases, more of these symptoms are likely to become apparent. By noticing how many of these items you are currently experiencing, either continuously or from time to time, you can obtain an early warning of an increase in stress. Even though some of the symptoms may have a clear physical cause, count them nevertheless, for their occurrence is still likely to be an indirect consequence of stress.
| Physical signs | Behavioural signs |
| Headaches | Unsociability |
| Indigestion | Restlessness |
| Palpitations (throbbing heart) | Loss of appetite or overeating |
| Breathlessness | Loss of interest in sex, or overuse |
| Nausea (feeling sick) | Disturbed sleep or insomnia |
| Muscle twitches | Drinking more alcohol |
| Tiredness | Smoking more |
| Vague aches and pains | Taking work home more |
| Skin irritations or rashes | Too busy to relax |
| Susceptibility to allergies | Not looking after oneself |
| Excessive sweating | Lying |
| Clenched fists or jaw | Anti-social behaviour |
| Fainting | Unable to unwind |
| Frequent colds, flu or other infections | Low productivity |
| Recurrence of previous illnesses | Accident prone |
| Constipation or diarrhoea | Bad driving |
| Rapid weight gain or loss | Impaired speech |
| Voice tremor | |
| Mental signs | Poor time management |
| Indecision | Withdrawing from supportive relationships |
| Memory failing | |
| Loss of concentration, easily distracted | Emotional signs |
| Tunnel vision | Irritability |
| Bad dreams or nightmares | More suspicious |
| Worrying | More gloomy, depressed |
| Muddled thinking | More fussy |
| Making mistakes | Feeling tense |
| Less intuitive | Drained, no enthusiasm |
| Less sensitive | Under attack |
| Persistent negative thoughts | Cynical, inappropriate humour |
| Impaired judgement | Alienated |
| More short-term thinking | Feeling nervous, apprehensive, anxious |
| Hasty decisions | Feeling of pointlessnesss |
| Loss of confidence | |
| Less satisfaction in life | |
| Demotivated | |
| Reduced self-esteem | |
| Job dissatisfaction |
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