Stress can be defined as a real or interpreted threat to an organism in a
biological or a
psychological sense. It results in physiological or behavioral responses
When faced with a threat, whether to body physical safety or emotional
equilibrium, the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid,
automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” response.
The specific signs and symptoms of stress vary widely from person to
person. Some people primarily experience physical symptoms, such as low
back pain, stomach problems, and skin outbreaks. In others, the stress
pattern centers on emotional symptoms, such as crying or
hypersensitivity.
Emotional signs of stress
• Fear
• Depression or general unhappiness
• Anxiety and agitation
• Hopelessness
• Helplessness
• Moodiness, irritability, or anger
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Impatience
• Nervousness
• Guilt
• Loneliness and isolation
• Other mental or emotional health problems
While awareness about the impact stress can have on emotional and
physical health seems to be present, many Americans continue to report
symptoms of stress: Americans report irritability or anger (42 percent);
fatigue (37 percent); lack of interest, motivation or energy (35
percent); headaches (32 percent); and upset stomachs (24 percent) due to
stress. A smaller percentage report having a change in appetite (17
percent) and sex drive (11 percent).
Emotional signs of stress
Depression commonly refers to a relatively transitory, negative mood experienced by human. The terms depression or depressed are used in both the ordinary, non-clinical sense and to refer specifically to pathology, especially when the mood of depression has reached a level of severity and/or duration that warrants a clinical diagnosis.
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