Effects of Stress

Stress is one of the causes of a variety of diseases and disorders in the world today. People suffer from stress due to various reasons like job, career, illness, death, relationships, finances, family, etc. Workaholics are more prone to suffer from stress. Majority of young adults and middle aged people are found to suffer from stress. At the same time a majority of people are found to ignore the effects of stress and rely heavily on medications to get rid of the signs and symptoms. However, they are unaware of the long term and long-lasting outcomes of stress. So, what are the effects of stress? Here is a guide on the consequences of stress in human beings.

Physical Effects of Stress

A person suffering from stress faces several disorders of the body. This is because he tends to ignore his health, does not have a proper diet, does not exercise regularly and the constant anxiety and worrying has a negative effect on his body. Physical effects of stress include disorders of the stomach, the heart, abnormal functioning of the digestive as well as the reproductive system. If a person already suffers from any chronic condition, allergy, skin disease; stress tends to aggravate it. The following are the effects of stress on the body:

• Palpitation, faster heart rate
• Pain in chest, shoulder, neck, back
• Sweating, cold and clammy skin
• Breathlessness, difficulty in breathing
• Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing
• Pain and discomfort in abdomen
• Loss of appetite
• Peptic ulcer
• Diarrhea, loose stools, constipation
• Increase of blood sugar level
• Sleep disorders, insomnia
• Reduced sex drive
• Increase in blood pressure, hypertension
• Heart diseases, heart attack

Psychological Effects of Stress

Stress also affects a person thinking capacity, his metal and emotional being. Side effects of stress include difficulty in thinking, analysis, etc. Anxiety and depression are the most common psychological as well as physical signs of stress. The following are the after effects of stress on a person's mental health.

• Mood swings
• Anxiety disorders
• Difficulty in concentration
• Pessimism
• Constant worrying
• Irritability, quick rise of temper
• Agitation
• Memory disturbances, memory loss
• Feeling of loneliness, isolation
• Depression
• Nervousness
• Racing thoughts

Apart from these, effects of stress on health also include obsessive or extreme behavior like overeating or complete lack of appetite, isolation or extreme agitation. Difficulty in conceiving, sexual dysfunction, etc. are some of the other negative effects of stress on the body. Similarly, drug, alcohol abuse, addiction to cigarette and gambling, etc. are also a few of the consequences of stress in human beings.

As there are several short as well as long term effects of stress, one may definitely wonder how to reduce stress and get rid of its negative consequences. There are several stress management techniques that help in reducing stress. Yoga, meditation, Vipassana, etc. are some of the well-known and most effective techniques. On the other hand, undertaking a hobby everyday, spending time with loved ones or friends, etc. are also some of the easy yet useful ways of getting rid of stress. Lastly, it should be noted that taking nay kind of anti depressant or other drugs and medications will definitely take a toll on one's health and hence, people are advised against it.

This was a brief information on the physical as well as psychological effects of stress. Although it is true that there is no escape from stress in the modern-day world, one should surely look for ways to reduce it and prevent it from being life-threatening. Take care!