Ways Stress Hurts You

Do you constantly feel like you’re sitting on edge? Do you find yourself worrying incessantly about things that you can’t even control? Does stress have total power over your thoughts, emotions, actions, and life? Stress probably hurts you a lot more than you even realize.

For some, stress occurs when you are forced to deal with certain situations that you’d rather avoid. The death of a loved one or a tragic automobile accident can induce an enormous amount of stress.

For others, stress occurs during social situations that bring about a feeling of great discomfort. Speaking engagements, large parties, or huge social gatherings that single you out as a participant can lead to stress.

There are circumstances that lead to mental stress, as well as those that lend themselves to physical stress on your body. Both types of stress, whether physical or mental, are unhealthy and should be addressed as soon as possible to avoid further injury to yourself.

Some people tend to shrug off stress, believing that a little stress will never hurt them. Yet, there are numerous signs and symptoms your body will display to let you know that you are stressed out.

Some of the ways stress hurts you includes:

Neck Pain

One of the most common signs of stress is intense, sharp pain in the neck. You might feel like your neck is stiff. People experiencing stress often complain that they feel like they have knots in the back of their neck.

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain almost always accompanies neck pain in those who are under a great amount of stress. Your shoulders might feel sore, almost bruised, like you’ve been hit several times.

Back Aches

Back aches are another common sign of stress. This is quite commonly due to neck and shoulder pain. The pain is often reported as feeling like it radiates from the neck down through the back.

Aching Bones and Joints

Some people living with stress also report feeling like their bones and joints ache. A constant, dull ache most often leads to sleepless nights, which in turn leads to even more stress, on the body and mind.

Jaw Pain

Pain in the jaw is usually due to excessive teeth grinding, which is brought on by stress. People in stressful situations often grind their teeth without even realizing they’re doing so. Others may bite their fingernails when they feel stressed, or chew gum. All of these things lead to pain in the jaw, which can grow severe and can even lead to lockjaw.

Fatigue

Of course, the most common ailment from stress known to everyone is fatigue. When you’re dealing with an enormous weight of stress, you tend to lose sleep. Those who are able to sleep frequently report that they aren’t able to rest well. Lack of sleep over a period of time can lead to extreme fatigue.

Change In Weight

Finally, gaining or losing weight is another way stress hurts you. You will without doubt fall on one end of the spectrum, or the other. You’ll either turn to food (or any other addictive habit) to relieve your stress, or you’ll stop eating regularly.

If you are under any amount of stress, be careful to take good care of your body. If you feel like you can’t control the stress in your life and it is affecting how you live, you should consider seeking professional help immediately.

This article is for informational purposes only. If you need help with stress, seek the advice of your family physician.