What is stress?
Feeling stressed? You’re not alone. Stress is a natural response that everyone experiences when under pressure. It’s not always bad. It can even be healthy. But when the stress is too much, lasts for too long or affects your daily life, it can impact your mental health and wellbeing.
On this page, we talk about stress and mental health and explore how to reduce stress now and over the long term.
On this page
Mental signs
- Racing thoughts
- Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
- Inability to feel joy
- Worsening of existing mental health issues
- Lack of concentration
- Short temper
- Not present with family or friends
- Heightened negativity
- Tunnel vision on problems
- Intrusive thoughts
Physical signs
- Shortness of breath or chest pains
- Increased heart rate
- Excessive sweating
- Headaches, muscle aches, jaw clenching or teeth grinding
- Upset stomach, dry mouth
- Fatigue
- Hives
- Dizziness
- Changes in menstrual cycle or libido
Stress
Stress is the body’s natural response to a perceived threat or demand, whether real or imagined.
- Stress is often triggered by external events or situations, like a demanding job, challenging school or university assignments, financial worries, or relationship problems.
- Stress is usually temporary and subsides once the thing causing the stress is removed.
The cause of stress could be working to a tight deadline, having a fight with a loved one, or experiencing a chronic illness.
- Stress may make you react more emotionally to everyday situations.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry, or dread that can result from stress or occur without an obvious trigger.
- Anxiety can arise from certain events or situations – but it can also build from within or have no clear cause at all.
- Anxiety can persist even after the situation causing stress has passed, and it can become a chronic condition.
It can show up as persistent worry about everyday situations, panic attacks, or intense fears about social situations, places or objects.
- Anxiety may lead to your feelings snowballing into immense fear about things that are unlikely to happen.