Stress overload is a major life shortener killing millions every year
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Stress overload is a major life shortener killing millions every year across the world. According to a report by The American Institute of Stress, 120,000 people die every year in America alone because of their stress levels. Its reports also revealed that a whopping $190 billion in additional healthcare costs is incurred as a result of work-related stress.
Stress overload is defined as excessive amounts and types of demands that require action is a human response that is experienced as a problem and contributes to the development of other problems (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The above shows that stress is a dangerous health problem globally, and we need to deal with it. There are many who are struggling with stress overload today and may be inching closer to their early grave if they do not get help. Students on campus are among some of the people who suffer from stress overload as a result of school work and pressure.
READ: The Dangers of Untreated Stress on Mental Health
Living on campus can be a whirlwind of new experiences, deadlines, and demands, all of which may be contributing to students’ anxiety and stress. The ongoing COVID-19 epidemic might be making things worse.
Small amounts of stress can help motivate you to perform at your best and under pressure, but living in a perpetual state of emergency or worrying about the future can hurt your mind and body, leaving you feeling out of balance.
It’s important to note that early signs of stress are often mental or physical symptoms like headaches, irritability, a nervous stomach, or disrupted sleep. Your body is telling you to slow down and de-stress when you start to notice these symptoms.
If you choose to ignore the warning, your stress and anxiety may continue to grow and cause significant damage emotionally, physically, academically, and socially. Your immune system may be weakened, making you more vulnerable to illness, and your relationships, focus during online or face-to-face classes, and your ability to concentrate may all be negatively impacted.
It’s encouraging to know that you can safeguard yourself by recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to minimize its negative consequences.
READ: How to deal with Under Two Minutes using Vital-Q
Stress overload: What are the distinguishing characteristics between anxiety and stress?
A physical response to a challenge is what we call stress. A paper deadline, a business meeting, or a job interview, for example, might trigger stress. When the challenge is over, the stress usually disappears.
Anxiety, in contrast, is a completely different condition and is similar to constant fear. It often occurs without any explanation. Worry and anxiety can become overwhelming and significantly impact a person’s quality of life for those who suffer from them. There are many different types of anxiety disorders and one of them is panic attacks. See more information on Anxiety Disorders and Panic Attacks.
Stress is responsible for a variety of problems:
Every part of our lives is affected by stress. You may experience mental, behavioural, physical, and emotional difficulties as a result of anxiety. While these issues are common during worrisome periods, those suffering from anxiety disorders may encounter them without a stressful occurrence.
Headaches, muscle tightness or pain, chest pain, fatigue, altered sex drive, stomach upset, sleep problems, or frequent illness may be symptoms of CFS.
Feelings of anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation or focus, irritability or anger, sadness or depression, forgetfulness, feeling overwhelmed, insecurity, or feeling overwhelmed are all symptoms of low serotonin.
You may notice certain behaviours such as eating too much or too little, having angry outbursts, abusing drugs or alcohol, withdrawing from social interactions, sleeping too little or too much, having relationship problems, crying excessively, or avoiding or procrastinating.
Ways to reduce stress are:
It’s worth taking the time to figure out what works best for you when it comes to stress management. Working on your intellect and body may help you lower your level of anxiety and return yourself to balance. Here are some ideas…
It’s time to seek assistance.
Those who experience excessive worry and stress often believe they should be able to handle everything. Your mental health clinician or doctor can help you identify a variety of treatment options to alleviate your symptoms. If your quality of life is being negatively impacted by excessive worry and stress, you should seek assistance.
There are several resources available that can help you gain a better understanding of how stress and anxiety affect you. Speak to your doctor or a psychologist now