Temporary and short-lived stressful feelings are a part of daily routine life. When it becomes permanent and persists in the long term, then it would severely impact your physical and mental health. Today, we’ll discuss what is chronic stress; its symptom, causes, and treatment.
What is Chronic Stress?
Chronic stress is the long-term and persistent stressful feelings that could severely and badly impact your mental and physical health if left untreated. Traumatic events and situations and pressure from work and family are some of its main causes and triggering factors.
Chronic stress happens when your body feels the stressors with such intensity and frequency that your autonomic nervous system doesn’t get sufficient time to activate the relaxing response regularly. It means that your body remains in a state of physiological arousal constantly.
Virtually, it impacts every element and system in your body directly or indirectly. People have the capability to manage short-live and acute stressful feelings, but not chronic stressful feelings; because it persists in the long term.
Chronic Stress versus Acute Stress
Acute stress comprises short-lived stressful feelings; it exhibits itself immediately after the person experiences the flight-flight reaction and response. AS Disorder is serious and it happens in the first month after the traumatic experience. However, ASD has got similarities with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), but the diagnosis with PTSD would happen if the symptoms persist for more than a month.
The stressful feelings occur in episodes that the person experiences inconsistently in the long term. It means that the patient would experience the stressful episode and then the phase without being stressed out. Comparatively speaking, chronic stress is a type of stressful feeling that a person experiences throughout their lifetime. It reaches the point where it becomes the normal thing.
Symptoms of Chronic Stress
CS impacts both your body and mind. It creates psychological and physiological symptoms in your body that would affect the capability of a person to function normally in their lives. However, its symptoms are different for different people; some of the main symptoms of chronic stress are as follows;
- Upsetting stomach
- Difficulty in focusing and concentrating
- Anxiety and nervousness
- Muscles tension
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Gastrointestinal infection
- Infection and illness frequently
- Helplessness feelings
- Losing control feelings
- Fatigue
- Disorganized thinking
- Sleeping difficulty
- Lower energy
- Pains and aches
How to Recognize Chronic Stress
It’s difficult to identify CS, because it’s long-lasting and pervasive, and people are often used to it over time. Some of the main signs are as follows;
- Rely on the unhealthy methods and managing techniques like drinking alcohol to deal with stress
- Getting infections and catching cold
- Small inconvenient things seem like too much for you
- Feels like you don’t have time to enjoy things that you like and take care of yourself
- Always have worrisome feelings over something
- Often irritated and moody
What Causes Chronic Stress
Chronic stress happens often due to the modern lifestyle. They comprise experiencing loneliness in the busy traffic and working in a high pressured workplace environment, and it puts your body in a state of perceived threats.
When your body is in a state of fight-or-flight-response, it means that you have to fight life-threatening circumstances like a car crash. Such situations make you feel ill either emotionally or physically.
According to an estimate, roundabout 60-80% of the visits of the primary healthcare providers are relevant to the stressing situations. That’s why it has become significant to learn stress management techniques and bring healthy lifestyle changes to your life. It would help you to avoid the negative impact of the stressful episode.
Impact
Since chronic stress persists in the long term; it leaves a dangerous impact on your physical and mental health. Some of them are as follows;
- Weight changes
- Ulcers
- Limited sexual drive
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Hyperthyroidism
- Higher blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Eczema
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Acne
Treatment of Chronic Stress
A severe episode of chronic stress would badly disrupt your life, and impair your capability to perform various routine functions in your life. The treatment plan would help you to manage and deal with stress levels in a healthier way, and live a normal life. Some of them are as follows;
Medication
Your doctor would prescribe your antidepressant and antianxiety medication to manage the stressful symptoms. Your doctor would also prescribe medicines that would make your stomach feel better and improve your quality of sleep.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) would help you to recognize the negative thought pattern that is causing the stressful feelings. Your therapist would help you to change your negative thought and replace them with positive ones. It’s important to practice mindfulness meditation and other techniques to be aware of your thoughts.
Conclusion: What is Chronic Stress? Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
After an in-depth study of what is chronic stress; its symptoms, causes, and treatment; we have realized that persistent stressful feelings could badly impact your life. If you’re experiencing such feelings, then you should follow and practice the abovementioned tips and live a healthier life.
Ahsan is an accomplished researcher and has a deep insight in worldly life affairs. He goes Live 3 days a week on various social media platforms. Other than research writing, he’s a very interesting person.
