by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy
https://pixabay.com/users/pedrofigueras-5229515/
April is National Stress Awareness Month. Stress is a serious problem – in fact, it’s a killer.
- So, how stressed are you?
- When did you last assess your stress levels?
- How can you know exactly how stressed you are?
Read on and find out.
Stress is a killer
Research confirms that stress can shorten your life. A recent 2020 Finnish study, concluded that severe stress reduced life expectancy by around 2.3 years. This compared to smoking, which shortened life expectancy by 5.5 years, and diabetes by 5.3 years. The negative health effects of stress are significant, but here’s the good news – stress is something modifiable. So, if you are suffering from stress – You can choose to do something about it. That’s assuming you recognise the symptoms and signs.
In a 2008 study, researchers followed 1,600 men, aged 43 to 91 for 12 years. They found, that at the end of the study, 50% of those who had been classified as having stressed/anxious personalities, were still alive, as compared to 75-85% of those in the other group who were not stressed. It seems that a worrisome personality, means you are more likely to die earlier than in those who are not worriers.
In another recent study from Harvard Business school, work stress was found to increase the risk of premature death. The authors calculated that for more educated people, a stressful workplace accounted for 5-10 % of excess mortality, but for less educated people, the stress effect was more pronounced at 12-19%.
So, the question remains – how stressed are you?
Symptoms and signs of stress
Do you recognise some of the symptoms and signs of stress from the list below? If so, you may well be suffering from stress.
Stress can affect your psychological health
- Are you finding it hard to concentrate?
- Can’t make decisions easily?
- Do you find you are worrying a lot?
- Feel overwhelmed?
- Feel very tired all the time?
- Unable to distract your thought processes?
- Having trouble remembering things?
- Having small accidents?
- Sleeping poorly?
- Waking unrefreshed in the mornings?
Stress can affect your emotions
- Do you feel on edge, emotional and prone to bursting into tears?
- Are you over defensive to criticism?
- Is your self-confidence low?
- Do you feel irritable, or have anger outbursts?
- Are you feeling anxious or depressed?
Stress can cause physical symptoms
- Do you suffer from dizzy spells, palpitations or high blood pressure?
- Do you clench your jaw or grind your teeth at night?
- Are you getting recurrent headaches?
- Are you prone to frequent coughs, colds and infections?
- Do you have indigestion, bouts of diarrhoea, or constipation (IBS)?
- Have you had a change in your monthly bleeding pattern or loss of libido?
- Do you have panic attacks, or suffer from pins and needles?
Stress can alter your behaviour
- Do you find you can never make time for recreational activities?
- Have you stopped enjoying things that used to give you pleasure?
- Have you become a workaholic?
- Do you find yourself relying on alcohol, cigarettes or drugs in order to relax when you are away from work?
- Have you started having days off work?
- Have you started saying no to social engagements?
- Has your personal appearance been recently neglected?
- Have there been issues in your friendships and relationships?
If you have answered ‘Yes’ to some of these questions, stress is likely taking its toll on your health.
How to measure your stress
The International Stress Management Association UK (ISMA UK) has developed a very useful questionnaire you can do at home. However, the questionnaire can only give an overview of your stress levels. If you have specific symptoms or concerns, you are strongly advised to see your GP.
If you visit their website, you can easily complete the 27-point questionnaire. The score will give an indication of your stress levels, and those with the higher scores are strongly encouraged to seek professional help.
If you are currently feeling stressed, and are concerned about your stress levels, I would strongly advise you to take the questionnaire and follow this advice.
If anyone is reading this and has been so stressed they are having suicidal thoughts, please do not delay. Get help urgently. See your GP urgently, or phone the Samaritans anytime 247 – on their Freephone number – 116123.
Final thoughts
Stress is serious. But don’t let it cost you your health or your life.
Do you recognise some of the symptoms and signs of stress? Why not take the first step, and do the stress questionnaire, today?
For more information
- ISMA – How to identify stress
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