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Stress can be incredibly disruptive to your physical health, as well as your emotional health. In fact, stress places physiological demands on your body that are called an “allostatic load.” When this load is too heavy, it can place you at risk for a variety of medical ailments, including serious diseases like diabetes, depression, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders. This is part of why it’s so important to keep an eye on your stress levels; it could be causing physical symptoms that you can’t otherwise explain and could be damaging your health. Common physical effects of stress can include:  Headache Muscle tension, aches and pains Chest pain Fatigue or exhaustion Alteration of your appetite or sex drive Upset stomach and nausea Trouble sleeping Heartburn or acid reflux Difficulty with your bowels Long-term effects of chronic stress include a weakened immune system, premature aging, increased risk of illness, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, depression, cognitive impairment, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, heart disease, and greater likelihood of developing illnesses in older age. An overload of stress can manifest itself through a short temper or uncharacteristic difficulty managing anger. Anger (or extreme irritability) is one of the three primary stress emotions, along with anxiety and depression. This symptom of emotional distress is unhealthy for both you and those around you. These changes can also exhibit as rapid changes to your mood—or mood swings—due to circumstances that wouldn’t typically bother you. While certain symptoms of emotional stress are easily recognizable, other may be less so. Ongoing sleep disturbances are an indication of stress. You may be sleeping more or less than usual or having trouble falling or staying asleep when you try. If you have trouble sleeping more than one or two nights a week with no identifiable physical reason that your doctor can determine, then emotional stress is a likely candidate. Chronic tiredness and lethargy are just as often signs of emotional stressors as an inability to sleep, especially if no other illness explains your fatigue. If you find yourself eating more than usual or—alternatively—unable to maintain an appetite, this is a common sign of emotional distress. You may also notice fluctuations in weight without any big changes to your diet or exercise routine. The anxiety associated with emotional distress can find an outlet in obsessive behaviors related to other things. This can range from feeling a compulsion to wash your hands more often than normal all the way to a constant dread that something bad is going to happen. Another common sign of emotional stress is a change in your social behaviors. This can include anything from staying in far more often (when you used to be more social) to noticing a decline in your sex life with your partner. As with most of these symptoms, you can want to consult your doctor to rule out a potential physical ailment. You may also see this manifest as a decline in your work or school performance or with colleagues. Chronic stress, or the consistent, grinding stress that lasts for an extended period, has been linked to the development of depression. Studies have shown that stress can shrink the hippocampus, an area of the brain that effects short-term memory, learning, and emotional regulation. This can cause symptoms of depression, which include many of the symptoms mentioned in this article, such as trouble sleeping, change in appetite, and mood disruption. Depression is a serious health condition that often gets worse if left untreated, but it is also highly treatable. You should talk with a healthcare professional if you display these or other symptoms of depression, which include:  Persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or anxiety Feeling hopeless, worthless, or helpless Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy Fatigue or exhaustion Trouble concentrating or making decisions Changes in appetite, weight, or sleep Restlessness or irritability Unexplained physical symptoms Thoughts of harm, death, or suicide. If you are experiencing any thoughts of harm to yourself or others, call your emergency services or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 immediately. Stress is a natural part of human life, and minor stress is often unavoidable. You may have a few areas of dysfunction, such as trouble sleeping or irritability, but not feel unable to cope. However, if you feel that your stress is interfering with your ability to live your life or even get through the day, you should seek help from a health care professional immediately. Here are some signs that your functioning may be impaired and that you should seek help:  You have seen a marked decline in your work or school performance You feel anxious or depressed You have begun to use alcohol or drugs to cope You feel unable to cope, even with everyday things You are experiencing fears that you can't explain You have become obsessed with something, such as your weight You have physical symptoms that your doctor cannot explain You have withdrawn from people and activities you love You have thoughts of harm to yourself or others It can be difficult to determine what you’re feeling and whether you should be worried about it. The best option is usually to consult with someone about your thoughts and feelings, but you can also try a mood assessment. You can find a self-test at the British National Health Service website here. These types of self-assessment should not be a replacement for consulting your doctor, but they can help you identify whether your stress is minor and transitory, or whether you have a more serious cause for concern.
Look for physical symptoms. Examine your recent temper. Log your sleep patterns. Note changes in your weight or eating habits. Log patterns of obsessive or compulsive behavior. Note the quality of your interactions with others. Look for signs of depression. Determine your level of functioning. Take a mood test.