Physical Signs Your Stress Is Out of Control

Everyone gets stressed. Whether it's from financial troubles, relationships, health problems, or work, there's pretty much an endless list of things that can rile you up and leave you feeling frazzled. For some people, though, the consequences of stress can show up more outwardly than it does in others.

"Stress does not have to be either very high or necessarily chronic to feel it fairly immediately," JJulie Pike, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and expert in the treatment of anxiety disorders, tells SELF. And by feel it, she means not just in the form of anxiety, overthinking, and worrying. "Stress is the body’s response to the mind’sperception that the environment is too demanding," she explains. So naturally, this response shows up in many ways throughout your body—for some, it hits harder than others.

Stress activates your sympathetic nervous system. "It tells our body it's in the presence of a predator, so we have to be on guard and either need to run or fight, which is why we get so nervous and so snappy," Pike explains. This fight or flight response sends our bodies signals, which cause countless effects, thanks to the rush of hormones and brain chemicals involved.

The article documents 11 of the most common physical signs that your stress levels are too high. These include: neck pain, headaches, hair loss, weight gain, skin conditions, insomnia, fatigue and more.

Link to full article: https://www.self.com/story/11-physical-signs-of-stress