Physical effects from stress?

Question

Has anyone suffered physical effects from being 'stressed out'? Been feeling really weird the last few days. Chest discomfort (not pain) anxiety, funny felings in the head, like a 'losing it' sensation. Comes and goes briefly. Getting more stressed just thinking about it! All comments welcome. Merry Xmas!

Answer 1

Stress can cause all kinds of uncomfortable physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. Since you say your symptoms come and go briefly, you may be suffering from mild panic attacks. I highly recommend seeing a doctor, just to rule out any physical problems. If the doctor finds that you are clinically anxious, he or she should refer you to a specialist. Panic attacks, if left untreated, can turn into panc disorder...and you definitely don't want a diagnosis like that!

Answer 2

Cut back on all caffienated beverages. Don't watch too much TV with all the Christmas advertising. Don't use your credit card anymore; only use cash if you have any. Take the B vitamins and lots of vitamin C.

Answer 3

Yes, I had heart palpitations from stress and had to be hospitalized for it two weeks ago.

Answer 4

Stress is a term that refers to the sum of the physical, mental, and emotional strains or tensions on a person. Feelings of stress in humans result from interactions between persons and their environment that are perceived as straining or exceeding their adaptive capacities and threatening their well-being. The element of perception indicates that human stress responses reflect differences in personality as well as differences in physical strength or health.

In chronic stress, the organ systems of the body do not have the opportunity to return fully to normal levels. Different organs become under- or overactivated on a long-term basis. In time, these abnormal levels of activity can damage an organ or organ system.

Coping is defined as a person's patterns of response to stress. Many clinicians think that differences in attitudes toward and approaches to stressful events are the single most important factor in assessing a person's vulnerability to stress-related illnesses. A person's ability to cope with stress depends in part on his or her interpretation of the event. One person may regard a stressful event as a challenge that can be surmounted while another views it as a problem with no solution. The person's resources, previous physical and psychological health, and previous life experience affect interpretation of the event. Someone who has had good experiences of overcoming hardships is more likely to develop a positive interpretation of stressful events than someone who has been repeatedly beaten down by abuse and later traumas.

There are a number of allopathic and alternative/complementary treatments that are effective in relieving the symptoms of stress-related disorders:

Medications may include drugs to control anxiety and depression as well as drugs that treat such physical symptoms of stress as indigestion or high blood pressure.

Psychotherapy, including insight-oriented and cognitive/behavioral approaches, is effective in helping people understand how they learned to overreact to stressors, and in helping them reframe their perceptions and interpretations of stressful events. Anger management techniques are recommended for people who have stress-related symptoms due to chronic anger.

Relaxation techniques, anxiety reduction techniques, breathing exercises, yoga, and other physical exercise programs that improve the body's relaxation response.

Therapeutic massage, hydrotherapy, and bodywork are forms of treatment that are particularly helpful for people who tend to carry stress in their muscles and joints.

Aromatherapy, pet therapy, humor therapy, music therapy, and other approaches that emphasize sensory pleasure are suggested for severely stressed people who lose their capacity to enjoy life; sensory-based therapies can counteract this tendency.

Naturopathic recommendations regarding diet, exercise, and adequate sleep, and the holistic approach of naturopathic medicine can help persons with stress-related disorders to recognize and activate the body's own capacities for self-healing.

My advice to you: Just relax, you will bounce back

Answer 5

Sounds like anxiety to me. The best way to get rid of it, or at least ease your mind about it, is to see your doctor. He/she will rule out anything serious. Don't you just love the holidays and all the wonderful feelings they bring out?!