How can you tell if a person is stressed? Nervous stress - how to recognize and treat it at home. What can be done.

Stress can be caused by various troubles. It is worth noting that good deeds, relaxation, physical exercise, essential oils help overcome stress, but in no case should you fight stress with food.

To understand why stress overtakes us, we need to understand the state of stress, which is often mixed with anxiety and depression.

Stress is a natural reaction of our body to external stimuli. Often noise and conflict situations at work and in the family are the causes of stress. It should be noted that as long as our body is able to respond to these stimuli, there is no need to worry, but if the body succumbs to these aggressors and cannot withstand their “pressure,” we should be wary.

Anxiety, resistance, powerlessness

Stress has three phases - anxiety, resistance and powerlessness.
Anxiety is an immediate reaction to a stimulus. The alarm signal begins at the level of the hypothalamus, which is responsible for our emotions. In response to an alarm signal, the adrenal glands produce adrenaline and norepinephrine nerve cells, which allow a person to instinctively respond to a stressful situation - both psychologically and physically. A person’s heart and respiratory rhythms begin to accelerate, blood flow to the muscles and brain increases, and this provokes insomnia. To combat these unpleasant symptoms, the hypothalamus stimulates the synthesis of another hormone - cortisol, which actively fights back stress by increasing the synthesis of sugar. Thus, for protection, our body mobilizes all its energy reserves. At this stage, some psychosomatic symptoms often appear, such as arterial hypertension, pain, pressure (urticaria). Ultimately, prolonged resistance and intense tension in the body's defense system lead to the fact that our body weakens to such an extent that it becomes powerless against stress and turns into fertile ground for the development of various diseases.

When is it time to sound the alarm? How can you tell if a person is truly stressed?

Unlike anxiety and depression, stress goes away along with the reason that caused it. For example, a person whose stress was caused by work easily gets rid of it during vacation. However, you should be wary if stress does not go away even in a new environment, regardless of whether the cause that caused the stress has been eliminated or not. In this case, we are no longer talking about stress, but about anxiety. And if the symptoms are still noticeable and the condition worsens, anxiety develops into depression. Depression differs from stress and anxiety in that in a depressed state a person’s activity decreases, a loss of strength is felt, and interest in everything disappears.

You feel chronic fatigue, you suffer from insomnia, you are indifferent to everything that happens around you, little things unsettle you, you cannot concentrate on work, you have only one desire - to be left alone so that no one bothers you, you have developed irritability and aggression, do you smoke constantly and drink alcohol or other stimulants? You should be wary if you find yourself with at least three or four of the signs listed above. Stress can cause cardiovascular diseases, arterial hypertension, heart attack, ulcers, colitis, Crohn's disease, asthma, various dermatitis, eczema, since stress weakens the immune system. Our body either fights stress or succumbs to it. Often the causes of stress are the following factors: environmental pollution, traffic jams, extraneous noise on the roads, strained professional relationships.

There are people who lose their appetite due to stress and begin to lose weight because the biological reactions that stress provokes consume a lot of energy. Thus, we can say that stress is a means of losing weight. But for most people, stress causes the opposite reaction, that is, people fight stress with the help of food: they consume large amounts of chocolate, cakes, sweets and other foods rich in sugar and fat, and often abuse alcohol. All this can lead to significant weight gain and even obesity. These irresistible desires can lead to bulimia in almost a third of women suffering from stress. As for men, they are less susceptible to this temptation.

Stress is a set of psychophysical reactions of the body to various types of stimuli. The specific concept was first introduced by Walter Cannon, in his work on the general universal response “Fight or Flight.”

But a complete description of the process, from a physiological point of view, was given by Hans Selye. Back in the 1920s, he noticed a general nonspecific reaction of patients to various types of stimuli; later, in his work on the general adaptive syndrome, Selye described a specific process. The term “” was directly linked to his works in 1946.

Stages of development

If we consider in detail the work of Hans Selye, the development of stress can be divided into three stages:

1. Alarm stage. The body, reacting to a certain stimulus, starts the adaptation process.
2. Resistance stage. The period of response of the body to the influencing element.
3. Exhaustion stage. The supply of adaptive energy gradually runs out.

Initially, the stress reaction was considered exclusively as a negative process, but later a division into:

1. Eustress(the body's reaction to some positive influences). A specific type is characterized by positive progression - memory improves, curiosity and performance increase.
2. Distress(reaction to negative factors). Often leads to negative reactions that reduce overall performance.

The importance of timely detection

Considering a stressful state as a medical problem, one can trace the relationship - the result is expressed in inappropriate behavior. Gradually, some negative consequences begin to appear: uncontrollable emotional states, aggression or excessive temper.

If certain signs and symptoms are missed, the stress reaction can gradually turn into various depressive states and, accordingly, more complex and dangerous reactions for a person may appear.

Depression often leads to decreased performance and lack of interest in life. May cause suicidal tendencies. Accordingly, such developments should be identified and avoided in a timely manner, responding promptly and adequately to the developing problem.

What kind of stress can it be?

The following types are distinguished, according to the impact model:

1. Physical Stress represents certain reactions of the body to various stimuli of a physical and physiological nature. Manifests itself as a reaction to: fatigue, temperature, thirst, pain, hunger. Short-term loads can also have a hardening effect, but the limit is individual for everyone.
2. Psychic() stress is the primary reaction to emotional stimuli. A specific type manifests itself as a reaction to various unpleasant situations, but sometimes it is a consequence of some far-fetched factors.
3. Short-term stress manifests itself as hardening factors. Usually, it is the main psychophysical reaction to a non-standard situation. A particular example of short-term stress that causes a positive adaptive result is hardening with cold water.
4. Chronic stress - refers to depressive reaction patterns. The body begins to be depressed in all its manifestations, a decline in immunity and a decrease in the activity of mental functions are possible. As a particular example, we can cite the reaction to the death of a loved one.

First signs of illness

Like any disease, stress has its own development factors and certain symptoms; it is natural that for each person and for each specific situation, the symptoms may vary, as well as the individual perception of the problem.

Common signs of stress include:

• increased irritability and emotional decline;
• constant insomnia;
• pessimistic moods and indifference;
• and concentration;
• decreased or increased appetite;
• and fatigue.

If we take into consideration stressful conditions and certain signs inherent only to a specific type, we can clearly distinguish between male stress and female stress, which may have their own symptoms.

Women are vulnerable creatures...

Women are sensitive natures and it is quite easy to disrupt their spiritual harmony, but restoring peace is a more difficult task.

Solving a problem begins with its detection, and the following symptoms are characteristic of female stress:

It's not easy for men either

Nervous stress affects men no less than women. Although the symptoms of stress in men are in many ways similar to the female version, there are some nuances:

• aggressive behavior and irritability;
• erectile dysfunction and decreased sexual desire;
• high blood pressure and headaches;
• reduced criticality of perception.

Manifestations in children

It's not just adults who can feel the negative effects of stressors. Cases of childhood stress are not uncommon; they may have the following symptoms:

• nausea and colic;
• aggressive reactions;
• deceit;
• attention and sleep disorder.

Typically, such conditions in children are caused by some difficulties in the process of learning and communicating with peers.

Stress symptoms have many points, but if we take some boundary models of stress, they may differ.

Acute form

Basically, it is customary to distinguish between acute stress and stress. However, some common roots can be seen in both variations of the human condition.

Each of the specific types of stress is distinguished by the fact that it is associated with a certain situation that led to a deep state. When highlighting symptomatic points of an acute stress process, you should indicate:

• increased degree of anxiety;
• feelings of unreality - both of the surrounding world and of one’s own personality;
• irritability and acute attacks of aggression;
• the desire to avoid reminding circumstances and objects.

If you pay attention to the differences in the given variations of the acute model of a stressful situation, the difference is that post-traumatic stress does not always go away in an aggravated version, which lasts no more than a month.

Sometimes, the post-traumatic type turns into long-term chronic stress, which has its own exceptional manifestations.

Chronic form

Looking at chronic stress in detail, we can clearly determine that it is a long-term process. In fact, this model is characterized by its duration and the fact that the next disorder and worsening of the situation can occur for completely insignificant reasons. Symptoms of chronic stress include:

• increased sensitivity;
• fixation on the root cause;
• hypersensitivity to natural irritants (light, sound);
• decreased concentration and activity of thinking;
• long-term sleep disturbances;
• disruptions in the autonomic nervous system;
• disorders in reproductive systems.

Diagnosis independently and from the outside

For each of the stressful conditions, it is possible to determine some signs, symptoms, behavioral nuances, and internal sensations.

Such a decline in mental strength cannot go unnoticed and it is not so difficult to notice it on your own.

A look from the inside

If you conduct some examination of your internal sensations, you can most likely diagnose your own stress disorder. Often, during periods of stress, a person experiences the following sensations:

• life is steadily losing color;
• positive emotions are not actually perceived;
• lack of desire to communicate with others;
• a general loss of strength is felt;
• no interest in any type of activity.

View from the outside

It is also possible to notice the onset of stress in your own environment. If you look at a person in a similar state, you will notice similar symptoms and manifestations of mental imbalance:

• decreased self-esteem;
• inattention;
• strange detachment from reality;
• inadequate response to treatment.

Bordering states

Unfortunately, stress can develop into quite complex forms of mental disorders, and depression is just the tip of the iceberg. People in a state of advanced stress can move to obsessive pathological states and... Typically, these are general ailments and obsessive thoughts of the following categories:

• suicidal desires;
• desires for reprisals;
• loss of self-control;
• paralysis of one's own position.

All these points allow you to timely detect a problem, both in yourself and in your loved ones. A clear definition of a stressful state, in turn, provides an opportunity to avoid its transition to prolonged depression and other mental pathologies.

Quite often, deep and acute levels of stress require urgent medical attention, and independent attempts to get rid of it are doomed to failure.

How to recognize stress?

Modern man is almost always in a state of stress. The main source of stress is a lack of constancy and stability, a reaction to worries and problems, and the struggle with everyday difficulties. This applies to both negative phenomena in our lives and positive ones.

If sources of stress are not recognized in time, it can develop into illness. A person often creates a stressful situation himself, transforming the positive meaning of stress into a negative one. This, in turn, can turn into a prolonged state of tension that depletes the body's vitality. Chronic stress can trigger the development of depression, professional burnout, emotional exhaustion, and eating disorders. Depression and other severe consequences of stress are treated by professional psychologists and psychotherapists.

Stress performs a mobilization reaction in the body, promoting development and increasing the level of adaptation. It motivates the human body and psyche not only to adapt to the world around us, but also to develop and achieve new forms of behavior in the environment and allows us to achieve goals and satisfy individually significant needs.

Canadian physiologist G. Selye first introduced the concept of “stress - as a nonspecific response of the body to any demand presented to it.”

This is a response to the adaptive reactions of the body that arise as a result of any external influences, aimed at restoring homeostasis - the constancy of the internal environment.

Stress occurs in 3 stages:

1 – alarm reaction, the level of body resistance decreases;

2 – adaptation, the anxiety reaction decreases, the body’s resistance increases;

3 – distress; If there is no restructuring of the body, exhaustion of the body may occur.

Stress is a complex interaction of mental and somatic functions. This is a cognitive interpretation - the meaning that a person attaches to an event and depends on his attitudes, his personal aspects, experience, character. That is, stress is largely produced by the person himself and the way he perceives the situation. What matters is not what happens to a person, but how he reacts to it.

Stress occurs as a result of exposure to stressors - biological or psychological factors that cause tension and disrupt the existing balance (homeostasis). Based on the degree of impact on a person, stressors can be divided into the following types:

Mild (family quarrel, job change, etc.);

Average (dismissal from work, illness of a loved one);

Severe (death of a loved one, aggression, violence, etc.);

Catastrophic (sudden death of family members, child).

Stress can be biological (physiological) and psychological.

Physiological stress is the body’s reaction to stress factors, mainly of a non-psychological nature (cold, heat, physical trauma, high or low atmospheric pressure, etc.) and is aimed at restoring homeostasis.

Psychological stress – psychological stress-generating external influences. Psychological stress can be informational and emotional. Information stress occurs in conditions of human information overload (emergency situations). Emotional stress - in extreme situations (natural disasters, sudden attack, etc.).

The first step toward relieving stress is to learn to recognize certain signs that indicate your body is under stress. Stress usually creates the following sequence: stress-symptom-disease. Therefore, it is necessary, with the help of observations and introspection, to recognize the connection between the symptom and the stress that caused it as quickly as possible.

Signs of stress are divided into 3 categories according to the areas of their manifestation:

Psychophysiological stress manifests itself in muscle tension, trembling and nervous tics, dizziness, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, increased sweating, pain in the back, neck, chest, etc.

Emotional stress causes feelings of irritability, anxiety, anger, hostility, aggressiveness, and an inability to concentrate. There is a feeling of loss of control over oneself, helplessness, hopelessness, fear, panic.

At the behavioral level, in order to get away from stress, a person begins to smoke, drink alcohol, eat heavily, loses interest in communication, withdraws, and falls into apathy.

More information

Nervous stress is characterized by emotional and physical tension that occurs in situations beyond a person’s control. It is a natural reaction to various stimuli, both negative and positive.

Anything can provoke this condition. First, the nervous and endocrine systems become overexcited, then aggression, short temper, and uncontrollable emotions appear.

If you do not start fighting stress in time, it can turn into a severe form, and then to depression. This is a disease in which performance decreases, weakness appears, and there is no interest in life.

Stress can be divided into a positive shock to the body - eustress, and reaction to negative factors – distress.

Destructive (distress) is divided into:

1. A physiological type of stress in which the body is affected by external factors: cold, heat, thirst, hunger.
2. Emotional. Occurs during upheavals in the family, at work, between loved ones.
3. The food type of stress is associated with diets, hunger, and overeating.
4. Chronic stress is the most dangerous. A person who is constantly exposed to nervous stress gets used to it. This condition often leads to depression and suicide.
5. Short-term stress occurs suddenly, as a defensive reaction in emergency situations.

Symptoms

Nervous stress is divided into 4 groups of signs by which it can be accurately identified.

Physiological symptoms:

1. Frequent headaches.
2. High or low blood pressure.
3. Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Muscle tension.
5. Cramps.
6. Allergic rash.
7. Insufficient or, conversely, excess body weight.
8. Increased sweating.
9. Lack of normal sex life ().
10. Lack of appetite.
11. Sleep disturbance.

Emotional symptoms:

1. Anger, irritability.
2. Lack of interest in life.
3. Yearning.
4. Anxiety.
5. Feeling lonely.
6. Internal dissatisfaction.

Behavioral symptoms:

1. Indifference to one's appearance.
2. Frequent errors at work.
3. Sleep and appetite are disturbed.
4. Increasing the amount of alcohol consumed.
5. Conflicts in the family and at work.
6. Complete immersion in work.
7. Feeling of constant lack of time.

Symptoms of an intellectual nature:

1. Inability to concentrate.
2. Bad memory.
3. Negative thoughts.
4. It's difficult to decide on anything.

Physiological and emotional symptoms most clearly indicate the presence of nervous stress in a person.

Treating nervous stress at home

If stress is short-term in nature, that is, it occurs periodically, then such a condition cannot be called dangerous. But prolonged and severe stress can lead to serious consequences. Among them are diseases of the digestive system, cardiovascular, endocrine diseases, etc.

Treatment for nervous stress at home includes:

1. Refusal of alcohol, nicotine, strong coffee. They do not solve the problem, but only push it further.
2. The diet should contain foods rich in B vitamins: rice, wheat, raw seeds, dried apricots. Spicy, fried and refined foods should be kept to a minimum.

You need to eat simple, easily digestible foods. Small portions, chewing slowly, and then a quiet rest are the best option for combating stress.

1. One of the effective methods for treating stressful conditions is morning exercises or other physical training. During exercise, the body releases the hormone endorphin, which ensures calm and good mood. Half an hour of exercise in a well-ventilated area will give you a boost of energy and help you get rid of stress.
2. Herbal medicine is another effective method of treating nervous stress. Decoctions or infusions of medicinal plants soothe and relax the nervous system. Chamomile, valerian root, mint, lemon balm, hop cones are natural healers that can overcome stressful conditions.
3. With nervous stress, switching attention from the stimulus to distracting objects helps well. Read a book, watch an old movie, or take a walk outside.
4. Eating 1 banana daily nourishes the body with beneficial substances that successfully fight stress.
5. Evening relaxing baths with medicinal herbs calm the nervous system and set you up for a restful sleep.
6. One of the popular ways to get rid of nervous stress is considered to be a vitamin salad. It is prepared from two crushed lemons and oranges with the addition of 4 tablespoons of honey. You can eat this dish one dessert spoon before meals.
7. Oils of sage, St. John's wort, and mint heated in an aroma lamp can relax you with their aromas and set you up for positive thinking.

Lifestyle in modern society is a common cause of nervous stress. We are constantly in a hurry and worry about even the smallest things, and these emotional stresses accumulate. In the old days, people had a much more active lifestyle, which made them less stressed. Even now, villagers suffer less from this problem than city dwellers. Therefore, an active lifestyle, and in particular sports, is in many cases a good way to treat nervous stress at home. The main thing is to overcome yourself, because in a bad mood you don’t want to do anything.

With constant change, a polluted environment and societal pressures, it is not surprising that almost everyone has felt stressed at some point. Let's figure out how to understand that you really are experiencing nervous tension and how you can cope with it. Stress is a reaction of the body that occurs under the influence of various extreme situations and circumstances. In a person, this state appears when a difficult or dangerous task stands in his way. It comes at moments when a storm of events is in full swing in life and you need to take appropriate actions and decisions. A stressful situation requires constant activity - this leads to tension.

How to tell if you're stressed

Not every person can understand the first time to recognize the presence of stress. Some people refer to one-time cases of mood changes, others think that this is all in the order of things, etc. But stress cannot be treated carelessly, because if you stop treating yourself with due attention, negative experiences can turn into a permanent form of anxiety.

To prevent this from happening, you need to check yourself for the presence or absence of signs of stress. These symptoms include the following:

• When a person is unable to concentrate on one thing;
• Frequent illnesses, colds appear, and the general condition of the body worsens;
• Fatigue occurs from any type of activity, and this happens faster than usual;
• A person tries for hours to force himself to fall asleep, constant insomnia appears;
• My head starts to hurt often and for no apparent reason;
• Taste preferences have changed and you no longer like this or that food, it becomes difficult to understand whether it is tasty or not;
• Or the appetite is completely lost, and the person feels hungry all the time;
• Stupid, groundless worries begin to overcome;
• A person thinks about insignificant details;
• The desire to cry for no reason comes in attacks;
• Hair falls out greatly, nails become damaged, the skin deteriorates and, in general, the appearance ceases to be attractive;
• Emotional explosions occur, a state of fear appears and the person refuses to understand that something is wrong with him;
• The heartbeat often increases, muscles tense, sweating increases;
• The person becomes more impatient with everything and irritable;
• Along with crying, sudden attacks of uncontrolled laughter and much more are also possible.

In addition, in a state of stress, a feeling may appear when there is not enough air and there is nothing to breathe. In this case, breathing processes become difficult, and tremors in the body and attacks of nausea may even occur.

To understand whether there is stress or not, you need to analyze all these signs; if 3-4 points match, then you need to sound the alarm. They can form either in a few minutes or over some time.

Causes of stress

Feelings of anxiety and stress can arise from various external and internal sources.

External ones include:

Internal sources of stress:

• Loyalty to special concepts and promises;
• The presence of certain phobias that interfere with everyday life;
• The person has low self-esteem and does not feel at ease;
• A person’s internal beliefs and values ​​can contribute to stress.

If you do not understand in time that you are stressed and do not get rid of its signs, then complications may arise. It will be very difficult to get rid of them later. A person will constantly experience high blood pressure, headaches, insomnia, diarrhea, constipation, etc. In addition, stress can lead to alcoholism and drug use. In this regard, understanding how to eliminate stress is important knowledge.

How to get rid of stress

You need to treat your health very carefully and understand that no one will take care of it except you. In order to eradicate the symptoms of stress, you need to help your body.

Acceptance and understanding of all these points can significantly improve a person’s well-being and can relieve stress.

Stress is not a normal human condition and no one should live under stress. To understand whether you are stressed or not, you should pay attention to your behavior. And, even if negative symptoms of stress are just beginning to appear, it is necessary to prevent this at the initial stage. Don't ignore the signs of illness.