Signs Your Stress is Affecting Mental Health
When it comes to mental health, less stress is best. Most doctors will recommend you make life less stressful to ensure you stay healthy. However, with today’s day and age, truth and fact do not always equate to the outcome.
High stress is now standard. Work, school, and even time with friends have been put under pressure by technology, social media, and expectations. We - and many doctors - would be comfortable saying this is the main reason why mental health issues have exploded in recent years.
So, how do you know if you’re dealing with too much stress?
Acne
If you’ve had an outbreak recently, then that could be your biggest sign. Acne is one of the most visible ways that stress can show itself. One study among teens showed 94% had worse outbreaks when they went through high periods of stress.
Headaches
If you’ve had chronic headaches or neck aches, then stress could be the culprit. In a study of 267 people with chronic headaches, it was found that a stressful event preceded a headache in 45% of cases. Reducing stress could eliminate almost half of their headaches!
Frequent Sickness
If you constantly have the sniffles or feel like you get sick every other month, the stress might be hurting your immune system. There have been dozens of studies that look at the effects of stress on the body. One constant - high stress hurts your body’s ability to fight off sickness.
Insomnia
It should be no surprise when we say that stress makes it harder to sleep. Think about how often you go to bed only to feel wide awake and thinking about what you have to do the next day. One of the best ways to get better sleep is to reduce your stress levels.
Changes in Sex Drive
Many people, especially women, will see changes in their sex drive depending on how busy they are. Not just women, anyone who finds themselves in high-stress jobs could see a lower sex drive. Examples have included medical students, engineers, or lawyers.
Depression
The most obvious sign on this list should be depression. Many who have chronic stress in their home or work life also deal with intermittent or chronic depression. Studies with hundreds of patients have shown an association between stress and depression. While not conclusive, this does mean cutting down on stress could make you happier day today.