The Principles of Stress

1. Welcome
2. What is stress?
3. What are the symptoms of stress?
4. What causes stress?
5. Is stress a friend or foe?
6. The fascinating history of stress theory
7. Do you know your signs of stress?
8. Where does stress come from?
9. How we create stress for ourselves
10. Where stress really comes from
11. Factors influencing our stressful interpretations

Take me back to the Resource Centre index

Recognition, detection and awareness

Physical symptoms:

Headache
Dizziness
Clenching jaw, grinding teeth, facial twitching
Chest pain or tightness, palpitations, shortness of breath or air hunger
Nausea, vomiting, heartburn, indigestion, cramps, diarrhea, constipation
Shaking, trembling, tremor of hands, clenched fists
Agitated, restlessness, feeling hyper
Sleep disturbances (trouble falling asleep, disrupted sleep and/or early wakening)
Fatigue, weakness, appetite loss
Loss of interest in sex
Frequent colds, flu or respiratory infections
Increases in pre-existing conditions such as migraines, colitis, ulcer, asthma

Mental symptoms:

Decrease in concentration and increased forgetfulness
Loss of decisiveness
Decrease in sense of humour
Mind racing, drawing blanks or confusion

Emotional symptoms:

Anxious, tense or nervous
Depressed, sad or unhappy
Fear, worry, pessimism
Irritable, impatient, angry, frustrated
Apathy, indifference, loss of motivation

Behavioural symptoms:

Fidgeting, pacing, restlessness
Compuslive smoking, drinking, overeating
Nail biting, foot tapping, jiggling knees
Blaming, yelling, swearing
Crying, weeping, feeling on the verge of tears

All material copyrighted, David B. Posen M.D.