Stress is a negative word associated with fears, anxiety, and an inability to make the right decisions; however, it does have some positive aspects that help the body secrete adrenaline, which in turn drives task completion and enhances problem-solving abilities.
The sensation of stress has accompanied ancient humans as a direct response to facing danger and as a means of protection from predators and various threats.
Of course, the threats and challenges faced by modern humans have changed, and it's improbable that individuals will encounter challenges related to obtaining food or threats from predators except on rare occasions. However, there are new challenges, such as work exhaustion, child care, and paying bills. All these pressures send alerts to the mind, putting it in a state of continuous arousal and stress, which reflects on all its daily tasks.
Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Stress
Chronic stress is recognized by a constant feeling of pressure and exhaustion over a long period, slowly draining a person's mental and physical energy. Signs of this depletion appear as a group of symptoms that emerge together for several weeks, including widespread body pains, insomnia, changes in usual social behavior such as staying at home for long periods, decreased energy, inability to concentrate, emotional withdrawal, and it may develop into other psychological disorders such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Chronic stress is a constant feeling of pressure and exhaustion over an extended period (Shutterstock)
Causes of Chronic Stress
Personal traumas or ongoing mistreatment can be major sources of chronic stress, which include domestic violence, child abuse, and traumatic events such as natural disasters or war conditions, or severe illness.
Poverty is also a key cause of chronic stress and anxiety due to the long-term effects of financial pressure, debt, and insecurity.
Specialists indicate that discrimination against individuals, such as against people with disabilities or those of different skin colors, who often feel anxious due to continual societal stigma, can lead to anxiety.
Work pressures are also among the most common causes of anxiety, as some workplaces lack flexibility and empathy for employees, causing ongoing anxiety for them, negatively affecting their mental and physical health.
Stress leaves no opportunity for a person to care for themselves and their mood states (Pexels)
How Do You Know If You Are Suffering from Chronic Stress?
Chronic stress results from a repeated response to stressors, leaving the body always in a state of perceived threat, even for the simplest things that could pass simply but cause a lot of discomfort, making the person moody and anxious about something they cannot fully understand.
Stress gives no chance for a person to care for themselves and their mood states, it becomes like a monster devouring all reasons for happiness and perhaps turning them to the opposite, due to the anxious person's pessimistic view. Chronic stress is not associated with a specific time but remains continual for a long time due to significant or cumulative problems over time, with symptoms persisting for longer than a month.
Sometimes, a stressed individual may become more emotional with those around them, stop replying to messages, or cancel plans to meet friends, which become an additional burden on them.
Daily life pressures send alerts to the mind, putting it in a state of continuous arousal and stress (Shutterstock)
Simple and Effective Treatment Methods
Psychology experts say that regular exercise maintains cortisol hormone levels in the body under control, and daily movement reduces stress levels. Walking for 20 minutes a day can improve memory, cognition, and reduce stress.
The role of relaxation exercises and techniques in reducing stress and lowering cortisol levels in the blood should not be overlooked, and relaxation techniques include yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and prayer.
The food a person consumes affects their response to anxiety and stress, with studies indicating some diets may cause depression and anxiety, especially those high in sugars. Conversely, diets based on fish products and healthy fats reduce stress levels.
For balance maintenance, experts recommend consuming small, protein-rich meals every three hours to prevent blood sugar levels from dropping.
