April marks the start of #NationalStressAwarenessMonth, a month dedicated to increasing public awareness about stress, highlighting the causes of stress, the negative effects on the mind and body & how to relieve stress once and for all.

At some point in life, most people will experience stress themselves – but a constant feeling of stress or extreme stress can be incredibly detrimental to the mind and body, so it’s important to recognise the signs of stress so you can begin the steps of ridding it from your life.

This blog, recognising stress, will be the first in a series released this month from Cordant in support of #NationalStressAwarenessMonth.

What to look for

The symptoms of stress can form from too much pressure, often found in either your working environment, your home life or even simply just within yourself from the unexpected nature of life.

Other people are sometimes able to spot the signs of stress in someone experiencing it before they are even aware of it themselves, so if you’re an employer, here are some of the symptoms to look out for:

Psychological signs

• Inability to concentrate or make simple decisions
• Memory lapses
• Becoming rather vague
• Easily distracted
• Less intuitive & creative
• Worrying
• Negative thinking
• Depression & anxiety

Emotional signs

• Tearful
• Irritable
• Mood swings
• Extra sensitive to criticism
• Defensive
• Feeling out of control
• Lack of motivation
• Angry
• Frustrated
• Lack of confidence
• Lack of self-esteem

Physical signs

• Aches/pains & muscle tension/grinding teeth
• Frequent colds/infections
• Allergies/rashes/skin irritations
• Constipation/diarrhoea/ IBS
• Weight loss or gain
• Indigestion/heartburn/ulcers
• Hyperventilating/lump in the throat/pins & needles
• Dizziness/palpitations
• Panic attacks/nausea
• Physical tiredness
• Menstrual changes/loss of libido/sexual problems
• Heart problems/high blood pressure

Behavioural signs

• No time for relaxation or pleasurable activities
• Prone to accidents, forgetfulness
• Increased reliance on alcohol, smoking, caffeine, recreational or illegal drugs
• Becoming a workaholic
• Poor time management and/or poor standards of work
• Absenteeism
• Self neglect/change in appearance
• Social withdrawal
• Relationship problems
• Insomnia or waking tired
• Reckless
• Aggressive/anger outbursts
• Nervous
• Uncharacteristically lying

Source: https://isma.org.uk/about-stress/how-to-identify-stress

Please note, if you are experiencing any long lasting stress symptoms you should consider seeing your GP.