Symptoms of Stress

Slowly it Turns…

Stress is insidious…and sneaky. In most cases, it eventually finds its home in your personal history of experiences, events and relationships, and puts down solid roots. Very gradually, the effects of long-time stress will rear their ugly heads in emotional and/or physical manifestations.

• Stress displays itself in a number of physical and emotional ways, including sharp changes in mood and demeanor; changes in appetite and bodily appearance; muscle tension and body aches; changes in sex drive; general fatigue, migraine headaches, upset stomachs and gastric illnesses.
• Stress is also linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, cirrhosis of the liver, accidents, and sadly, suicide. Seventy-five to ninety percent of visits to doctors’ offices and health care facilities are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
• Consider this. Colicky babies have the distinct misfortune of having experienced enough in vitro stress to follow them through their adult lives. Imagine that!
• There are many things we inherit from our parents—genetically or behaviorally— and, unhappily, this is one of them. Right now, somewhere in the world, some little individual has been born with a predisposition to stress. The only thing they know is that their tummies are cramping so badly.
• Concurrently, Mom could likely write a book on the people, places and things in her life that have contributed to her stress levels—maybe even this pregnancy. In this case, maternal stress is the kind of “gift” that keeps on giving. And the recipient can’t return it for store credit.