Symptoms of stress

Teacher, are you stressed? Parent, do you feel overwhelmed?  According to Forbes magazine (2013), as much as R3 billion a year is being lost to workplace stress in South-Africa.

Stress is like spice, in the right proportion it enhances the flavor of a dish.  Too little produces a bland, dull meal;  too much may choke you.

Let's have a look at some of the symptoms of stress. Stress symptoms may be psychological (e.g. loss of motivation or confidence), emotional (e.g. feeling overwhelmed or irritable), physical (e.g. indigestion, chest pain) or behavioral (e.g. eating more/less, isolating yourself).  Some of the most common symptoms include:

Physical:
*  Headache, muscle tension or pain, chest pain, fatigue, change in sex drive, stomach upset, sleep problems

Emotional and Psychological:
*  Anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation or focus, irritability or anger, sadness or depression

Behavioral:
*  Overeating or under-eating, angry outbursts, drug or alcohol abuse, tobacco use, social withdrawal

Keep following the blog.... we will discuss some stress fighting techniques soon!