Things themselves don't hurt or hinder us. Nor do other people. How we view these things is another matter, It is our attitudes and reactions that give us trouble. We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.
Epictetus
Is uncontrolled stress putting you at risk for disease?
Pathways The Light Within III: Guided Pathways to the Soul
By Pat Jones & Steve Hulse
View Details and Listen to Sample
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Types of Symptoms of Stress
Physical
Emotional
Intellectual
Interpersonal
Stress Symptoms
On those occasions when we don't manage our stress well, our bodies experience the fight or flight response over and over, and we begin to experience a variety of symptoms. Look at the following list, and check those that pertain to you.
Physical Symptoms
Headaches
Sleep disorders (insomnia, over-sleeping, early morning awakening, restlessness at night, nightmares)
Back pain (especially lower back pain and neck pain)
Clenching the jaws or grinding the teeth (TMJ Syndrome)
Constipation
Diarrhea and colitis (irritable bowel syndrome)
Skin rashes
Muscle aching (especially in the neck, shoulders, at the back of the head)
Indigestion or ulcers
Hypertension
Excessive perspiration
Appetite change (either increase or decrease)
Fatigue or loss of energy (feeling lethargic)
Increase in accidents
Increase in outbreak of herpes
Feeling of breathlessness or hyperventilating
Emotional Symptoms
Anxiety or chronic worrying
Depression or crying easily
Mood swings (from feeling very high to very low)
Irritability
Nervousness
Easily angered
Experiencing a feeling of low self-esteem or feelings of insecurity
Preoccupation with health (worrying that one has a major disease)
Angry outbursts
Feelings of aggression or hostility
Feeling emotionally drained or burned out
Panicky feelings
Intellectual Symptoms
Difficulty concentrating and focusing
Difficulty making decisions
Forgetfulness
Feeling of confusion
Poor memory and recall
Excessive daydreaming
Preoccupation with a single thought or idea
Loss of sense of humor
Decreased productivity
Lowered quality of work
Increased number of errors
Interpersonal Symptoms
Fairly consistently blaming others for your problems
Finding it difficult to trust other people
Finding yourself always late for appointments or actually missing them
Finding fault in everything around you or verbally attacking others
Feeling guilty a good bit of the time
Having an overly defensive attitude
Being passive-aggressive and not speaking to or talking with other people
Trying to get all your needs met through another person
Trying to please everyone all the time (trying to keep everybody happy)
