The physical consequences of long term stress are something most people know about or have at least heard about in one capacity or another. However, when you’re someone who prides yourself on being tough and able to handle anything, stress and its consequences are one of the last things you might think about.
“I’m fine.”
How many times have I uttered these words feeling like I was barely holding it together yet strong enough to handle anything, and so I didn’t have time to feel. I only had time to keep moving forward.
It wasn’t until a few years ago when my body started breaking down that I realized, maybe I really am stressed and I’m not really as fine as I think I am. Symptom after symptom and doctor after doctor, all with the same diagnosis, “you’re stressed.”
Um, excuse me? I’m fine.
As I was driving home from one of these doctor’s appointments, a light bulb hit. Maybe I’m so used to being stressed that it feels normal. I’m so used to feeling like I’m underwater and constantly in survival mode that this feeling is my normal way of living.
And then, an alarm went off. My body is breaking down because I’m in a constant fight or flight mode, yet I feel normal. It scared the shit out of me.
Have you ever experienced something similar?
What happens when you are stressed out for a long time?
Emotional, cognitive or physical, there are a variety of ways that your body will try to tell you that you’ve been under too much stress for too long. When you think you have everything under control, it can be easier to bury and explain away emotions like moodiness and behaviors like sleeplessness, forgetfulness, or an inability to focus.
There could be a million reasons for your symptoms, right? And if you “feel normal,” you’ll look for any answer possible to fit the reasoning that the problem is out of your control. Stress is one of the last things on your list because you can’t possibly be stressed. You got this and you’re doing just fine.
How do you know when your body is stressed out?
When you’re under stress for too long with no relief, your body will do things to make you pay attention. It will make you so physically uncomfortable, that you’ll have no choice but to pay attention to it.
Here is an example of some physical symptoms of stress:
- Stomach problems
- Exhaustion or fatigue
- Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw at night
- Skin breakouts like unusual acne, rashes, dyshidrosis, etc.
- Getting sick often
- Chest pain
- Headaches
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- Kidney damage
But it doesn’t stop there. Just take a look at what kidney.org says.
“…When your body is under high levels of stress for sustained periods of time, these physical reactions, if left unchecked, can eventually harm your health. The combined impacts of increased blood pressure, faster heart rate, and higher fats and sugar in your blood can contribute to a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease (also known as cardiovascular disease). Stress and uncontrolled reactions to stress can also lead to kidney damage. As the blood filtering units of your body, your kidneys are prone to problems with blood circulation and blood vessels. High blood pressure and high blood sugar can place an additional strain or burden on your kidneys.”
How do you know if stress is really the problem?
The first step is to see a doctor who can help you understand what’s going on with your body and what the potential sources for those issues might be. It could be a variety of factors. If he or she tells you one of those factors is stress, take that seriously. Stress might not be the root of everything, but it’s definitely worth considering as a contributor.
The second step is to make an appointment with a mental health professional who can help you break through your cloud of stress. Trust me; when your brain is so foggy that stress feels normal, you’re going to need some objective help identifying what’s going on and finding solutions. Worst-case scenario, a mental health professional is someone you can word vomit all over without fearing being judged. That in itself—the action of just talking about what’s going on in your life—can be a big help in taking some of the load off.
Once you’ve seen a doctor and you’ve made an appointment with a mental health professional, you may want to try this exercise.
- Look at everything currently going on in your life. And, I mean everything. Make a list.
- Look at your list and next to each item, write down how long you’ve been involved with or dealing with it. For example, I’ve had this career for this many years, I’ve been a parent for this many years, I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck for this many years, I’ve felt lonely for this many years, I’ve been ignoring this tragic event that happened to me for this many years, I’ve been responsible for being the primary caretaker for my family for this long, etc.
- Then, being brutally honest (remember this is for you) rate each item on a scale of 1-10 of how much stress you feel just thinking about it. You’re not rating your strength and ability to handle it. You’re choosing a rating, from a place of humility, based on how hard each of those issues really is for you. This can be an eye-opening exercise and a talking point in one of your therapy or coaching sessions.
Your mind, body, and emotions will tell you everything you need to know if you’re willing to listen. The goal is to avoid emergency situations by helping yourself from the get-go. Everyone needs help here and there. Even those who are self-reliant need assistance here and there in order to become even stronger.
The consequences of long term stress are a reality. It can exacerbate an underlying minor cognitive, emotional, or physical issue or it can create completely new ones.
Emotional stress needs an outlet. You have a choice in that.
I learned this the hard way. I now know how to work through stress and my symptoms have cleared for the most part. But, I’m sharing this so you because I wish someone would have shared this with me. So go ahead, clear the cloud.
Contact me for more information on mental health coaching.