The Curse of Mental Stress

Mental Stress can be defined as the degree to which you feel overwhelmed or unable to cope as a result of unmanageable pressures. At the most basic level, mental stress is our body’s response to pressures from a situation or life event. What contributes to mental stress can vary hugely from person to person and differs according to our social and economic circumstances, the environment we live in and our genetic makeup. Some common features of things that can make us feel stress include experiencing something new or unexpected, something that threatens your feeling of self, or feeling you have little control over a mental situation.  

When we encounter mental stress, our body is stimulated to produce stress hormones that trigger a ‘flight or fight’ response and activate our immune system. This response helps us to respond quickly to dangerous situations.

Sometimes, this mental stress response can be an appropriate or even beneficial reaction. The resulting feeling of ‘mental pressure’ can help us to push through situations that can be nerve-wracking or intense, like running a marathon or giving a speech to a large crowd. We can quickly return to a resting state without any negative effects on our health if what is stressing us is short-lived, and many people are able to deal with a certain level of mental stress without any lasting effects. 

However, there can be times when mental stress becomes excessive and too much to deal with. If our mental stress response is activated repeatedly, or it persists over time, the effects can result in wear and tear on the body and can cause us to feel permanently in a state of ‘fight or flight’. Rather than helping us push through, this pressure can make us feel overwhelmed or unable to cope. 

Feeling this overwhelming mental stress for a long period of time is often called chronic, or long-term stress, and it can impact on both physical and mental stress?

Mental stress symptoms

Stress can affect all aspects of your life, including your emotions, behaviours, thinking ability, and physical health. No part of the body is immune. But, because people handle stress differently, symptoms of stress can vary. Symptoms can be vague and maybe the same as those caused by medical conditions. So it is important to discuss them with your doctor. You may experience any of the following mental stress symptoms.

Emotional symptoms of stress include:

• Becoming easily agitated, frustrated, and moody
• Feeling overwhelmed, like you are losing control or need to take control
• Having difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind
• Feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), lonely, worthless, and depressed
• Avoiding others

Physical symptoms of stress include:

• Low energy
• Headaches
• Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
• Aches, pains, and tense muscles
• Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
• Insomnia
• Frequent colds and infections
• Loss of sexual desire and/or ability
• Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ear, cold or sweaty hands and feet
• Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing
• Clenched jaw and grinding teeth

Cognitive symptoms of stress include:

• Constant worrying
• Racing thoughts
• Forgetfulness and disorganization
• Inability to focus
• Poor judgment
• Being pessimistic or seeing only the negative side

Behavioural symptoms of stress include :

• Changes in appetite — either not eating or eating too much
• Procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities
• Increased use of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes
• Exhibiting more nervous behaviours, such as nail biting, fidgeting, and pacing
  
  All above are few of the examples of behavioural symptoms of stress which helps us to understand just by seeing someone’s behaviour.

The biology of mental health and stress

Chronic stress increases the risk of developing depression and anxiety in some people. The precise mechanisms of how stress is linked to mental ill-health are being uncovered.

Scientists found that the earliest response to stress happens in the brain within seconds of perceiving a ‘stressor’. Chemicals which signal between nerve cells (neurotransmitters) are released. These include serotonin and adrenaline. Following this, stress hormones are released, which particularly affect areas of the brain key for memory and regulating emotions. Repeated stress changes how well these systems are able to control the stress response.

Researchers are also investigating how these systems are involved in anxiety and depression, suggesting a biochemical link between stress and mental illness. Recent studies have shown that long-term stress can change the structure of the brain, especially in areas supporting learning and memory. It can affect both nerve cells (grey matter) and the connections between them (white matter). It is possible these changes, along with other factors, can increase the likelihood of developing mental illness.

The immune system

Another link between stress and mental health is the immune system. During the stress response, the immune system is activated, helping to keep us safe. But chronic stress and prolonged activation of the immune system could negatively affect how the brain functions. 

Prolonged activation of the immune system is also linked to depression. Researchers are working to understand how this activation can lead to depression and other types of mental illness in some people. About 30% of people with depression have increased immune activity in the body. Researchers are also undertaking clinical trials to find out if anti-inflammatory drugs might be able to help people with this kind of depression.

Stress and PTSD 

In some cases, short-term stress can also lead to a mental health condition. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop after experience of an extremely traumatic or stressful event. Someone affected may experience vivid flashbacks or nightmares, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event. The exact causes of the condition are not clear – though some of the risk factors are understood. 

State-of-the-art brain scanning has shown that, again, the areas of the brain particularly involved are the hippocampus and the amygdala. There is some evidence that the neurotransmitters and hormones involved in the normal stress response may become disrupted during and after the traumatic event. Research has also shown that the amygdala, which processes fear, is hyperactive in people with PTSD, perhaps creating a kind of “false alarm”. 

Continued research offers the promise of new treatments for PTSD in the future. 

Hope for the future

A key area for research is to understand why some people are much more affected by stress than others. A vast amount of research shows that genetics, early life events, and personality and social factors all have a role to play.

Understanding the biology of stress and its effects mean that researchers can work towards new treatments. It could also help predict who is at risk of developing a mental health condition, and uncover the best time to intervene to help prevent ill-health later on.

Ways to help

There are lots of ways to help anyone who is stressed. The first advice is to try and identify the cause of stress and tackle it. Avoiding the problem may make it worse. Often it isn’t possible to change a situation and prevent stress. But, there are many ways to help control it, and stress management may be effective in improving health.

In this blog, we outlined 24 tips to manage stress at work which can help you to understand your body’s signals and know how to react.

The NHS also has advice on different ways to beat stress, from exercise to mindfulness and breathing exercises – all of which have been shown to help. Visit their site for more information.

If you’re looking for direct advice or help, our support team includes links to organisations that can help. There is also more information on specific conditions, including depression and anxiety which we can help you out of it.