Stress is a normal reaction to emergency situations and there is truly no way to escape it. In today’s hectic world, women who aren’t stressed are the ones that aren’t normal. Unfortunately, though it is common and unavoidable to a point, stress comes with many side effects that can make you sick and can even be deadly in some instances. Let’s look at some of the side effects of stress that every woman should know about.
Stress Can Lead to Substance Abuse
Very often, women and men alike turn to alcohol and drugs in order to relieve the symptoms of stress they are feeling. While the abuse makes you forget the stress for a short period of time, your problems are still going to be there when the high is over or the next morning when you wake up. If you have problems with stress that have led to addiction, then it’s time to get help at a women’s recovery center in your area. Substance abuse is not an answer to stress, it just makes the problem worse in the end.
Stress Can Lead to Anxiety and Depression
Being under a lot of undue stress can eventually lead to anxiety and depression. This is usually caused by not being able to cope with the stress that you are under. Symptoms of depression include feelings of hopelessness, thoughts of suicide, and having a disinterest in life in general.
Symptoms of anxiety can be felt in many different forms, from severe indigestion to panic attacks. If your stress levels are causing you to be anxious or depressed, it’s time to contact your primary health care provider for help.
Stress Can Affect Your Sleep
When you’re under a lot of stress it can be almost impossible to turn off your mind when you lay down at night to sleep. This shows itself in the form of insomnia, making it impossible to fall asleep or to stay asleep when you do. If you find yourself pacing the floors at night because you are stressed, it’s time to reevaluate what is causing the stress you’re under.
Stress Can Cause You to Become Obese
Food often provides a sense of comfort to those who are stressed, which is why there are comfort foods. The problem is that the foods people turn to most often are full of fat, salt, and sugar. Too many of these foods can lead to weight gain that can soon lead to obesity if the stress levels don’t drop. In fact, studies have shown that it’s better to stay active when you’re stressed than it is to sit on the couch, binge on Netflix and eat comfort food. Not only is exercising better for your stress levels, but it’s also better for you physically as well.
These are just a few of the side effects that can come from being super stressed. There are many ways to relieve your stress naturally that you can find online. The biggest thing to do is find out where your biggest stressors lie and work to reduce the stress in those areas of your life.