Stress has important health consequences and it is important that you learn to identify the effects of stress on your body and mind, as well as to know the diseases caused by stress, such as depression and anxiety.

Main causes, symptoms and consequences of stress

Causes of stress:
It is important to distinguish between a positive or eustress stress, which is essential for life, because it helps us to face challenges and to face changes that allow us to improve and advance as people, and a negative stress or distress.
When stress stops being adaptive distress appears, which is negative and harmful stress for us.

What are stressors?

Stressors are stimuli that directly or indirectly trigger a stress reaction in us, They can be external or internal.

• External stressors:

There are situations in our lives that can cause us stress and that are inevitable or do not depend on us, such as an earthquake.

Stressors that refer to important life changes. It can be the case of a wedding, the birth of a child, the loss of a loved one, a breakup, or a job dismissal, for example.

Stressors that refer to the small things that life can hold in your daily life, such as a job promotion or a dismissal.

All these stressors are situations that force us to process information quickly, putting ourselves to the test.

• Internal stressors:

Some examples of what can be internal stressors are, among others:

• Negative thinking style.
• Limiting beliefs.
• Low self-esteem.

Important changes for us test our ability to cope with stress. There are negative changes that can stress us, but positive changes can also be a source of stress. Small things that happen to us on a daily basis can even be a source of stress, such as losing your mobile phone, not knowing how to make the income tax return, or repairing an appliance when it breaks. The same situation can cause stress in one person but not in another.

For us to feel stressed there must be a series of conditions:

• Existence of a specific stimulus (stressor) that triggers a psychological and biological reaction in our body.
• The demands are excessive and require a great deal of effort on our part.
• Our resources to meet such demands are scarce or inadequate.
• Our coping strategies are insufficient.

In stress the concept of control is very important, because when we feel that we lose control of situations we stress. The greater the degree of control we exercise over a situation and the greater the power of choice over how we are going to act on it, the lower the degree of stress that results from it.

How stress affects health

Stress is characterized by the presence of a series of symptoms or warning signs:

• Physical discomfort: manifested through headache, stomach pain, back pain, fatigue and insomnia.
• Interpersonal relationships where complaint predominates.
• Increased irritability.
• Loss of sense of humor.
• Feeling of frustration.
• Emotional exhaustion.
• Pessimism.
• Lack of illusion.
• Difficulty coping with work overload, indecision, attention and memory problems.
• Low satisfaction, involvement and motivation.
• Attempts to forget problems with alcohol, tranquilizers or stimulants, tendency to
• smoke more, eat more and overwork.
• Symptoms of stress in the body
• Diarrhea or constipation.
• Poor memory, memory loss or memory impairment.
• Frequent aches and pains.
• Headaches and headaches.
• Lack of energy, concentration or dispersion.
• Sexual problems and lack of libido.
• Stiffness in the neck, neck, or jaw.
• Tiredness and low form.
• Trouble sleeping, insomnia, or sleeping too much.
• Stomach upset.
• Abuse of alcohol, drugs or tobacco to relax.
• Weight loss or gain.

What therapies can I learn to manage stress?

The practice of Mindfulness is the best option you can take to better control and manage your stress.

But apart from Mindfulness, there are numerous techniques such as Reiki, acupuncture, psychotherapy, coaching, sports, relaxation, tai chi, walking and participating in a group therapy. You may also want to learn about the benefits of acupuncture for relieving anxiety and stress.