Most people suffer from some level of stress and/or anxiety on a daily basis. Stress can cause symptoms of anxiety, and anxiety can cause stress. As everyone develops stress differently, the symptoms may vary from person to person. You may experience stress due to financial worries, relationship and family troubles or problems with your career. If you feel like you are unable to manage your stress and anxiety on your own, seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional.
Physical
Anxiety is your body's natural reaction to a stressful situation. When you experience stress, you may experience various physical symptoms such as headache, sweating, shaking or insomnia. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, you may also notice muscle aches or pains, dizziness, fatigue, rapid breathing, heart palpitations or chest pain. You may be over- or undereating or under- or oversleeping. Hyperventilation and an increased heart rate are common symptoms experienced by people who suffer from panic attacks or intense anxiety. If you experience any of these symptoms, be sure to check with your doctor to rule out any possible medical causes.
Mental/Emotional
Anxiety is a normal response to stress that usually passes after a short period of time. Some of the mental symptoms of anxiety and stress include an inability to concentrate, depression, crying spells, forgetfulness, irritability or intense anger. You may feel like you have no outlet for these feelings.You may notice an increase in your use of alcohol and other substances in an attempt to deal with your stress through self-medication. According to the National Institutes of Health's Medline Plus website, continued stress and anxiety can lead to the development of substance abuse disorders.
Social
According to the Mayo Clinic, stress and anxiety may cause you to feel like withdrawing from your usual social interactions. You may feel like spending more time alone. You may have ceased spending time doing activities you once enjoyed or stopped accepting social invitations from family or friends. You may notice increasing difficulties within your relationships such as more time spent fighting, sexual difficulties or feeling like your partner doesn't support or understand you; this may be either a cause or a symptom of stress and anxiety.
