When a person experiences extreme stress, it can feel like their life is spiraling out of control. They may feel like they are constantly under pressure and that they can never catch a break. Their heart may race, they may feel short of breath, and they may have difficulty sleeping. They may also feel irritable, anxious, and depressed. In severe cases, a person may experience a panic attack or develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Depression or anxiety
Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental health disorders in the United States. They can have a profound impact on your mood, thoughts, and behaviors.
What is depression?
Depression is more than just feeling down or sad. It’s a serious mental health disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. Depression can also lead to physical problems, such as fatigue and sleep disturbance. People with depression may have difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things. Depression can make it hard to carry out everyday activities, such as going to work or school, caring for family members, or maintaining friendships.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, nervousness, and fear. These symptoms can be mild to severe and can interfere with your daily life. Anxiety disorders are real medical conditions that need treatment by a mental health professional. There are several different types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), specific phobias (such as agoraphobia or claustrophobia), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Anger, irritability, or restlessness
Anger, irritability, or restlessness are all common symptoms of stress. When a person is under extreme stress, they may feel like they are constantly on edge. They may have difficulty concentrating or sleeping, and may even lash out at those around them. While it is normal to feel some stress in life, if it becomes overwhelming it can lead to serious health problems. If you are struggling to cope with stress, it is important to seek help from a mental health professional.
Feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unfocused
Extreme stress can have a serious impact on your health. It can make it difficult to concentrate, sleep, and eat. It can also lead to anxiety and depression. If you’re experiencing extreme stress, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional. They can help you develop healthy coping mechanisms and manage your stress in a more productive way.
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
If you’re experiencing extreme stress, you may have trouble sleeping or find yourself sleeping more than usual. You may find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, and you may feel exhausted during the day. Sleeping too much can be a sign of depression, so if you’re also feeling down or hopeless, it’s important to talk to your doctor.
Racing thoughts or constant worry
It’s normal to feel anxious when we’re under pressure or facing a challenging situation. After all, anxiety is our body’s way of preparing us to deal with potential threats. But when anxiety becomes overwhelming and interferes with our daily lives, it may be time to seek professional help.
If you’re dealing with constant worry and racing thoughts, you may be experiencing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is a type of anxiety disorder that causes people to feel excessively nervous and stressed about everyday situations. People with GAD often have trouble sleeping, concentrating, and making decisions due to their overwhelming anxiety.
If you think you might be dealing with GAD, it’s important to talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. They can help you develop a treatment plan that may include therapy and medication. With treatment, most people are able to manage their symptoms and live healthy, productive lives.
Problems with your memory or concentration
If you’ve ever been so stressed out that you can’t remember where you put your keys or what you were just talking about, then you know how stress can affect your memory and concentration. Stress can cause forgetfulness, confusion, and problems with focus and attention.
Forgetfulness
We’ve all had those moments when we walk into a room and forget why we’re there. Or we start to say something to someone and then blank out in the middle of the sentence. These kinds of lapses in memory are normal, especially when we’re under stress. When stress is constant or severe, it can interfere with our ability to form new memories or retrieve old ones. This kind of forgetfulness can be frustrating and even scary. If you’re worried that your memory problems are more than just occasional lapses, talk to your doctor.
Confusion
Stress can also make it hard to think clearly or make decisions. When we’re stressed, our brains go into “fight-or-flight” mode, which means that blood flow is redirected from the thinking part of our brain (the prefrontal cortex) to the parts of the brain responsible for physical reactions (like increased heart rate and breathing). This shift in blood flow makes it harder for us to think clearly and make decisions because the part of our brain responsible for those functions isn’t getting as much oxygen as it needs. We may feel like we’re in a fog or like everything is happening too fast for us to process what’s going on around us. If this kind of confusion is interfering with your ability to function at work or home, talk to your doctor about ways to manage your stress levels.
Making bad decisions
Many of us have experienced making a bad decision when under stress. It’s not a pleasant feeling. You may feel like you’re in a fog, your heart races, and you can’t think straight. Your mind may be racing with all sorts of thoughts and you can’t seem to focus on any one thing. You may feel like you’re about to make the biggest mistake of your life.
Making bad decisions can have serious consequences. If you’re under stress, it’s important to take a step back and assess the situation before making any decisions. Here are some tips on how to avoid making bad decisions when under stress:
1) Take a deep breath and count to 10 (or 20). This will help slow down your heart rate and give you time to think more clearly.
2) Write down what is causing you stress and what options you have for addressing the situation. This will help you see the situation more clearly and make better choices.
3) Talk to someone else about the situation before making any decisions. Getting another person’s perspective can be very helpful in stressful situations. Sometimes it helps just to talk through your options out loud with someone else before making any final decisions.
4) Take some time to relax before making any major decisions. If possible, take a walk, listen to music, or do something else that helps you relax so that you can think more clearly about the situation at hand.