Signs You Are Not Handling Stress Well

Stress among teens and adults has increased quite rapidly in recent years and continues to climb every year. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in 2017 – 2018 there was an estimated 2.4 million Australians over the age of 18 with reported high stress, a 12% increase from 2014 – 2015.

There are many reasons for this, from social media and technology influences, to daily stressors, work and finances, and so much more.

While it is common to have stress, and you are definitely not alone, that doesn’t mean you are going to handle it well. Stress should not be considered a normal part of life when it is overwhelming you and leading to a nervous breakdown or full burnout mode.

Here are some signs that you are not be handling stress well so you know it is time to get a handle on it.

Your Acne is Back

There are many ways you can feel stress on an emotional level, but when it comes to physical changes, the signs can be subtle. However, your skin is often a good indicator of how you are feeling on a daily basis. With high amounts of stress, your skin tends to take a lot of the damage. If you have skin that is suddenly breaking out, or you have a skin condition like rosacea or dermatitis that is worsened, it is very likely a result of the stress.

You Constantly Feel Overwhelmed

Do you feel like you are always overwhelmed, where you feel like you can never really get a handle on everything? It is normal to be busy, but this is not the same thing as overwhelm. A state of overwhelm is when you feel a complete lack of control over your life, where there is so much in your head that you start to feel hopeless and helpless. You might experience a lot of anxiety, depression, and even start experiencing signs of a mental breakdown.

This is a big sign that you have too much stress in your life and that you are not managing it well.

You Have Physical Pain

While many of the signs of stress are emotional or mental, they can occur in physical ways as well. Aside from changes in your skin, you might also start dealing with chronic pain. Some common sources of pain for stress include headaches and migraines, backache, other physical pains, digestive issues, cramping, and many other issues.

When you have physical pain that doesn’t seem to go away and is not related to another cause, it just might be from the amount of stress you have been handling.

You are Struggling with Low Energy and Lack of Productivity

If you feel like you don’t have the energy to get everything done, are falling behind in your work, not reaching your goals, and barely able to focus, it is a sign that stress is affecting you. Stress can keep you from maintaining energy levels from your mental state and from losing sleep as a result of the stress. This in turn can cause you to lose productivity, lose focus, and start falling behind in different areas of your life.

Your Personal Relationships are Suffering

Another common sign that you are not handling stress well is when your personal relationships start struggling. This can be subtle, especially when you don’t realize your mood or attitude is changing from the stress. It might start affecting a relationship with your spouse or partner, friends, co-workers, or family members. This comes from many sources, from an attitude or bad mood you have been in, to having to cancel plans often from the other stress you have been dealing with.

Your Work Life is Struggling

Lastly, as you might expect, struggling at work can also be a big sign that you aren’t handling stress well. Sometimes, the source of your stress is also related to your job. Maybe you have too many responsibilities, or are taking on too many projects, but are falling behind because you can’t manage your life with all the work you have to do.

In other cases, it is just a matter of trying to do everything yourself without properly delegating tasks. Take a look at how your professional life is going, as it might be a sign that your stress is a bit too much for you to handle.