Causes of Stress

Causes of Stress can be different and can affect individuals of different backgrounds and parts of society. Causes of stress can arise from different factors like academic pressure, competition, workload, performance pressure, etc. They may even arise from personal relationships, conflicts, emotions, miscommunication, unrealistic expectations, etc.

These factors coupled with different concerns, worries, and pressures collectively contribute to the incidence of stress and related cases worldwide. In this article, we will learn about stress, its types, symptoms, causes and their effect and diagnosis.

What is Stress?

Stress is a widespread clinical phenomenon that has a severe impact on the overall health of humans as well as other animals or organisms. There can be many causes of stress like work-related stress, academic pressure, health issues, interpersonal issues, financial concerns, etc. The causes of stress are collectively called as stressors. The stressors activate the body’s “fight or flight” response by triggering the release of hormones like adrenaline, and cortisol.

The effect of stress is not only psychological but physical as there is a deep relationship between stress and physical health. The immune system, cardiovascular system, and overall mental health of a person get severely impacted when they suffer from chronic stress. Understanding the causes of stress and its mechanisms helps to devise better-coping mechanisms as well as therapeutics.

Different Causes of Stress

Some of the most common causes of stress are;

• Severe workload
• Academic stress
• Financial issues
• Relationship problems
• Health issues
• Social problems
• Traumatic events
• Accidents
• Poor mental health
• Major life changes
• Environmental issues
• Social pressures

Causes of Stress

Types of Stress

Stress can be classified into the following types;

Types of Stress	Description
Acute	It is a short-term form of stress. Caused by immediate stressors like emergencies, etc. It triggers a “fight or flight” response. It gets resolved when the cause of stress ends or gets removed.
Episodic Acute	Recurring short-term stress. Caused by issues or problems regularly. Makes a person anxious, irritable, and overwhelmed.
Chronic	It is a long-term form of stress that persists over months or years. Caused by severe chronic problems or issues like financial problems, or chronic illness. Have severe effects on physical and mental health.

Sign and Symptoms of Stress

Some of the most common symptoms of stress are;

• Headaches or migraines.
• Exhaustion or fatigue.
• Insomnia
• Tightness in muscles.
• Stomach ache.
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Change in appetite.
• Overeating
• Undereating
• Irritability
• Mood swings.
• Lack of focus or concentration.
• Increased heart rate.
• Weakened immune system.
• Stroke

Can Stress Make You Sick? – Effect of Stress on Health

Some of the most predominant effects of stress on a person’s health are;

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Heart attacks
• Stroke
• Weakened immune system
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Indigestion
• Gastrointestinal disorder
• Fertility issues
• Anxiety disorder
• Depression
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Insomnia
• Muscle tightening
• Chronic pain and headaches
• Skin problems like acne, eczema, etc.
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Hormonal imbalance
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Autoimmune diseases
• Cancer

Effect of stress

How Does Stress Work?

Stress is a form of survival mechanism that prepares the body to respond to threats. This mechanism is a combination of physiological, psychological, and behavioural components of a person. The mechanism includes the following stages;

• The stressor triggers the hypothalamus region of the brain to release the stress hormones like cortisol, and adrenaline.
• This activates the body’s physiological response.
• This results in the “fight and flight” response of the body i.e. increased heart rate, blood pressure, and energy levels.
• This results in various physiological changes in the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, immune system, etc.
• When the stress is acute the body can adapt to the condition and develop a coping mechanism.
• When the stress is chronic the body fails to adapt and causes health risks.
• The stress further affects the person’s behaviour, emotions, memory, and even cognitive functions.
• The affected person’s behaviours change leading to unhealthy activities like overeating, drug abuse, etc.

How To Do Diagnosis of Stress?

Some of the different mechanisms for the diagnosis of stress are;

• Standardized questions to identify stressors as per the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale (HRSS)
• Determination of the lifestyle and issues.
• Determination of the physical symptoms.
• Determination of cortisol levels in saliva, blood, and urine.
• Heart rate and blood pressure measurement.
• To determine the psychological conditions Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) or the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) are performed.
• Determination of brain activity with the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or positron emission tomography (PET) scans.

Strategies for Stress Management

Stress management measures need to be tailor-made from person to person and an effective combination of different methods. Some of these are;

Stress Management

• Practising meditation can help with thought and emotion processing.
• Diaphragmatic breathing or the 4-7-8 breathing technique can help the body to relax.
• Regular physical exercise like walking, jogging, yoga, etc. will help in maintaining overall health.
• Healthy lifestyle habits like a balanced diet, adequate sleep, etc.
• Social support from family, friends, relatives, support groups, etc.
• Consultation with therapists, healthcare providers, etc.

Conclusion – Causes Of Stress

In conclusion, causes of stress can be different, but every cause leads to the same result i.e. deterioration of mental and physical health of a person. The origin of stress can be academic pressure, work pressure, relationship issues, financial problems, etc. or a combination of multiple reasons. Based on the prevalence of stress on a person it can be classified into acute, episodic acute, and chronic. Long-term stress needs proper care and attention as it can impair the body’s physiological as well as the brain’s normal functioning for the rest of life.

FAQs on Causes of Stress

What are the 5 Main Causes of Stress?

The 5 main causes of stress are; severe workload, academic stress, financial issues, relationship problems, and health issues.

What are 3 Things Stress Can Cause?

The 3 things stress can cause are; high blood pressure, post-traumatic stress disorder, and autoimmune diseases.

What Causes Stress at Home?

Stress at home is caused by relationship issues, financial problems, family responsibilities, etc.

How to Reduce Stress?

Stress can be reduced by meditation, yoga, exercises, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, positive thinking, stress control medications, etc.

What are the 3 Types of Stress?

The three types of stress are; acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress.

What are the Causes and Symptoms of Stress?

Causes of stress can be academic pressure, work pressure, relationship issues, etc. which results in symptoms like headaches, migraines, insomnia, etc.

Why is Stress is Part of Life?

Stress is part of life because it makes us alert pushes us to face challenges and motivates us to address threats and issues in our lives.

What are the Signs of Stress?

Signs of stress are overwhelming, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, difficulty concentration, loss of appetite, etc.

What is Stress in Psychology?

Stress in psychology means the physiological, and psychological reaction of the body to the prevalent stressor or cause of stress.