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Emotional Signs of Too Much Stress

Your emotions can indicate when you’re under too much stress. For example, feeling irritable or overwhelmingly fearful can be signs of stress, as well as atypical changes in mood.

Stress, defined as emotional tension or mental strain, is all too common of a feeling for many of us.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the average stress level of adults in the United States in 2015 was 5.1 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Too much stress can produce both physical and emotional symptoms.

Let’s look at some of the emotional signs of stress and what you can do to reduce and manage them.W

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) defines diagnosed depression as an illness in which an individual experiences a persistent and severe low mood.

Researchers have found connections between high levels of stress and the onset of depression.

A 2020 animal study also suggested these connections, in addition to a protein in the brain that is important for the functions of both serotonin and for the release of stress hormones. This could have important implications for new treatments for depression.

Another 2015 observational study examined stress levels of the working age population, measuring participants’ overall stress levels and symptoms. Depression was more common in people who reported higher levels of stress.

Treatment

Reach out to a mental health professional.
Both psychotherapy and medication can be effective treatments.
Support groups, mindfulness techniques, and exercise may also help.

Anxiety differs from depression in that it’s characterized by feelings of overwhelming dread or fear.

However, like depression, studies have suggested that stress may be linked to anxiety and anxiety disorders.

In one 2015 study, researchers investigated the effects of stress levels at home and work on anxiety and depression levels. They found that people who experienced high levels of work stress were more likely to have more symptoms of anxiety and depression.