Understanding Stress: Recognizing the Signs and Taking Back the Narrative
Stress is a natural and often necessary reaction to perceived pressure or threat. In healthy doses, it can energize and motivate. However, when stress becomes chronic or overwhelming, it can interfere with mental clarity, emotional stability, and physical health. While many people experience stress daily, few realize the extent to which it can manifest in the body, mind, and behavior.
Below are 30 common signs that may indicate stress is impacting your well-being:
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Headaches
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Blurred vision
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Eye soreness
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Tearfulness
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Jaw clenching
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Teeth grinding
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Chest pain
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Increased blood pressure
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Heartburn
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Difficulty breathing
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Indigestion
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Diarrhea
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Constipation
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Muscle aches
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Skin rashes
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Itchiness
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Sweating
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Nail biting
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Dizziness
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Fainting
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Insomnia
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Fatigue
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Sudden weight changes
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Menstrual cycle changes
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Racing thoughts
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Panic attacks
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Depression
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Feeling overwhelmed, restless, nervous, anxious, fearful, impatient, irritable, or angry
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Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering
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Worsening of other mental health challenges
Reclaiming Control: A Therapeutic Approach to Stress
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is essential to know that support is available and healing is possible. Stress does not have to be the author of your story. I believe in helping you become the narrator of your life—one who writes with intention, compassion, and strength.
When you work with me, we begin by exploring your unique experience of stress. Through narrative therapy, I invite you to externalize the problem, recognizing that stress is something you face, not something you are. Together, we uncover the stories that shape your stress responses and challenge the limiting beliefs that keep those stories alive.
From a cognitive-behavioral lens, we identify patterns of thought that may be contributing to your distress, and I guide you in developing practical tools to shift those patterns toward healthier, more balanced thinking. Using mindfulness, I help you cultivate awareness of the present moment, so that your mind can learn to respond rather than react. Through the principles of positive psychology, we focus on your strengths, resilience, and capacity for change, supporting you in building a life that aligns with your values.
Stress management is not about eliminating pressure from life. It is about learning to relate to it differently, with more clarity, confidence, and calm.
If you are ready to begin this work, I welcome the opportunity to support you. Together, we can create space for healing, reflection, and renewal. Please reach out to me today to get started.
