Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress has become such a common part of everyday life that it almost feels normal. Stress is an unavoidable part of life and, in small amounts, it is not always harmful. In fact, stress can be both helpful and necessary. It can motivate you to perform under pressure, stay focused, and do your best. Think about the last time you attended a job interview or prepared for an important sporting event. A certain amount of stress may have helped you stay alert and perform well.

However, when you are constantly operating in emergency mode, your mind and body begin to pay the price.

If you regularly find yourself feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or emotionally exhausted, it is important to take steps to restore balance to your nervous system. Learning to recognise the signs and symptoms of stress and adopting healthy coping strategies can help reduce its harmful effects. Remember, when your body remains in a constant state of acute stress, both your physical and emotional well-being can suffer.

In This Information Guide You Can Learn More About:

• What is stress?
• Effects of toxic stress.
• How much stress is too much?
• Causes of stress.
• Signs and symptoms of stress overload.
• Dealing with stress.

What Is Stress?

Stress can mean different things to different people. However, it is helpful to begin with a clear definition to better understand the impact stress can have on our minds, bodies, and behaviours.

Stress is a normal physical and emotional response to situations that make you feel threatened or disrupt your sense of balance. When you perceive danger—whether it is real, such as being chased by a robber, or imagined, such as worrying about medical test results or a future event—your body’s defence system automatically activates the “fight-or-flight” response.

Let’s Learn More About the Body’s Stress Response

When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare your body for emergency action.

Your heart beats faster, muscles become tense, blood pressure rises, breathing quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength, stamina, reaction time, and focus, preparing you to either confront the danger or escape from it.

In these situations, stress is beneficial. However, if the body’s stress response remains activated for prolonged periods, it can begin to take a toll on both your physical and mental health.

Function of the Stress Response

The stress response is the body’s natural way of protecting you.

When functioning properly, it helps you stay focused, alert, and energetic. In emergency situations, stress can even save your life by providing the extra strength and quick reactions needed to respond to danger.

The stress response also helps you rise to everyday challenges.

Stress keeps you alert during an important presentation, sharpens your concentration while taking an exam, and motivates you to perform at your best in demanding situations.

Effects of Chronic or Toxic Stress

Beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and begins to negatively affect your health, mood, productivity, relationships, and overall quality of life. This prolonged exposure is often referred to as chronic or toxic stress.

If you are continually exposed to stressful situations without allowing your body sufficient time to recover, your body may remain in a constant state of tension. Instead of returning to a relaxed state, your nervous system continues functioning as though it is facing ongoing danger, increasing the risk of both physical and emotional health problems.

How Much Stress Is Too Much? Know Your Own Limits

Because stress affects everyone differently, it is important to understand your own personal limits.

Some people appear to cope well with stressful situations, while others may become overwhelmed by relatively small challenges. Some individuals even thrive in fast-paced environments and enjoy the excitement that comes with high levels of responsibility.

Things That Influence Your Stress Tolerance

Your Support Network

A strong network of supportive family members and friends can act as a powerful buffer against life’s stresses. Conversely, feeling isolated or unsupported may increase your vulnerability to stress.

Your Sense of Control

If you believe in your ability to influence events and overcome challenges, you are generally more likely to cope well with stressful situations. Those who feel that life is beyond their control often experience greater levels of stress.

Your Attitude and Outlook

People who cope well with stress often have an optimistic outlook. They tend to embrace challenges, maintain a sense of humour, accept change as a normal part of life, and often draw strength from their personal beliefs or values.

Your Ability to Manage Emotions

You are more vulnerable to stress if you struggle to regulate emotions such as sadness, anger, or fear. Learning healthy emotional coping skills helps improve resilience and recovery from stressful experiences.

Your Knowledge and Preparation

The more informed and prepared you are about a stressful situation, the easier it can be to manage. For example, understanding what to expect following surgery often makes recovery feel less overwhelming than facing unexpected challenges.

Reflection Exercise: Questions to Ask Yourself

• Am I controlling my stress, or is stress controlling me?
• When I feel overwhelmed, do I know how to calm myself effectively?
• Can I let go of anger when necessary?
• Do I seek support from others when I need it?
• When I return home after work, do I generally feel calm and relaxed?
• Am I often distracted, irritable, or emotionally exhausted?
• Can I recognise when others around me are becoming stressed?
• Do I know healthy ways to restore my energy when I feel depleted?

Source: The Language of Emotional Intelligence by Jeanne Segal, Ph.D.

What Are the Causes of Stress?

The situations and pressures that create stress are known as stressors.

Although stress is often associated with negative experiences such as work pressures or relationship difficulties, positive life events can also be stressful because they require adjustment. These may include getting married, buying a home, starting college, having a baby, or receiving a promotion.

How stressful a situation feels depends largely on your own perception of it. Something one person finds overwhelming may not affect someone else in the same way.

Common External Causes of Stress

• Major life changes.
• Work pressures.
• Relationship difficulties.
• Financial problems.
• Being too busy.
• Parenting and family responsibilities.

Life Events

The more significant life changes we experience, the more vulnerable we may become to stress. Positive events, such as welcoming a baby or starting a new job, as well as difficult experiences such as bereavement or unemployment, all require adjustment and can contribute to increased stress.

Everyday Hassles

Many people experience stress because of ongoing daily hassles rather than major life events. These smaller, persistent problems—whether at work, at home, within relationships, or related to finances or illness—can gradually wear us down over time.

Common Internal Causes of Stress

Not all stress comes from external situations. Stress can also arise from our own thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours.

Examples include:

• Difficulty accepting uncertainty.
• Pessimism.
• Negative self-talk.
• Unrealistic expectations.
• Perfectionism.
• Lack of assertiveness.

Ultimately, almost anything has the potential to become stressful depending on the individual and how they perceive the situation.

For Example

Weddings are generally viewed as happy occasions. However, for some people they bring enormous pressure because of the planning, financial commitments, and expectations involved. Others may genuinely enjoy organising every detail.

Similarly, while funerals are understandably sad occasions, many people are able to cope with the support of family and friends, whereas others may find the experience extremely overwhelming.

What’s Stressful for You?

What feels stressful to you may be completely different from what feels stressful to someone else.

For example:

• Some people enjoy public speaking, while others find it terrifying.
• Some people perform well under tight deadlines, while others feel overwhelmed.
• Some people find supporting family members during difficult times rewarding, while others find it emotionally exhausting.
• Some people have no difficulty complaining about poor customer service, while others avoid confrontation altogether.
• Some people welcome changes in the workplace, while others worry about adapting to new situations.

Source: eHealthMD.com

Signs and Symptoms of Stress Overload

Everyone experiences stress differently, and each person may notice tension affecting different areas of their body. Learning to recognise your own warning signs is an important step in managing stress effectively.

These signs can generally be divided into three categories: physical symptoms, emotional symptoms, and behavioural changes.

Physical Symptoms: How Stress Affects the Body

• Difficulty sleeping, waking during the night, teeth grinding, or nightmares.
• Persistent headaches and muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, or back.
• Digestive problems, including constipation, diarrhoea, stomach pain, or cramps.
• Symptoms of anxiety such as sweating, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, or frequent sighing.
• Frequent viral or bacterial infections.
• Reduced libido.
• Weight gain or weight loss.
• Restlessness.

Emotional Symptoms: How Stress Affects Feelings and Thoughts

• Persistent fatigue or exhaustion.
• Frustration, irritability, and anger.
• Anxiety.
• Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness.
• Depression or suicidal thoughts.
• Rigid patterns of thinking.
• Poor decision-making.
• Addiction.
• Difficulties with short-term memory.

Unhealthy Ways of Coping with Stress

Although these behaviours may provide temporary relief, they often make stress worse over time.

• Smoking.
• Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Overeating or undereating.
• Spending excessive time watching television or using a computer.
• Withdrawing from family, friends, or enjoyable activities.
• Using medication or drugs to relax.
• Sleeping excessively.
• Procrastinating.
• Keeping yourself constantly busy to avoid facing problems.
• Taking your stress out on others through anger or aggression.

The changes described above represent only some of the ways stress can affect the body and mind.

City Therapy is your dedicated partner in helping you manage stress through professional counselling and evidence-based stress management support. We are committed to helping you build resilience, develop healthier coping strategies, and improve your overall mental well-being. With personalised guidance from our experienced therapists, you can learn to manage stress more effectively and restore balance to your daily life.

If stress is affecting your work, relationships, or overall well-being, City Therapy is here to help. Book an appointment today and take the first step towards achieving greater emotional balance, resilience, and long-term mental wellness.

Ref: Flagging Stress: Toxic Stress and how to avoid it by Dr Harry Barry

Issues We Treat

Stress can affect your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing, making it difficult to cope with work, relationships, or everyday responsibilities. Therapy helps identify the sources of stress, build effective coping strategies, and restore a healthier sense of balance and wellbeing.

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