E-Quipped to... Recognise the Less Well-Known Symptoms of Stress

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	Hi Visitor E-Quipped to... Recognise the Less Well-Known Symptoms of Stress This newsletter refers to my article Stressed to Kill - a comprehensive article found on my website. Many of us are feeling somewhat frayed at the moment. In my practice I am seeing more and more people with elevated stress levels, and the interesting thing is that a lot of them don’t even realise that the symptoms they describe are stress related. Of course most of them can pick up the well-known symptoms of feeling tense and wound up, but they don’t consider the numerous other symptoms they are experiencing to be a sign of stress too. This made me think that it might be helpful and interesting to share the “Stress Diagnostic” I use in my training courses and private practice, so that more people can recognise some of the less well known symptoms of stress.



	What is the Stress Diagnostic? The Stress Diagnostic is a tick-box list of known stress-related symptoms. The symptoms are divided into three categories: Physical Reactions – how stress manifests in our body Behavioural Reactions – how stress affects and influences our behaviour Cognitive and psychological Reactions – how stress affects and influences our mental functioning, thoughts and emotions. How do I Use the Stress Diagnostic? The idea is to read through the list of symptoms in the Stress Diagnostic and tick all the symptoms you have been experiencing in the past few weeks. The more symptoms you have and the more intense/severe they are, the more stress you are likely to be experiencing. The stress diagnostic is just a guide. It does not replace the need for a professional opinion from a psychologist, psychiatrist or medical doctor, but it can be a helpful indicator that you are stressed and might need to seek professional help. What a mental health professional will be looking for is a combination of numerous symptoms and the intensity or severity of those symptoms. It’s important to be aware of the fact that many of the symptoms in the stress diagnostic could be indicators of something else going on and one symptom on its own, no matter how severe, is not a good indicator of stress. For example, hair loss could be the result of genetic influence, hormonal changes, poor diet or medical treatment. Frequent unexplained headaches could be the result of dehydration or eye strain. Even a combination of stress symptoms could be an indicator of something else. For example, the symptoms of poor concentration, difficulty making decisions, loss or increase in appetite and sleep disturbances are also all symptoms of depression. Can I use the Stress Diagnostic With Others? Absolutely. By becoming familiar with the symptoms of stress listed in the Stress Diagnostic you will be able to recognise possible symptoms of stress not only in yourself, but in other people too. Remember you are not trained to diagnose stress, but by talking sensitively about stress to others and sharing your observations with them you may be able to encourage them to seek their own professional help. Please feel free to share the Stress Diagnostic link with others and let them do their own stress diagnostic. They may be surprised to see how stressed they actually are and be grateful for your help and concern. Regards

	Thank you for the Feedback Thanks to Leon and Julie for the feedback after the last newsletter.

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	About These Emails You may have been forwarded this email by a friend. In that case, allow me to introduce myself. I am a psychologist, speaker, trainer, coach and hat lover based in Kloof, a suburb of Durban, South Africa. I also do online counselling and coaching and I have clients all over the world. On my website you'll find lots of free articles, posters and worksheets. I have written and created them all with the intention of helping you find your inner winner. Read, them use them, share them! Click here to read previous newsletters and subscribe to receive my free newsletters (no more than 12 a year). Contact me for more information or visit my website: +27 82 491 1136 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it."> www.clairenewton.co.za

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