Stress

Stress can take many forms from normal every-day stress from day to day indicators to holiday stress to post-traumatic stress disorder.  

Many factors can cause the “holiday blues”.  The demands and expectations the season, financial worries, expectations, shopping, parties, family reunions and house guests can contribute to feelings of tension. People may also develop other stress responses such as headaches, excessive drinking, over-eating and difficulty sleeping. Even more people experience post-holiday let down after the New Year. 

A little Stress can be a good thing, but too much stress over a long period of time can affect your body in a number of ways.  Stress can affect the body in some of the following ways:

• headaches
• feelings of despair
• lack of energy
• sadness
• nervousness
• anger
• irritability
• increased or decreased eating
• lack of concentration
• memory problems
• sleeping issues
• panic attacks
• anxiety disorders
• depression
• acne
• muscle aces
• tension
• increased heart rate
• elevated blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• heart attack
• nausea
• stomach pain
• heartburn
• weight gain
• diabetes risk
• diarrhea
• constipation
• digestive problems
• more irregular and painful menstrual periods in women
• reduced sexual desire
• impotence in men including lower sperm production and reduced sexual desire

For more information about stress, visit:
http://www.nmha.org/go/stress

For information about holiday stress, visit:

http://nmha.org/index.cfm?objectid=C7DF954D-1372-4D20-C80ED0A7AB69D250