Stress Symptoms

I work a lot with stress management and resilience training and get used to seeing the signs and symptoms of stress. These can be acute such as increased heart rate or more long-term like weight gained through comfort eating. I will focus on the chronic symptoms here as these are the less readily recognised. It is essential for leaders and managers to be able to spot stress-related burnouts approaching to look after themselves and their teams.

Stress symptoms to look out for to avoid burnout

Physiological Chronic Stress Symptoms

Stress is a bodily phonomena and causes biochemical changes internally and physical symptoms externally. General ill health caused by a weakened immune system is a common stress symptom. Different people have different “organs of weakness” and when stressed get such things as cold sores, diarrhoea, muscular aches, coughs and colds, and skin rashes for example. Stress can also be seen in the posture – either collapsed or chronically tense and contracted.

Behavioural Signs of Stress

Disturbance to sleep (not sleeping or sleeping ots can both be signs of stress)
Changes in diet (e.g. comfort eating or reduced appetite)
Excessive use of alcohol, drugs (including caffeine and nicotine) and other addictive coping strategies (even exercise)
Aggressive behaviour or socially withdrawn behaviour (it’s the change to look-out for
Nervous habits (pacing nail biting, compulsive e-nail checking even!)

Psychological Stress Symptoms

Reduced concentration (may show up behaviourally as increased “error rate” at work)
Emotional distress
Memory problems
Anxious or racing thoughts
Agitation and an inability to relax
Feeling overwhelmed
Reduced energy or energy fluctuations

Organisational Symptoms of Stress

Note that whole organisations can have cultures of stress and show any of the above symptoms en masse. Excessive drinking may be normalised in a company for example.

Stress Response Overview

Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people respond when they’re overwhelmed by stress:

Foot on the gas – Fight/Hyper-arousal. An angry or agitated stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable to sit still.
Foot on the brake – Flight/ Hyp0-arousal. A withdrawn or depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and show very little energy or emotion.
Foot on both – Freeze/A tense and frozen stress response. You “freeze” under pressure and can’t do anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.

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