Post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD has been in the news recently because of the problems are soldiers are having when they return home to their families.  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can be caused by a catastrophic event such as a natural disaster, being involved in a war zone, or a dramatic physical injury.  The event that caused the initial stress may be long gone, but the stress symptoms stick around.  PTSD may show up years after the trauma happened! Read more »

Anxiety is a normal body reaction to stress.  It helps you deal with tense situations, job issues, family problems, or you may be anxious about the state of the world.  Anxiety may be caused by world situations, changes in government, and the forecast of a natural disaster.  Some people may not be able to stop worrying about money problems, health issues or marital instability.  They may begin to show signs of anxiety, which can lead to other emotional and physical problems. Read more »

Sleep deprivation has proven to be one of the major causes of stress and anxiety in most of our lives.  Trouble is, stress and anxiety itself can also be the cause of sleep deprivation.  Which came first—the stress or the insomnia?  Sometimes it’s impossible to tell.  The point is, lack of sleep can be very detrimental to your over all health—period. Read more »

Symptoms of stress come in many forms, but a migraine headache may well be the most debilitating of all stress symptoms. 

Those who suffer with frequent to occasional migraines know that the mere thought of dealing with another migraine is enough to trigger a stress or anxiety attack.  Read more »

Most of us will experience some form of stress during our lifetime.  Problems on-the-job, marital strife, or illness causes stress.  Many other factors will cause stress.  Many find they have more stress at the happiest time of their lives.  During the holidays, the birth of a baby, or getting married are times when we are expected to be the happiest, yet that isn’t always the case.

There are many symptoms of stress, some are obvious and some take place internally and won’t show up for years.  Immediate symptoms of stress are readily noticed.  You may be unable to sleep because of racing thoughts and worry about the future.  You may find yourself overeating, especially the foods that you know will give you comfort.  My comfort food is French fries, so if I find myself going through the drive through once a day, I know I am showing a symptom of stress! Read more »

Most of us don’t realize that the effects of stress can lead to a weakened immune system that makes us prone to catch every “bug” that comes along.  Do you have a constant cold, or recurring infection or illness?  Chronic stress may very well be the culprit. Read more »

Social anxiety disorder has been described as intense worry and anxiety with regard to events requiring social interaction. Anxiety disorders may last months or years, unlike a brief episode of anxiety caused by a stressful event. Such disorders may actually worsen if immediate treatment is not obtained. Read more »

What happens when your alarm goes off in the morning? Do you dread crawling out of bed and going to work? You may be one of the lucky ones who works from home—but is stress making you wish you could pull the covers over your head and stay in bed all day? Read more »