# What are your signs of stress? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811 "2005-09-09T13:52:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/21 "2005-09-09T19:30:54Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I definitely have at least one psychological indicator of stress: apathy. I’m usually fairly engaged in whatever I’m doing, or whatever my current task is (be it work- or school-related), but when I’m overloaded I just stop caring. When I have frequent urges to just sit on the couch and veg in front of some _X-Files_ DVDs with a bowl of peanut M&M’s, I know that I’m getting too stressed. Huh. With me it’s the opposite – I get excited. At stressful periods at work, my boss has to tell me constantly not to get all worked up about small disagreements, or even just discussions of strategy (this is R&D), with co-workers. And I start pigging out on junk, too ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/22 "2005-09-09T19:58:06Z")
I sleep. During high stress times I come home from work and want to go straight to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/23 "2005-09-09T19:59:13Z")
My right eyes twitches. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/24 "2005-09-09T20:00:04Z")
I don’t think I get stressed. I’m about the most apathetic persoin in the world. I experience neither highs nor lows. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/25 "2005-09-09T20:26:43Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I don’t think I get stressed. I’m about the most apathetic persoin in the world. I experience neither highs nor lows. [straight line] What’s it like? [/straight line] My excema breaks out on my left hand. I also swallow small amounts of air & make tiny little burps – lots, in rapid sucession. Don’t know _why_ this makes me feel better, but it does. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/26 "2005-09-09T20:29:02Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I don’t think I get stressed. I’m about the most apathetic persoin in the world. I experience neither highs nor lows. Yes, but you do change your answering machine message. ---
**Author:** ![OrangeJumpsuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OrangeJumpsuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrangeJumpsuit)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/27 "2005-09-09T20:30:43Z")
Stress? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/28 "2005-09-09T20:31:14Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I don’t think I get stressed. I’m about the most apathetic persoin in the world. I experience neither highs nor lows. Yes, but you do change your answering machine message. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cowgirl\_Jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/29 "2005-09-09T20:35:58Z")
I get eyelid tics, but my eleven-year-old son is getting whole twitches of the eyeball lately. He just started junior high, and in a new school at that, so I can’t really blame him, but it’s severe enough that his teachers have noticed and we’ve taken him to the doctor. It sort of looks like he’s being a smart-ass, but it’s involuntary. He used to do it when he was much younger too. And he’s back to having night-terrors, which I’d hoped he had outgrown. Poor kid. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/30 "2005-09-09T20:36:22Z")
I used to get warts on my fingers in times of psychological stress. Probably because I dated a lot of toads. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/31 "2005-09-09T21:02:10Z")
Well, I’m finding out I have a thyroid problem mixed with Adrenal Fatigue. It can worsen with stress, causing: - sleep disorders (insomnia, restless but tired and can’t get to sleep) - skin issues (discoloring, acne, hives - I’ve had adult acne for the past 4 years, and a mysterious rash developed last year all over my arms and now I have “pox” scars all over my arms) - hair and nail changes (can change texture in both) - craving of proteins, fatty, and salty foods (and black licorice, I don’t know why) - changes in PMS and menopause/periomenopause - difficulty feeling rested (wake up late, go to bed early - everyday struggle for me) - easily gain and hard to lose weight - connective tissue problems (I was diagnosed with bursitis of the shoulders in my late teens) - long “after images” (when someone takes a picture, the flash light stays much longer than normal, sometimes blinds me for about 2 minutes) and sensitivity to light - very sensitive to temperature fluctuations (I have a lot of night sweats, I have to keep my feet out of the blanket or my body won’t regulate correctly) - cold limbs (hands and feet, mine always feel icy, they have for years) - heart palpatations (rare for me) - low blood pressure (mine is closer to textbook perfect 120/80) - low basal body temperature (mine is always around the low 97’s, 97.3 is my basal temp, most people are upper 97’s through low 99’s) - some psychological issues (OCD, hypersenistivity, paranoia, jumpy, irrational anxiety and fear) - low short-term memory, fuzzy brain feeling (getting worse each year) - edema and uncomfort with standing still (I swell in my hands if I stand too long) - hypostension (getting dizzy spells when standing up) - slow digestion and bowel function (I’ve had IBS with constipation since birth, literally) - low blood sugar, high bad cholesterol (I have both) All this can be treated with diet, religious exercise, and stress-reduction. When these symptoms kick in (like right now I’m in an active stage), I tend to start scratching all my skin and picking at every little imperfection until I’ve scarred myself and I’ll start pulling out my hair and eyebrows. My biggest issue is the IBS, I’ve had to go to the emergency room so many times to get chest x-rays from pain. They always turn up that my bowels are full to the max and it’s pressure. But the funny thing is is that I deal with all my stress internally which causes me to do all these self-mutilating things. Most people who don’t know me very well will say I’m calm and level-headed, I just don’t like putting my issues on others because I know I’m a nervous wreak all the time. It’s a struggle, but I deal with it one day at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/32 "2005-09-09T21:11:03Z")
I compusively rip the corners off of paper. I have learned to keep scap paper around for this purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/33 "2005-09-09T21:17:39Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I do also, I just do it excessively and constantly when stressed. I tried to break it once, until my aunt told me I was doing it in my crib. I gave up, figuring no way I was going to be able to break it. Yeah, before my grandma died she would always laugh when she caught me twirling my hair, because apparently I’ve been doing it since I was very little. She used to think it was hilarious. 🙂 I think it’s something I did as a child, then stopped (possibly in favor of biting my nails), but then started again sometime around college (when I stopped biting my nails). I think that if I want to break this habit I’m going to have to resort to the extreme measure of cutting my hair short. I can’t stand the thought of myself with short hair, though, so for the time being I keep twirling… I really miss my grandma. > [@Noone Special](#): > > Huh. With me it’s the opposite – I get excited. At stressful periods at work, my boss has to tell me constantly not to get all worked up about small disagreements, or even just discussions of strategy (this is R&D), with co-workers. Funny how all humans experience stress, but we all manifest/deal with it differently … except for the junk food thing. I’ve yet to hear of anyone who comforts themselves with carrots and radishes when stressed. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/34 "2005-09-09T21:22:44Z")
> [@PinkMarabou](#): > > - craving of proteins, fatty, and salty foods (and black licorice, I don’t know why) Dutch licorice is salty, some of it is very salty. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/35 "2005-09-09T21:26:42Z")
> [@Pixisis](#): > > I chew on the inside of my lips, sometimes to the point of bleeding. I do that too. Right now, the inside of my lower lip is swollen and hurts like hell. I also nibble at the skin around my fingernails. I don’t bite my nails, because they’re pretty and I want to keep them long. But I tear off little bits of skin around my nails, sometimes drawing blood. Why do my stress signals involve me _eating myself_? I should just twirl my hair like a normal girl. ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/36 "2005-09-09T21:33:39Z")
> [@Pixisis](#): > > Dutch licorice is salty, some of it is very salty. Wow! I looked it up and I’m amazed. Thanks for the info! ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/37 "2005-09-09T21:59:41Z")
My heart skips every fifth or seventh beat while trying to relax after work (after a day of work in periods of stress at work). Especially if I had pizza for dinner. (Now here’s a strange phenomena: If I think about work while trying to sleep during these periods, the heart beat is cool; on the other hand, if I think about something else, pleasant things, while trying to sleep, the heart begins to beat irregularly.) ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/38 "2005-09-09T22:05:33Z")
I grind my teeth when I sleep. And sometimes I can’t get to sleep for a looong time. An after-effect from stress for me is that I’ll laugh hysterically for 10-15 minutes if someone says something that strikes me as amusing (even if it’s not _that_ funny). When that happens, I can’t stop laughing. I usually have to sit down on the floor because it hurts my stomach. ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/39 "2005-09-09T22:08:01Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > I grind my teeth when I sleep. Thanks for reminding me. I had TMJ surgery last year, almost exactly. Years of grinding and clenching. I wear a night guard now. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811/40 "2005-09-09T22:16:20Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Yeah, before my grandma died she would always laugh when she caught me twirling my hair, because apparently I’ve been doing it since I was very little. She used to think it was hilarious. 🙂 I think it’s something I did as a child, then stopped (possibly in favor of biting my nails), but then started again sometime around college (when I stopped biting my nails). I think that if I want to break this habit I’m going to have to resort to the extreme measure of cutting my hair short. I can’t stand the thought of myself with short hair, though, so for the time being I keep twirling… Is it curly? I of course am against cutting hair…mine is pretty long and I’m in the process of growing it longer! My aunt still laughs at me when she sees me doing it. > [@Misnomer](#): > > I really miss my grandma. I miss mine, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-signs-of-stress/320811.md?page=3)