How Do I Know if I’m stressed: Self-assessment

According to the National Institute of Mental Health- ‘Stress is an emotional state that you feel when you are irritated, angry, or nervous because of something that didn’t work out as you wanted.’??

Have you been extra cranky lately??

Do you feel irritated because of your job???

Do simple chores make you stressed???

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Being stressed out occasionally is normal, but long-term stress can hurt your health too. You can develop obesity, depression, fatigue, upset stomach, heart disease, etc.??

So, how can you check if you are stressed???

And more importantly, what can you do to control your stress????

What are the stress screening test and perceived stress scale??

A stress screener test is used for testing your stress levels and coping mechanisms. They use the perceived stress scale (PSS) to test your stress. This test was designed by Cohen et al in 1983.??

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a psychological tool that helps to measure your stress levels and response to stressful situations. In this test, you are given a series of questions that are designed to assess your response to stressful situations-how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded you feel when facing stress triggers. Also, these questions check the current levels of stress you might be experiencing.??

Who is it for??

This test is for people who are having a tough time controlling their emotions or have a feeling that they are suffering from stress. This test gives you an idea that you might need to take care of your mental health. If you or your close ones have symptoms of stress like chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats, etc. you should consider visiting a mental health professional.???

Some of the sample questions??

• Do you feel upset and overwhelmed in life??
• Do you find yourself ‘eating emotionally/ compulsively’ (eating unhealthy foods or eating even when you don’t even feel hungry), as a response to inconvenient situations/stress???
• Do you have difficulty falling asleep, even when you are tired???
• Are you unable to focus on things/tasks at hand???
• Do you have episodes of excessive sweating even when you are indoors, doing nothing??
• Do you feel pain and tension in your body (head, muscles, or stomach)??
• Are you taking care of your health and personal hygiene??
• Do you drink alcohol or use drugs to deal with your stress??
• Do you want to isolate yourself and never go out??
• Do you have any health issues like vomiting, indigestion, ulcers, or irritable bowel disease??
• Do you convey your feelings when you feel stressed, angry, or irritated, or just shut out everything and everybody???
• Do you get panic attacks or anxiety attacks? Are you suffering from burn-out or depression??
• Do you get enough exercise at least three times a week???
• Do you get enough sleep (7 to 9 hours) at least 5 days a week??
• Do you have a good relationship with family and friends whom you can rely on in time of need???
• Do you feel confident in taking important decisions in your life??

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You should visit the doctor if you answered ‘yes’ to more than 50% of the questions (from 1-12) and ‘no’ to questions 13-16.??

There is no right time to get help. Having symptoms are the first signs that you should visit the doctor.??

You can easily feel stressed when you don’t have anyone to talk to. If that is the case then, you should talk to a therapist or counselor. Not only does it help you to control your stress, but it improves your mood to deal with things that give you stress.??

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Want to talk with a counselor to deal with your stress? What are you waiting for? Call us at 718-DORAL-55.