Now accepting Medi-Cal   Check coverage

Stress

Stress is an emotional response to external triggers characterized by physical and mental symptoms like muscle tension and irritability. Stress can feel overwhelming and make it hard to process and manage situations. With support, you can learn how to build coping strategies into your daily life for dealing with stress.

What Is Stress?

Experiencing stress is typically a normal and healthy reaction to everyday life pressures. It is not unusual to feel stressed about an important project or such things as finances, work, etc. Your emotional, physical, and psychological response to stress is typically how your body tells you that attention or action is needed in a situation. In a positive sense, stress can help you adjust to unfamiliar situations, avoid danger, and meet deadlines for work or school. 

Table of Contents

However, stress can become unhealthy when it impairs your ability to cope with external stressors in your daily life. Unhealthy levels of stress make it difficult to process new situations or relax after the external stressors are resolved.

Common Signs of Stress

The common signs of stress include these mental, emotional, and physical symptoms: 

  • Anger
  • Irritability
  • Chest pains
  • Sleep issues
  • Headaches
  • Muscle tension
  • Weight gain or loss

Types of Stress

In addition, according to an article from Flushing Hospital Medical Center, there are three types of stress that impact your ability to function:

  • Acute stress
    • A response to an unexpected challenge or perceived threat
    • Can happen multiple times a day
    • Resulting from repetitive negative thoughts 
  • Episodic acute stress 
    • Frequent experiences of acute stress
    • Feeling overburdened 
    • Taking on too many responsibilities
    • Constant worrying
    • Stress that accumulates over time
  • Chronic stress
    • Constant stress
    • Stress that’s detrimental to physical and mental health
    • Long-term high-stress situations and circumstances

Stress Statistics

Stress is a part of everyday life, but it can be detrimental to your overall well-being when you are overwhelmed by multiple stressors. According to the American Institute of Stress (AIS), multiple national and global stressors have led to increased levels of stress for Americans. 

AIS notes that 87% of U.S. adults are stressed about inflation, such as the cost of gas and food in comparison to wage earnings. In addition, 94% of U.S. workers feel chronic stress at work, and 63% of those workers want to quit their jobs. Further, 81% of U.S. adults are stressed about global uncertainty like political, cultural, social, and economic disparity and conflicts. 

COVID Stress

In addition, COVID-19 continues to be a source of immense stress for countless Americans. Eight in 10 adults, or 78%, still point to COVID-19 as a significant stressor in their lives. Research has also shown that national and global issues like gun violence and COVID-19 have a detrimental impact on 13- to 17-year-olds and 18- to 23-year-olds as they face an uncertain future. 

As noted by the American Psychological Association (APA), there is a relationship between gender and age with stress. Women have historically reported higher levels of stress than men. In addition, research shows that young people struggle more with stress management than older adults. 

Why Is Treatment for Stress Important?

While stress is an important part of life, long-term stress is unhealthy for your mental and physical health. When you struggle to manage your stress, it has a negative impact on multiple areas of your life. This can include your mood, your relationships, and your work or school life. Leaving excessive levels of stress untreated can lead to co-occurring mental health disorders and chronic health conditions like depression and heart disease. 

Reaching out for treatment and support from a therapist can help you build stress management tools. With support, you can start to feel better in your mind, body, and relationships.

What Does Stress Feel Like?

Stress has mental, emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms that can impact your relationships and ability to function in your daily life. The symptoms of stress can look similar to anxiety, but common symptoms include muscle tension, irritability, and angry outbursts. When your stress reaches unhealthy levels, everyday situations can feel overwhelming. It’s difficult to find relief when everything feels like it is too much to bear.

Common Stress Symptoms

Typical symptoms of stress include:

  • Mental and emotional symptoms
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Restlessness
    • Irritability
    • Anger
    • Racing thoughts
  • Physical symptoms
    • Headaches
    • Muscle tension
    • Chest pain
    • Rapid heart rate
    • Digestive issues
    • Sleep issues
    • Fatigue
  • Behavioral symptoms
    • Increased appetite
    • Decreased appetite
    • Outbursts
    • Social withdrawal
    • Substance use
    • Poor judgment
    • Risky behavior

What Makes Our Program Unique?

At Mindfuli, we use evidence-based interventions and empathy to support you on your journey to lifelong wellness. With our virtual real-time video and chat-based features, you can learn how to manage stress in healthy ways from the comfort of your home. Our licensed therapists and care counselors are committed to providing personalized, relationship-based care to help you build a healthier relationship with stress and lead a better life long term.

Services

Some of our support services include:

  • Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Virtual support groups

To learn more about the disorders and conditions we treat, visit our Home page.

Getting Help

If you feel like you are experiencing unhealthy levels of stress, seeking support can help you develop tools for stress management. Excessive and long-term stress can make it difficult to manage everyday tasks, maintain healthy relationships, and find joy. Seeking support for stress can help you manage your symptoms, cope with daily stressors, and find joy again. At Mindfuli, we are committed to supporting you on your wellness journey as you build the necessary tools to process and deal with stress in healthier ways.

To learn more about how Mindfuli works, visit our FAQ page.

Unhealthy levels of stress can make everyday stressors feel overwhelming, but with support, you can develop stress management tools that support your long-term wellness. At Mindfuli, with virtual real-time video, chat, and audio-only features, we can support you on your wellness journey from the comfort of your home. Call us at (888) 703-3004 to learn more today.

We've got you covered!

It gets much better from here. Get 1:1 help that works, and lasts — from the best in online therapy and psychiatry.

Verification of Benefits

Instructions:

Email VOB to verification@mindfuli.com  

Include the following:

  • Client Name
  • DOB
  • Client Address
  • Insurance Name
  • ID # 
  • Insurance Phone Number
  • Subscriber Name and Relationship
  • Referred By (Treatment Center)
  • Copy of the Insurance Card if available