Long-term stress causes serious deterioration in health. At the same time, the person often does not realize that he is in a constant state of tension. What human behavior and habits may indicate chronic stress, doctor Olga Ulankina, specialist at Gemotest Laboratory, told socialbites.ca.
The first such habit is obsessive actions.
“Many people have found themselves twitching or shaking their legs, rocking from side to side, moving their jaw, or cracking their knuckles during nervous anticipation or intense thinking. Since the nervous system is closely connected with the muscular system, this is how the body tries to “shed” excess energy and cope with tension. Such rapid and often unconscious movements can be an indicator of stress, and sometimes even neurological disorders. They interfere with concentration, disturb others, produce high levels of anxiety, and can later lead to obsessive-compulsive disorders. “Grinding your teeth and cracking your fingers can damage your joints and teeth,” he explained.
The second habit is self-harming.
“The habit of biting your nails, squeezing pimples, biting your lips, or picking hangnails also often indicates chronic stress or a mental or anxiety disorder. Under the influence of nervous tension, a person often performs such actions unconsciously or impulsively. This can lead to sad consequences: scratches and injuries often become inflamed, take a long time to heal, and scars form in their place. “This behavior is one of the signs of auto-aggression: by harming his body, a person tries to express negative emotions that he cannot experience or is afraid to experience in other, more environmentally friendly ways,” added the doctor.
Chronic stress is also indicated by fussiness and multitasking.
“Trying to do several things at the same time, hectic and rapid movements, and the inability to focus on a single process may be the first signs of neurosis or anxiety disorder and often indicate long-term stress. A person worries that he may not be able to do something and may subsequently face negative consequences, reprimand and punishment. For this reason, he tries to do many things at the same time and gets flustered. Often, this style of behavior does not lead to increased productivity, but leads to errors and failures, which increases stress,” said the expert.
The fourth feature is the habit of chewing pens and ballpoint pens.
“The habit of chewing pencils or pens usually develops during school years, but some adults also remember it in situations when they feel anxious or need to concentrate. “This habit can lead to the formation of malocclusion, the development of intestinal infections and microtraumas that can cause inflammation of the oral mucosa,” he concluded.
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