Symptoms of acute stress are-
- Headaches
- Stomach aches or indigestion
- Sweating
- Heart palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
Treatment for acute stress often includes rest and relaxation. Anti-anxiety medication is usually only used if acute stress is a trigger for anxiety or panic attacks. Therapy can help is the situation is not going to be resolved in a short period of time.
Chronic, or long-term stress, comes about as the result of a situation that has not been resolved or continued for many years prior to being resolved. This might be a traumatic event that happened during childhood. Although resolved, the feelings surrounding the situation may not have been dealt with and chronic stress remains. There may also be an ongoing situation, such as family abuse, dysfunctional home or an ongoing illness in the family.
This stress has the ability to create additional health problems, for example heart disease or stomach ulcers.
Treatment for chronic stress might include cognitive behavioral therapy and medication as well as treatment for any physical illnesses brought on as a result of living with stress for an extended time.