What to Look For: Stress

• Find it hard to concentrate on what you’re doing
• Have trouble making decisions
• Forget things more than usual
• Have thoughts that constantly run through your head

• Feel irritable
• Feel overwhelmed
• Get frustrated easily by things you used to handle pretty well
• Feel you might lose control or not be able to handle things anymore

• Stop doing activities that were fun or important to you
• Use alcohol or drugs to deal with stress

• Feel dizzy or light-headed
• Notice changes in your appetite or sleep patterns
• Feel exhausted or worn out
• Feel sick or have no appetite
• Have headaches or muscle tension in the back and neck

 Not everyone experiences the same set of symptoms or to the same level. Most people experience these symptoms from time to time but they become a problem when they keep coming back or don’t go away. They can also indicate there is a physical health problem. If you are able to recognize these symptoms and take action, you can prevent problems from getting worse.

Symptoms that are a result of stress can vary:

• From mild to severe
• In how long they have been going on
• In how much they interfere in your daily life

It can be hard to understand why a friend is so stressed, even over stuff that doesn’t seem to matter. It doesn’t help to to tell your friend not to stress so much. For information on how to support a friend, visit Supporting a Friend.

Families are often the first to notice changes and become concerned. For information on how to support a young person, visit Supporting a Family Member.