Holding those emotions inside for so long will take its toll. The trivial things will set you off & make you want to scream. You'll be lashing out at people for no reason. You’ll start pushing people away because you can’t keep a hold of yourself.
Drinking or emotional eating can become your habit as you use food & wine as coping mechanisms. The temporary relief that food & drinks provide can create a cycle of dependence & dependence can lead to feelings of guilt & more stress.
All the worries & anxiety rolling around in your mind will keep you from relaxing. The moment your head hits the pillow, you'll reminisce about the pending errands. The lack of rest makes it even more difficult for you to deal with fatigue & burnout.
You get disorganized & overwhelmed very soon. Your stress will take up all the space in your mind. You’ll fumble & mess up even the smallest & easiest of tasks because your thoughts will constantly wander off, making you unable to focus.
You may become irritable, easily agitated, & impatient. You tend to either take on too much responsibility, leading to burnout, or choose to quit; there's no in-between. Your ego keeps you from admitting that you might need help.
Your stress gets clearly reflected in your appearance as you let yourself go little by little. Things like doing your hair or nails fall by the wayside. You let the stress get the best of you & totally devastate you in the process.
You may struggle with indecisiveness. Your irritability leads to difficulties in relationships. You may become more withdrawn, as you process your emotions & try to restore balance. You may turn to artistic pursuits or other forms of creative expression.
You may become more secretive & guarded than usual. You may also become more critical & judgmental of others, as a way to deflect attention from your stressors. Anger, resentment, or jealousy, can further exacerbate your stress levels.
When your mental health is low, your physical health also gets shot to pieces. When pushed past your limits, your body reacts adversely; manifesting psychosomatic symptoms like stomach ache, gastrointestinal problems, indigestion, migraines, etc.
When stressed, you can't find the silver lining easily. You may use substances or behaviors such as work, exercise, or gambling as a way to cope with your stressors. Failures & setbacks can further fuel your pessimism & addictions.
Even though you can’t always control the things that go wrong, stress blinds you to this wisdom. You think that you are responsible for the whole world falling apart. Becoming self-critical, you implement a punitive attitude towards yourself.
You resort to the waterworks. Crying becomes your major way of catharsis. You feel everything so emotionally that too much stress tends to overwhelm you to the brim. You’ll find the time to just sit down & sob, clearing up your pent-up emotions.