What are the key signs of stress affecting mental health?

Stress is a natural reaction in our body, kicking in when we face changes or challenges. I’ve always seen it as the body’s way of sounding an alarm, whether it’s due to external factors like a tough job or internal pressures like ongoing problems with finances or relationships. From my own experience, navigating a divorce a few years back brought on physical responses like headaches and muscle tension, alongside emotional ones like irritability and anxiety. These effects on health aren’t just fleeting they can dig deep, stirring up behavioral responses like overeating or substance abuse if left unchecked. Events like marriage, moving, or even an injury can spark this cycle, and when stress lingers, it messes with concentration, memory, and decision-making, making life feel heavier than it should.