Can I be stressed out without knowing it?knowing
July 11, 2011 9:15 AM Subscribe
Can I be stressed out without knowing it?
I'm a professional high-stakes poker player, so I often experience financial swings of tens of thousands of dollars, which I imagine could be a stressor. But I don't feel stressed out from it, I keep a very even keel, before during and after poker.
My doctor told me once that it is likely that I'm stressed out, without even knowing it, and that that could have detrimental effects on my health.
Is this possible?
Can people be stressed out without knowing it?
And how do I know if I am?
P.S.. IKYANAD
I'm a professional high-stakes poker player, so I often experience financial swings of tens of thousands of dollars, which I imagine could be a stressor. But I don't feel stressed out from it, I keep a very even keel, before during and after poker.
My doctor told me once that it is likely that I'm stressed out, without even knowing it, and that that could have detrimental effects on my health.
Is this possible?
Can people be stressed out without knowing it?
And how do I know if I am?
P.S.. IKYANAD
Some people like to be continually under stress because it keeps them away from the horrible alternative of uncertainty and the void. if stress is a continual background for you it will be invisible. to make it visible again, you can try, say, meditation.
posted by Obscure Reference at 9:24 AM on July 11, 2011
posted by Obscure Reference at 9:24 AM on July 11, 2011
Yes. I never feel like I'm stressed out. But, a year after starting a high-pressure job, where I never FELT stressed out, I needed blood pressure medicine. When I leave work, if I take my blood pressure, and then take it again after forcing myself to think relaxing thoughts or whatever, I can significantly drop my blood pressure. So, I guess it depends on what you mean by "stressed" but I have for one seen the physical manifestations of stress, even when I would say I feel very even keeled.
posted by dpx.mfx at 9:27 AM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by dpx.mfx at 9:27 AM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Why does your doctor think you're stressed? Did he have any evidence to back it up (like high blood pressure) or was he just making assumptions based on your profession?
If you don't feel stressed and you're not showing any mental or physical signs of stress, how could he possibly say you're stressed?
Its possible to have, for example, high blood pressure and not know about it and that can be caused by stress but your dr would easily be able to detect that and prescribe treatment.
posted by missmagenta at 9:36 AM on July 11, 2011
If you don't feel stressed and you're not showing any mental or physical signs of stress, how could he possibly say you're stressed?
Its possible to have, for example, high blood pressure and not know about it and that can be caused by stress but your dr would easily be able to detect that and prescribe treatment.
posted by missmagenta at 9:36 AM on July 11, 2011
I was a floor trader for many years. I had similar daily P&L swings. At the time it never occurred to me I may be under undue stress. It was just the lifestyle I had chosen. I would drink lots of beer after the close with my buddies, but I was in my 20's so that seemed normal too. I did change the daily beers to daily workouts (then beers). It was not until I left the floor for a real job that I realized how much daily stress I was under. It had simply become my lot in life and I did not think it was anything special. So, I think it is possible, but so what?
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:46 AM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:46 AM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
If your normal operating condition is one of mild stress, it can be very difficult to notice. Meditation and working through Feeling Good helped me realize that I was functioning with a constant background of anxious and self-critical thoughts. Feeling Good taught me to notice these thoughts, and eventually to start counteracting them.
Meditation taught me to notice the physical signs of stress. I'm now extremely sensitive to the physical feelings of an stomach, tension in my back or neck, or a pounding heart. I tend to notice them quickly, and then I think, "What's causing that?" and see if there's a real worry there. If not, just a moment of observing the breath will usually calm the anxious feeling. If not, I decide what I can do in this moment to address the worry.
In the past, I think that the physical symptoms were more or less constantly present and I didn't give them a moment's thought; it was just my "normal" physical condition. I look back on that now and am amazed at how much energy I was putting into worrying, and wonder exactly what toll that took on my physical health.
I'm not saying this is the case for you, but it's something you might want to look into.
posted by BrashTech at 10:10 AM on July 11, 2011
Meditation taught me to notice the physical signs of stress. I'm now extremely sensitive to the physical feelings of an stomach, tension in my back or neck, or a pounding heart. I tend to notice them quickly, and then I think, "What's causing that?" and see if there's a real worry there. If not, just a moment of observing the breath will usually calm the anxious feeling. If not, I decide what I can do in this moment to address the worry.
In the past, I think that the physical symptoms were more or less constantly present and I didn't give them a moment's thought; it was just my "normal" physical condition. I look back on that now and am amazed at how much energy I was putting into worrying, and wonder exactly what toll that took on my physical health.
I'm not saying this is the case for you, but it's something you might want to look into.
posted by BrashTech at 10:10 AM on July 11, 2011
Yes, I think you can be stressed without knowing it. There have been times in my life when I've felt very busy, but more or less in control of things, but then I started to have symptoms like waking up in the middle of the night worrying about work or being snappy and irritable. Sometimes you don't realize how tense you are until you finally relax. Taking some time off work is a good idea; then compare how you feel with how you usually feel.
Do you do the things that are often recommended for helping deal with stress? I'm referring to things like exercising, meditating, spending time on relaxing fun activities, getting support from others, etc. Those are all good for you, even if you aren't particularly stressed, so that might be something to consider.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 11:16 AM on July 11, 2011
Do you do the things that are often recommended for helping deal with stress? I'm referring to things like exercising, meditating, spending time on relaxing fun activities, getting support from others, etc. Those are all good for you, even if you aren't particularly stressed, so that might be something to consider.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 11:16 AM on July 11, 2011
Here's a little info on effects of stress; if you aren't looking at stress as a possible cause, you can easily miss the connection. When I was in grad school, I used to get what I thought were sinus headaches, but then I noticed that when the semester ended, my "sinus" problems stopped overnight.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 11:22 AM on July 11, 2011
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 11:22 AM on July 11, 2011
I've lost track of how many times I've come out the end of an experience only to have a mini-collapse during which I find myself saying, "Wow, I had no idea that was wearing on me so badly!" It's happened during times when I realized I was stressed but didn't realize just how stressed, and during times when I thought things were okay but realized later that I was actually stressed about something.
Your mind and body have become accustomed to your current level of stress. That doesn't mean it's necessarily healthy to operate at that level, just that you're currently doing so.
posted by Lexica at 11:23 AM on July 11, 2011
Your mind and body have become accustomed to your current level of stress. That doesn't mean it's necessarily healthy to operate at that level, just that you're currently doing so.
posted by Lexica at 11:23 AM on July 11, 2011
The pre-eminent stress hormone, cortisol, is also an immunosupressant:
Cortisol (hydrocortisone) is a steroid hormone, or glucocorticoid, produced by the adrenal gland.[1] It is released in response to stress and a low level of blood glucocorticoids. Its primary functions are to increase blood sugar through gluconeogenesis; suppress the immune system; and aid in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.[2
[perhaps that should read "...a low level of blood glucose."]
If a person is fighting an infection, or the immune system is in infection fighting mode for other reasons, it's possible that person could be in stressful situations without invoking the stress response, because that might make the infection worse by suppressing the immune system.
Your last previous question makes me think that might possibly be the case with you.
One of the answers you got suggested you might have rosacea:
a chronic condition characterized by facial erythema (redness).[2] Pimples are sometimes included as part of the definition.[3] Unless it affects the eyes, it is typically a harmless cosmetic condition. Treatment in the form of topical steroids can aggravate the condition.[4]
Note that topical steroids may aggravate rosacea. Cortisol is not a topical steroid, but it is a systemic one.
Bacteria could be responsible for rosacea without even being present on the face:
Intestinal bacteria may play a role in causing the disease. A recent study subjected patients to a hydrogen breath test to detect the occurrence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). It was found that significantly more patients were hydrogen-positive than controls indicating the presence of bacterial overgrowth (47% v. 5%...).
If you succeed in dealing with your facial redness, be ready for a change in that blase attitude in the face of stressful situations.
posted by jamjam at 12:43 PM on July 11, 2011
Cortisol (hydrocortisone) is a steroid hormone, or glucocorticoid, produced by the adrenal gland.[1] It is released in response to stress and a low level of blood glucocorticoids. Its primary functions are to increase blood sugar through gluconeogenesis; suppress the immune system; and aid in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.[2
[perhaps that should read "...a low level of blood glucose."]
If a person is fighting an infection, or the immune system is in infection fighting mode for other reasons, it's possible that person could be in stressful situations without invoking the stress response, because that might make the infection worse by suppressing the immune system.
Your last previous question makes me think that might possibly be the case with you.
One of the answers you got suggested you might have rosacea:
a chronic condition characterized by facial erythema (redness).[2] Pimples are sometimes included as part of the definition.[3] Unless it affects the eyes, it is typically a harmless cosmetic condition. Treatment in the form of topical steroids can aggravate the condition.[4]
Note that topical steroids may aggravate rosacea. Cortisol is not a topical steroid, but it is a systemic one.
Bacteria could be responsible for rosacea without even being present on the face:
Intestinal bacteria may play a role in causing the disease. A recent study subjected patients to a hydrogen breath test to detect the occurrence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). It was found that significantly more patients were hydrogen-positive than controls indicating the presence of bacterial overgrowth (47% v. 5%...).
If you succeed in dealing with your facial redness, be ready for a change in that blase attitude in the face of stressful situations.
posted by jamjam at 12:43 PM on July 11, 2011
Maybe stress is a separate issue. I have chronic anxiety and my blood pressure is pristine. Never had any physical health issues.
posted by InterestedInKnowing at 4:44 PM on July 11, 2011
posted by InterestedInKnowing at 4:44 PM on July 11, 2011
I have definitely been stressed without realizing it, even when big bad obviously stressful things haven't happened.
posted by J. Wilson at 5:35 PM on July 11, 2011
posted by J. Wilson at 5:35 PM on July 11, 2011
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posted by mynameisluka at 9:19 AM on July 11, 2011