Everyone experiences good mental health days and bad ones, for a wide range of reasons. Whether it’s stressful situations, issues with your sleep or a dip in your overall health, your mind can be affected by a wide range of different issues.

While these problems aren’t dangerous in themselves, if they persist, then they can cause serious issues across all aspects of your life. Stress and anxiety can lead to physical symptoms, which might put a strain on your important relationships and make it harder for you to conduct general tasks, such as working or studying. 

Your mental health is closely linked to your physical well-being, and so you can become stressed due to physical pain or as a side effect of some diseases. Some physical conditions can cause extra stress, as can mental issues. While any form of pain, like having an accident and breaking a bone can lead to stress, some conditions can cause a rise in hormone production or other issues that can significantly affect your mental health. 

To help you understand what could be behind your stress, here’s a list of some of the common conditions that could be behind this change. While you might not have these conditions, you should know about them and consider whether you have any related symptoms if you suddenly develop stress, so you can get a relevant diagnosis and start treatment as quickly as you can. Keep reading to find out more about common stress-causing health conditions. 

An Overactive Thyroid 

One common issue that many might not think of when you get stressed is an overactive thyroid gland. The thyroid is a small gland in your neck which produces important hormones that affect basic functions, such as your heart rate, temperature, and metabolic rate, among others. If this gland starts to produce too many of these important hormones, then that can wreak havoc with your bodily and mental health. 

One of the most significant symptoms that many people start with when their thyroid gland overproduces hormones is stress, anxiety and generally diminished mental health. Thankfully, there and the thyroid test is straightforward, and once you’ve got a diagnosis, there are several treatment options that you can explore. If you want your results faster, then consider getting your thyroid test done by Bioma, a leading private testing company that can get you accurate results quickly and efficiently. You’ll then know if your thyroid is overactive and can start treatment to get your body and mind back on track. 

Sleep Apnea

Everyone knows that sleep is vital for your mental well-being, so it’s understandable that any condition that affects it could lead to stress. Sleep apnea is one common sleep disorder that can lead to extreme stress, as it is a scary situation. The condition means that you struggle to breathe in your sleep, resulting in snoring and disturbances throughout the night. If you find yourself waking up throughout the night feeling like you’re choking or you start snoring suddenly, then you should speak to your doctor to get tested for the condition, which can lead to serious mental health issues due to its frightening nature and the fact that it robs you of your precious sleep. 

Once you’ve got a diagnosis of sleep apnea, you need to learn how to manage your stress, as common treatments like sleep masks can exacerbate this and make you feel self-conscious and anxious. Therefore, it’s a good idea if you talk to your doctor about how you can find the right treatment option for you and manage any anxiety that you might be feeling in the meantime. Dealing with sleep apnea isn’t easy, but it’s important that you’re proactive, as the condition can be dangerous and potentially fatal if left untreated. 

Multiple Sclerosis And Other Neurological Conditions

When you think of MS and other common neurological conditions, you might first imagine the physical issues that can arise, such as mobility problems and numbness. However, there are many psychological issues that MS causes too, as the condition affects your brain as well as your central nervous system. When your brain affected by MS, the condition can also lead to problems with your thought process. These can make you feel uncertain, make it hard for you to decide on things and cause the stress that goes along with those problems. 

Often thought of as something that affects only older people, MS and other common neurological conditions can manifest at any time in your life, so if you notice any of these symptoms, you need to get a diagnosis as soon as possible. It can take time for doctors to recognise MS and other neurological conditions, so make sure that you work with your GP to help them understand your symptoms and give them the best possible chance of diagnosing you correctly and quickly.

Diabetes

It’s easy to think that diabetes only affects your diet, but it’s actually a serious health condition that causes issues with almost every aspect of your health. Both type one and type two diabetes can cause stress, as they’re putting a significant strain on your body, and this can lead to mental health issues. Diabetes and stress are closely linked, as when your body is dealing with stress, it often produces hormones that can raise your blood glucose levels, leading to complications with your condition. As such, if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you need to be careful about your mental health and make sure that you’re aware of your triggers. 

Many people who have recently been diagnosed with diabetes have to deal with a lot of stress, as it can be a lot of hard work to have to monitor what you’re eating and keep tabs on your blood sugar. Also, if you’re not a fan of needles, then dealing with regular blood tests and insulin injections can take its toll. If you’ve not been diagnosed with diabetes, but are noticing that you’re often lethargic and stressed, then this could be a sign that you need to get tested for the condition. Other common symptoms include feeling thirsty all the time, needing to urinate more often, blurred vision and unexplained weight loss. So, if you experience these symptoms alongside excessive stress, then you need to talk to your doctor about getting yourself tested for diabetes.  

What To Do If You Suddenly Develop Extreme Stress

Extreme stress can feel overwhelming and come on seemingly overnight, meaning that it might leave you blindsided and unsure of what to do, especially if you’ve not experienced it before. The first step you should take is to try some basic relaxation techniques to see if these will help you manage the stress. At the same time, you need to try and avoid all stressors where possible, whether that’s individuals who cause you anxiety or difficult situations. Some simple home remedies, such as using lavender oil, drinking more water and avoiding heavily processed foods, can help you to reduce your stress, so it’s worth considering these techniques as well. 

Once you’ve used these tactics to tamp down your anxiety and get better control over your mental health, you should visit your doctor immediately. They can discuss short-term treatments and help you to work out what has caused this sudden deterioration in your mental well-being. These conditions are some common reasons why people experience sudden stress and anxiety, but your doctor will be able to give you an accurate diagnosis based on your symptoms and help you get on the road to recovery.