Are You Stressed Or Psychologically Distressed? By Duke Ezikpe Mma

Editor's note: In this piece, mental health therapist Duke Ezikpe Mma examines the difference between stress and psychological distress, their effects on daily life, and the importance of seeking professional recovery support.

Amanda is a 35-year-old lady who lives in Abuja. She is very successful but, for a while, struggled to find peace. Behind the closed doors of her apartment in the upscale neighbourhood of Maitama, she battled with psychological distress.

At first, it started with insomnia. She would lie awake at night, her mind racing with thoughts of work, bills, and the pressure to succeed. As the nights turned into weeks, Amanda began to experience headaches, fatigue, and a lack of energy. She would drag herself to work, forcing a smile onto her face, but deep down, she felt empty.

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As the distress intensified, Amanda started to withdraw from her social circle. She stopped attending gatherings, declined invitations, and slowly disconnected from her friends and family. Her relationships began to suffer, and her loved ones grew concerned. Amanda's eating pattern changed dramatically. Her appetite decreased. As the days went by, Amanda's psychological distress worsened. She experienced frequent mood swings, irritability, and a lack of pleasure in activities she once enjoyed. She felt like she was drowning in her silence.

Amanda could be anybody, as we live in a world filled with uncertainty. These uncertainties make us anxious, and as a result, we are prone to stress. The pressures of modern life, combined with the unpredictability of day-to-day entanglement, can weigh heavily on our minds and emotions, leaving us either stressed or becoming psychologically distressed.

Stress is a common life experience caused by different triggers such as marital difficulties, work problems and family conflict. Stress is a perceived agitation to an individual's physiological or psychological well-being. In a moment of stress, the body has the ability to return to normalcy through psychological mechanisms.

Stress may not necessarily be unpleasant, it could also be pleasurable. For instance, exercises such as going for a run or lifting weights can increase sympathetic activity in the body. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, which prepares the body to respond to threats or stressors.

During exercise, the SNS is activated, releasing stress hormones like adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) and cortisol. These hormones increase heart rate, blood pressure, and energy levels, allowing the body to perform physical tasks more efficiently.

However, psychological distress is a state of emotional suffering comprising symptoms of depression (loss of interest, unhappiness, desperateness) and anxiety (e.g. restlessness, feeling tense), it is also characterized by somatic symptoms like insomnia, headaches, and lack of energy that likely to vary across different areas and behavioural problems.

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According to research findings, psychological distress is associated with specific stressors and is characterised by disturbance in sleep, changes in eating patterns, headache, constipation, provoked anger frequency, excessive tiredness, forgetfulness and lack of pleasure in sex. Psychological distress is said to also increase the risk of heart disease and decrease an individual's immune system, in effect increasing the risk of different illnesses.

It affects the quality of life and work, including overall well-being, social relationships and family life. Psychological distress, if left unaddressed, can have severe and far-reaching consequences. One of the most significant risks is the development of abnormal behaviour, which can manifest in various ways.

However, psychological distress can reduce or vanish when the individual learns to adapt or cope with the stressor or the stressor is removed.

If you find yourself in Amanda’s shoes, all you need to do is to seek help through the instrument of a mental health counselor who can guide you back to the right track through support, just like Amanda.

Amanda's journey to recovery was not easy, but it was a start. She began attending therapy sessions, practising mindfulness, and reconnecting with her loved ones. It was a long and winding road, but with time, patience, and support, Amanda slowly began to heal.

She learned that psychological distress was not a sign of weakness but a sign that she needed help. Amanda's story serves as a reminder that seeking help is a sign of strength and that with the right support, anyone can overcome the weight of silence.

Duke Ezikpe Mma, Nextdoor_Therapy

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng.

Duke Ezikpe Mma is a Mental Health Specialist, Educationist, Coach, and Writer dedicated to mental wellness and advocacy. As the founder of Where Do Broken Hearts Go and Grayscale Support Group, he provides safe spaces for individuals facing mental health challenges.