Stress Self Test

Take this test to see if you are experiencing any symptoms of stress. Give yourself one point for each symptom.

Physical symptoms
• tightness in chest
• chest pain and/or palpitations
• indigestion
• breathlessness
• nausea
• muscle twitches
• aches and pains
• headaches
• skin conditions
• recurrence of previous illnesses/ allergies
• constipation/ diarrhea
• weight loss or weight gain
• change in menstrual cycle for women
• sleep problems/tiredness

Behavioral symptoms
• work performance issues
• inclination to be accident prone
• drinking and smoking more
• overeating/ loss of appetite
• change in sleeping patterns
• poor time management
• too busy to relax
• withdrawing from family and friends
• loss of interest in sex
• poor judgment
• inability to express feelings
• over-reacting

Emotional symptoms
• mood swings
• feeling anxious
• feeling tense
• feelings of anger
• feeling guilty
• feelings of shame
• having no enthusiasm
• becoming more cynical
• feeling out of control
• feeling helpless
• decrease in confidence/self-esteem
• poor concentration

Psychological symptoms and negative thoughts
• ‘I am a failure’
• ‘I should be able to cope’
• ‘no one understands’
• ‘I don’t know what to do’
• ‘I can’t cope’
• ‘What’s the point?’
• ‘I don’t seem to be able to get on top of things’
• ‘I keep forgetting where I put things’
• loss of judgment

Stress Self Test
Add up your score to check how stressed you are.

0 – 4 symptoms: You are unlikely to be stressed.
5 – 8 symptoms: You are experiencing a mild form of stress and are not coping as well as you can. You need to make some changes.
9 – 12 symptoms: You are experiencing a moderate degree of stress. You need to make major changes to your life.
13 or more symptoms: You need to take urgent action to reduce your stress levels. The higher your score the more urgent is the need for action.