Diagnosing stress
It is important to recognise the signs of stress early to prevent your stress from worsening and potentially causing other health problems.
There is no specific medical test for stress but your GP can usually work out if you are stressed from your symptoms.
Your GP may also ask you about your family history, your work and personal life to help find the cause of your stress.
In some cases, your GP may ask you to keep a stress diary for a few weeks to pinpoint what is triggering your stress.
Long-term stress can lead to serious complications, such as depression, anxiety and high blood pressure. Your GP may want to carry out some tests to rule out other illnesses.
These can include:
- measuring your blood pressure
- a questionnaire to test for depression
