[user104658]

It's the wrong term, really. Everyone experiences "stress", it's a normal part of the human range of emotions. It's stressful when you're stuck in traffic late for a meeting and someone cuts you off. It's stressful being asked to prepare a presentation with 24 hours notice. It's stressful when you're on a three-hour car journey and one of your kids is throwing a tantrum in the back seat (for you AND for them).

"Stress" as a mental illness isn't that, it's an acute chronic stress-event that can lead to (either short or long term) a stress / anxiety disorder or depression, or an actual physical adrenal problem like adrenal fatigue syndrome. It's what used to be colloquially often referred to as "a mental breakdown".

I've had one of these and I can promise - it's nothing like "being a bit stressed". Short term I almost completely lost my appetite and had quite severe insomnia - but was utterly exhausted during the day and fell asleep places like the shower, or on my break at work. At it's worst there were days where I could barely summon the energy to get off the couch (literally the physical energy, not the motivation). Luckily for me it was time limited (about 4 or 5 months that are honestly just a bit of a blur) and I don't have a lasting anxiety disorder - but it did have a permanent effect. I'm quicker to get stressed in genuinely stressful situations. At the same time, I'm less likely (in fact quite UNlikely) to get stressed in minor situations (like work dramz) where I would have previously. I put that down to a realisation of what full-on stress actually feels like and thus minor stresses seeming like a bit of a joke . I'm also prone to adrenal surges and brain fog if I don't get enough sleep (whereas previously I could get by on 5 or 6 hours no problem).

So there you go. Too much information that no one asked for .