stress causes high blood pressure, loss of enjoyment of life, more chance of cancer, heart disease, and just general feelings of anxiety. family stress is especially hard on us and hard to escape. it keeps us from just enjoying life and feeling love and peace. i think it is a symptom of an underlying emtional problems or unsatisfyling relationships. believe me i am stressed every day and have a hard time controlling it, but i pray and read and vent, and exercise alot. this helps.

Stress causes tension. Tension causes muscle aches, heart palpitations, trouble breathing, trouble sleeping, cancer, as well as hair loss, premature graying and all that stuff you described.

Whatever's stressing you out, gotta find a way to let it (some of it anyway) go, release it, shut out the world and everybody in it, and relax into you, for a certain amount of time every day. From what you described in your previous posts about your family, they expect you to be superwoman! And this Simon character, with his constant bitching and negativity about his inability to find a job and finances piling up isn't any help either.

Let's try to create a positive: What would it take to make you feel less stressed and feel more happy and content? Yoga/meditation? Massage/spa treatment, as often as time and money allows? More sleep? Different career? A roommate who has employment? Cheaper place to live? More love? More time alone? All of the above?

Identifying that will help you identify ways to achieve it.

Me, I used to freak about paying all bills on time. Now, and I know this is bad, I prioritize which bills are really important, and pay THEM on time, which are typically mortgage and credit cards. It's OK to let the phone or power bill lapse a few weeks if I don't have the money to pay it. Amazing how saying "bye bye" to that constant time pressure frees the mind.

Stress affects your cells, and wears them down. I recognize that Stressed all your life" situation. I hardly have any memories that aren't clouded, or shrouded in them. I try to stay active and take supplements. I find that this helps a great deal. Music and positive activities really help too. This is very self-soothing. I try to do this at least once or twice a day. my stress levels have gone at least 50% down since I have been more mindful of where my thoughts are focused. I know that you will find a few techniques to implement that will work for you. Go for it!