Situational Stress

Situational, or acute stress, occurs when you think, “I have to solve this problem or something bad is going to happen.” Chronic stress occurs when you can no longer see a way to solve the problem. Situational stress can cause short-term physical symptoms.

Symptoms

• Headache
• Stomach ache (or "butterflies")
• Tight muscles
• Heart palpitations
• Hives

Treatment

Treatment includes medications, including:

• selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as sertraline (Zoloft) and citalopram (Celexa)
• dopamine reuptake blockers, such as bupropion

Once treatment is helping you address your depression, you can also make some lifestyle changes that can help you cope. These include:

• getting exercise
• establishing healthy sleeping habits
• getting more rest and relaxation
• eating more healthfully
• strengthening your social support system