Many of us are feeling some extra pressure these days, what with a pandemic upending our way of life and. Heck, it might not be inaccurate to say we’re all feeling more strained than we’re used to at this point. Of course, we’re all different and experience stress in our own ways, but there are a few clear commonalities that can emerge when we start to become overloaded with anxiety. Here are four of the biggest warning signs of stress overload, according to life coach Dan Reiland:

• We become overly pessimistic: Pessimism is all about focusing on the dark side of things, usually accompanied by feelings of distrust and a general cynicism. It’s very difficult to move forward with a pessimistic view of the world around us, because it keeps us from seeing the good in things.

• We get more antagonistic: When we let feelings of anger and resentment build up, they can manifest themselves in destructive ways. Sometimes we lash out at others, and can begin to treat conversations more as debates, especially if we’re spending a lot of our time on social media.

• We get lost in escapism: While it’s perfectly healthy to “unplug” when things become difficult, consistently diving into our imaginations or preferred entertainment is an unhealthy way of avoiding harsh realities. Pretending everything is okay or retreating to our favorite pastimes keeps us from facing reality head-on and finding resolution.

• We feel detached: Sometimes things can feel so bad, we withdraw ourselves entirely from the problem in an act of self-preservation. This kind of detachment can lead to us isolating ourselves entirely from outside pressure. While that may seem like a good way to protect ourselves it only makes things harder, as we’re refusing to engage the issue we’re facing directly.

Has the coronavirus pandemic’s impact left you feeling overloaded with stress? Click here to check out our recent survey results and see how others are doing.