The five emotional signs of stress are:
Anxiety. You have extreme worry, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, panic attacks, displaying withdrawal symptoms, among others.
Depression. Research suggests that stress plays an important role in depression. How you handle stress, however, determines whether it could trigger depression. Factors such as genetics and biology also determine the extent of depression after a stressful event.
Anger, mood swings, and irritability. While occasional mood swings are normal, they can indicate an underlying disease when they are extreme and interfere with daily norms. Mood swings can include periods of intense anger, irritability, sadness, or withdrawal.
Memory and concentration problems. If you are having trouble remembering things, stress could be the cause. A study examining the effects of stress-response pathways in the brain and long-term memory showed hormones produced after a stressful event impaired memory.
Addictive/compulsive behavior. Research investigating the effect of chronic stress on drug use and addiction concluded stress levels in the brain promote addictive behaviors.