Juan Lucas Martín, psychologist: “Many people believe that living in a state of tiredness and tension is simply part of adult life”
The specialist warns that constant stress has become normalized and explains why more and more people feel they are living in a state of permanent alert.
Constant fatigue, difficulty disconnecting, and the feeling of always being on edge have become common experiences for many people. In a context shaped by uncertainty, work pressure, and high self-demands, stress seems to have become so embedded in everyday life that many now see it as unavoidable.
“Many people believe that living tired, tense, or constantly rushed is simply part of adult life,” clinical psychologist Juan Lucas Martín told AS. According to him, this perception has gradually taken hold, especially in societies where productivity and personal achievement are central values. The problem, he warns, is that this normalization can lead people to ignore important signals from their bodies for far too long.
Stress as a permanent state
The human body is designed to respond to stress in short bursts, not to remain in that state continuously. When pressure lasts for months or years, the nervous system can adapt to functioning at a constant level of alertness. “When stress becomes constant, the body learns to live that way,” Martín explains. “The nervous system gets used to being on alert, and the sense of internal safety is lost. Everything starts to feel like a threat.” This situation can create a persistent sense of unease that many people describe as living in “survival mode.”
Psychological patterns
In his clinical experience, the psychologist observes certain patterns that frequently appear in people living under high levels of stress. These mechanisms tend to develop gradually and often go unnoticed until exhaustion becomes evident. “There are three dynamics that show up again and again,” he explains. “The first is excessive self-demand, people who feel that nothing they do is ever enough. The second is emotional hyper-responsibility, people who take on everyone else’s problems. The third is a constant sense of uncertainty.”
When these patterns persist over time, the nervous system remains activated and the body finds it increasingly difficult to return to balance, says the psychologist, who specializes in trauma, anxiety, and emotional transformation. He will be coming to Spain to present ‘El Sentido: la ciencia de la compasión’ (The Meaning: The Science of Compassion), an experience designed to help people understand stress and ease emotional burden. The events will take place in Barcelona on April 15 and in Madrid on April 21 at Teatros Luchana.
For the specialist, one of the greatest challenges today is learning to recognize the early signs of stress before the body reaches its limit. Persistent fatigue, trouble sleeping, and a constant feeling of tension are usually warning signals the body sends long before more serious problems appear. “The problem is that when we normalize chronic stress, we stop listening to the body,” he warns. “And often we only start paying attention when more serious symptoms show up.”
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