The Health Ramifications of Stress Can Be Serious If Not Taken
Seriously
There are hundreds of websites available that medically explain all of
the chemical changes that occur in the brain and the body when a person
is subjected to normal, sudden or harmful forms of stressors. Rather
than bore you with all of the medical terminology, suffice it to say
that massive amounts of chemical reactions or changes occur within the
human brain and the body when a person has to deal with any of these
issues. If you have to deal with numerous issues at the same time or are
chronically in stressful situations, these changes can and do cause
long-term medical problems.
The “experts” tell us that there are three basic stages of stress. The
first is alarm. This is when a threat or stressful situation is
identified and the body reacts “normally” to that threat. The usual
reaction to an unpleasant or harmful stimuli is the fight or flight
response. The adrenaline in the body instantly rises, bringing about an
increase in your heart rate, sweaty palms/hands, increased breathing and
a reactionary response. You cannot control these physical changes. They
happen automatically.
Your second response is resistance. When the stressful situation
continues or does not instantly disappear then you will try to find a
way to cope with the situation. Sometimes this is to deny the event or
situation is stressful and that you can handle it. Many people can
handle the unexpected or stressful situations; however, what they do not
realize is that if this strain on your life continues, your body will
start to make adaptations without you even realizing it. The body cannot
undergo these types of changes or adaptations indefinitely. If you do
not find a healthy way to release the stress, your body will begin to
break down its natural defenses. The body’s natural immune systems will
begin to suffer. You may find yourself feeling run down, tired, unable
to fight off a common cold or realize that you are getting headaches
that are more frequent. You may also begin to feel your muscles tighten,
especially in the back and neck areas.
In the third stage, which is categorized as exhaustion, all of your
body’s natural resources are eventually depleted. The autonomic nervous
system starts to respond and you may find yourself once again with the
fight or flight feelings. Your heart rate increases, you cannot sleep,
and the moodiness or changes of mood increase in frequency as well as
intensity. When the third stage lasts for an extended period of time,
you will probably find yourself with such issues as indigestion,
depression, major anxiety, increased blood pressure, ulcers, and
cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and strokes. When the
body’s natural immune systems begin to deteriorate, you can find that
even a cold or small cut can turn into a major medical issue to deal
with. Since the immune system is not functioning properly, it cannot
fight a cold efficiently. Your chance of getting an infection increases
substantially and fighting said infection becomes extremely difficult.
Restful sleep becomes a thing of the past that you can only wish for.
Do not despair; there are things that can be done in order to combat the
physical and emotional tolls that stress takes on the body. |
