Stress

Stress is a normal reaction the body has when changes occur. It can respond to these
changes physically, mentally, or emotionally.

What is stress?

Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response.
The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.
Stress is a normal part of life. You can experience stress from your environment, your
body, and your thoughts. Even positive life changes such as a promotion, a mortgage,
or the birth of a child produce stress.

How does stress affect health?

The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be
positive, keeping us alert, motivated, and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes
negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation
between stressors. As a result, the person becomes overworked, and stress-related
tension builds. The body's autonomic nervous system has a built-in stress response that
causes physiological changes to allow the body to combat stressful situations. This
stress response, also known as the "fight or flight response", is activated in case of an
emergency. However, this response can become chronically activated during prolonged
periods of stress. Prolonged activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on
the body – both physical and emotional.

Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress – a negative
stress reaction. Distress can disturb the body's internal balance or equilibrium, leading
to physical symptoms such as headaches, an upset stomach, elevated blood pressure,
chest pain, sexual dysfunction, and problems sleeping. Emotional problems can also
result from distress. These problems include depression, panic attacks, or other forms
of anxiety and worry. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain
symptoms or diseases. Stress is linked to 6 of the leading causes of death: heart
disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.

Stress also becomes harmful when people engage in the compulsive use of substances
or behaviors to try to relieve their stress. These substances or behaviors include food,
alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling, sex, shopping, and the Internet. Rather than relieving
the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state, these substances and compulsive
behaviors tend to keep the body in a stressed state and cause more problems. The
distressed person becomes trapped in a vicious circle.

What are the warning signs of stress?

Chronic stress can wear down the body's natural defenses, leading to a variety of
physical symptoms, including the following:

 Dizziness or a general feeling of "being out of it."

 General aches and pains.

 Grinding teeth, clenched jaw.

 Headaches.

 Indigestion or acid reflux symptoms.

 Increase in or loss of appetite.

 Muscle tension in neck, face or shoulders.

 Problems sleeping.

 Racing heart.

 Cold and sweaty palms.

  Tiredness, exhaustion.

 Trembling/shaking.

 Weight gain or loss.

 Upset stomach, diarrhea.

 Sexual difficulties.

Tips for reducing stress

People can learn to manage stress and lead happier, healthier lives. You may want to
begin with the following tips:

 Keep a positive attitude.

 Accept that there are events that you cannot control.

 Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs

instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.

 Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga, or tai-chi.

 Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.

 Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.

 Learn to manage your time more effectively.

 Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive
stress in your life.

 Make time for hobbies and interests.

 Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful
events.

 Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.

 Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you love.
  Seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional trained in
stress management or biofeedback techniques to learn more healthy ways of
dealing with the stress in your life.

Types of Stress

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recognize two types of stress: acute and
chronic. These require different levels of management.

The NIMH also identify three examples of types of stressor:

 routine stress, such as childcare, homework, or financial responsibilities

 sudden, disruptive changes, such as a family bereavement or finding out about a

job loss

 traumatic stress, which can occur due to extreme trauma as a result of a severe
accident, an assault, an environmental disaster, or war

Acute stress

This type of stress is short-term and usually the more common form of stress. Acute
stress often develops when people consider the pressures of events that have recently
occurred or face upcoming challenges in the near future.

For example, a person may feel stressed about a recent argument or an upcoming
deadline. However, the stress will reduce or disappear once a person resolves the
argument or meets the deadline.

Acute stressors are often new and tend to have a clear and immediate solution. Even
with the more difficult challenges that people face, there are possible ways to get out of
the situation.
Acute stress does not cause the same amount of damage as long-term, chronic stress.
Short-term effects include tension headaches and an upset stomach, as well as a
moderate amount of distress.

However, repeated instances of acute stress over an extended period can become
chronic and harmful.

Chronic stress

This type of stress develops over a long period and is more harmful.

Ongoing poverty, a dysfunctional family, or an unhappy marriage are examples of

situations that can cause chronic stress. It occurs when a person can see no way to
avoid their stressors and stops seeking solutions. A traumatic experience early in life
may also contribute to chronic stress.

Chronic stress makes it difficult for the body to return to a normal level of stress
hormone activity, which can contribute to problems in the following systems:

 cardiovascular

 respiratory

 sleep

 immune

 reproductive

A constant state of stress can also increase a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes, high
blood pressure, and heart disease. Depression, anxiety, and other mental health
disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can develop when stress
becomes chronic.
Chronic stress can continue unnoticed, as people can become used to feeling agitated
and hopeless. It can become part of an individual’s personality, making them constantly
prone to the effects of stress regardless of the scenarios that they encounter.

People with chronic stress are at risk of having a final breakdown that can lead to
suicide, violent actions, a heart attack, or stroke.

Causes

People react differently to stressful situations. What is stressful for one person may not
be stressful for another, and almost any event can potentially cause stress. For some
people, just thinking about a trigger or several smaller triggers can cause stress.

There is no identifiable reason why one person may feel less stressed than another
when facing the same stressor. Mental health conditions, such as depression, or a
building sense of frustration, injustice, and anxiety can make some people feel stressed
more easily than others.

Previous experiences may affect how a person reacts to stressors.

Common major life events that can trigger stress include:

 job issues or retirement

 lack of time or money

 bereavement

 family problems

 illness

 moving home

 relationships, marriage, and divorce

Other commonly reported causes of stress are:

  abortion or pregnancy loss

 driving in heavy traffic or fear of an accident

 fear of crime or problems with neighbors

 pregnancy and becoming a parent

 excessive noise, overcrowding, and pollution

 uncertainty or waiting for an important outcome

Some people experience ongoing stress after a traumatic event, such as an accident or
some kind of abuse. Doctors will diagnose this as PTSD.

Those who work in stressful jobs, such as the military or the emergency services, will
have a debriefing session following a major incident, and occupational healthcare
services will monitor them for PTSD.

Symptoms and complications

The physical effects of stress can include:

 sweating
 pain in the back or chest
 cramps or muscle spasms
 fainting
 headaches
 nervous twitches
 pins and needles sensations

A 2012 study found that the stressors that parents experience, such as financial
troubles or managing a single-parent household, may also lead to obesity in their
children.

Emotional reactions can include:

 anger
  burnout
 concentration issues
 fatigue
 a feeling of insecurity
 forgetfulness
 irritability
 nail biting
 restlessness
 sadness

Stress-associated behaviors include:

 food cravings and eating too much or too little

 sudden angry outbursts
 drug and alcohol misuse
 higher tobacco consumption
 social withdrawal
 frequent crying
 relationship problems

If stress becomes chronic, it can lead to several complications, including

 anxiety
 depression
 heart disease
 high blood pressure
 lower immunity against diseases
 muscular aches
 PTSD
 sleeping difficulties
 stomach upset
 erectile dysfunction (impotence) and loss of libido