STRESS Short and long term effects STRESS Stress

STRESS Short and long term effects

STRESS • Stress can cause immediate problems with your body but can also have long-term effects too. Stress can start out as mild, intensify to chronic, and then you may suffer from acute stress. • People believe they that stress is a way of life and can’t be changed but that is not true. Short-term effects of stress are headaches, back pain, and pain in your neck and shoulders. You may feel dizzy or sick to your stomach. Your heart rate will increase and you might begin to sweat. You may experience heart palpitations or arrhythmia problems. You may hyperventilate or have an asthma attack. You also may break out in hives, or have recurring attacks of eczema, psoriasis, and arthritis. These are usually made worse when stress levels rise.

• Short-term effects of stress will divert your blood supply from the vital organs that need them the most. It may cause breathlessness, dry mouth, and excessive sweating. You may have severe stomach problems, either diarrhea or constipation, often with stomach pains. You may have problems with a decreased sex drive, difficulty in concentrating on tasks, and increased irritability

LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF STRESS • include more serious problems. Being under constant stress can increase your risks of serious health problems. Your immune system is compromised and your body isn’t able to fight off such common problems such as flu or cold symptoms. A compromised immune system often increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer. • Stress may also age your body prematurely. If you look at photos of past presidents, you can see the effects of stress reflecting in their faces and hair usually has turned much grayer. Effects of chronic stress include memory problems, feelings of isolation, and trouble sleeping. Unless steps are taken to offset the effects of stress, severe emotional and physical problems may develop

EFFECTS OF CHRONIC STRESS • The body doesn’t distinguish between physical and psychological threats. When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be “on” most of the time. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the easier it is to trip and the harder it is to shut off. • Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Longterm stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

THINGS THAT INFLUENCE YOUR STRESS TOLERANCE LEVEL • Your support network – A strong network of supportive friends and family members is an enormous buffer against life’s stressors. On the flip side, the more lonely and isolated you are, the greater your vulnerability to stress. • Your sense of control – If you have confidence in yourself and your ability to influence events and persevere through challenges, it’s easier to take stress in stride. People who are vulnerable to stress tend to feel like things are out of their control. • Your attitude and outlook – Stress-hardy people have an optimistic attitude. They tend to embrace challenges, have a strong sense of humor, accept that change is a part of life, and believe in a higher power or purpose. • Your ability to deal with your emotions. You’re extremely vulnerable to stress if you don’t know how to calm and soothe yourself when you’re feeling sad, angry, or afraid. The ability to bring your emotions into balance helps you bounce back from adversity. • Your knowledge and preparation – The more you know about a stressful situation, including how long it will last and what to expect, the easier it is to cope. For example, if you go into surgery with a realistic picture of what to expect post-op, a painful recovery will be less traumatic than if you were expecting to bounce back immediately.

AM I IN CONTROL OF STRESS OR IS STRESS CONTROLLING ME? • When I feel agitated, do I know how to quickly calm and soothe myself? • Can I easily let go of my anger? • Can I turn to others at work to help me calm down and feel better? • When I come home at night, do I walk in the door feeling alert and relaxed? • Am I seldom distracted or moody? • Am I able to recognize upsets that others seem to be experiencing? • Do I easily turn to friends or family members for a calming influence? • When my energy is low, do I know how to boost it?

STRESS WARNING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS • Cognitive Symptom • Memory problems • Inability to concentrate • Poor judgment • Seeing only the negative • Anxious or racing thoughts • Constant worrying • ms

EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS • Moodiness • Irritability or short temper • Agitation, inability to relax • Feeling overwhelmed • Sense of loneliness and isolation • Depression or general unhappiness

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS • Aches and pains • Diarrhea or constipation • Nausea, dizziness • Chest pain, rapid heartbeat • Loss of sex drive • Frequent colds

BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS • Eating more or less • Sleeping too much or too little • Isolating yourself from others • Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities • Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax • Nervous habits (e. g. nail biting, pacing)

STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS • A strong support network is your greatest protection against stress. When you have trusted friends and family members you know you can count on, life’s pressures don’t seem as overwhelming. So spend time with the people you love and don’t let your responsibilities keep you from having a social life. If you don’t have any close relationships, or your relationships are the source of your stress, make it a priority to build stronger and more satisfying connections. • Tips for reaching out and building relationships: • Help someone else by volunteering. • Have lunch or coffee with a co-worker. • Call or email an old friend. • Go for a walk with a workout buddy. • Schedule a weekly dinner date • Take a class or join a club.

LEARN HOW TO RELAX • You can’t completely eliminate stress from your life, but you can control how much it affects you. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. When practiced regularly, these activities lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels and a boost in your feelings of joy and serenity. They also increase your ability to stay calm and collected under pressure.

WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF LONG-TERM STRESS ON THE BODY? • Long-term stress or chronic stress can lead to some severe physical and psychological damage to your body. It can even develop into some long-term disorders like depression or an anxiety disorder. Chronic stress can lead to heart disease or unstable angina. Angina leads to pain in your chest brought which is caused by insufficient supply of oxygen. It can even trigger a heart attack. If you are under an enormous amount of stress it can lead to high blood pressure problems. If you have induced high blood pressure, then you are increasing your risk for a stroke. Long-term stress can drag down your immune system and make you vulnerable to infection, including colds and the flu. If you have prolonged stress, then you may have to suffer from digestive problems, such as constipation and diarrhea. It can even lead to irritable bowel syndrome. These digestive problems can make you more predisposed to get peptic ulcers. People who have lots of stress can turn to comfort eating. However the problem with this is that it leads to obesity. It could have the opposite effect and make you lose your appetite and lose weight. Long-term stress may also cause diabetes. If you have any type of chronic pain like arthritis, then chronic stress may exacerbate the problem even further. Chronic stress can lead to a decrease in sexual desire. It may even lead to erectile dysfunction or reproductive problems. A few of the physiological effects of stress are cancer, diabetes, sluggish immune system, alcohol, substance abuse and cardiovascular disease. As you can see, stress effects on the body are numerous and potentially dangerous. It is important to learn to manage your stress.