Skip to main content

What Is Psychological Stress And How Can It Affect You?

Despite widespread public opinion that psychological stress causes disease, the medical community is still skeptical of this assumption. This commentary will explore the possible biological underpinnings of psychological stress and outline the relationship of psychological stress in 4 specific disease processes: psychological, physiological, behavioral, and substance abuse or dependence. We will critically review the literature concerning these illnesses. Our purpose is to explore the relationship between psychological stress and these illnesses as this relationship has been studied in previous research. We conclude our investigation by describing the current state of knowledge regarding the biological underpinnings of psychological stress and discussing the potential for future research.

Psychological Stress

When assessing psychological stress, clinicians assess the person's responses to stressors, their physiological responses to stress, and their behavioral responses to stress and use these assessments to determine the nature of the stressor and its relationship to the patient. Psychological stress manifests itself in a wide variety of ways. Common symptoms are anxiety, irritability, insomnia, moodiness, and depression. These reactions are commonly associated with other health disorders such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

There are a number of potential mechanisms through which psychological stress can exert its influence on the body. One such mechanism is the potential for negative emotional states to cause changes in the functioning of internal organs such as the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. Stressful experiences have been identified as causing increases in blood pressure and decreases in heart rate among persons with hypertension. Among persons with a history of headache disorder onset, those with higher levels of psychological stress had greater risks of developing headache disorder onset. Although other mechanisms have been suggested for the link between psychological stress and headache, increased blood pressure and decreased heart rate are the most compelling.

Psychological stress can alter the normal functioning of the stress regulatory system. When an individual is under significant psychological stress, their bodies begin to adapt to the increased stress by down regulating the secretion of certain hormones and increasing the production of others. The increased stress level can result in hormonal imbalance, decreased immunity, and the over-stimulation of inflammatory pathways. In addition, psychological stress alters the balance of neurotransmitters such as cortisol and adrenaline. Together, these changes lead to the over-production of certain chemicals such as Adrenalin and nor epinephrine.

Individuals with psychological stress may also exhibit signs of depression. Depression can exacerbate the physical symptoms of psychological stress in many individuals. Some researchers believe that the degree of depression differs between individuals experiencing mild and severe psychological stress. People who are experiencing more severe psychological stress tend to exhibit symptoms of clinical depression. Individuals suffering from mild psychological stress tend to display symptoms of mild depression. A number of researchers suggest that psychological stress has links to the development of both heart disease and depression.

Overcoming the impact of psychological stress can be challenging for individuals who suffer from it. Individuals may attempt to reduce the impact of psychological stress through coping mechanisms such as alcohol or drug abuse. However, drug abuse often exacerbates the emotional symptoms of psychological stress. Moreover, individuals may turn to self-medication to alleviate the negative impact of psychological stress. Although medication may provide temporary relief from symptoms of psychological stress, it can have detrimental effects in the long run. For example, individuals who become addicted to prescription medications often develop addictions and require higher dosages to achieve the same effect.

Many individuals seek the assistance of healthcare professionals such as psychologists and psychiatrists to help them deal with the emotional and physical ramifications of psychological stress. These professionals can offer many helpful tips and advice regarding how to manage psychological stress effectively. Individuals suffering from psychological stress may benefit from regular exercise and good nutrition. Some healthcare professionals recommend meditation as a natural tool to help cope with the impact of psychological stress. Individuals who exhibit symptoms of depression may benefit from daily activities such as yoga and meditation.

It is important to be aware that the impact of psychological stress can be profound and must be addressed early on. This condition can have an enormous effect on an individual's quality of life. If you are exhibiting any symptoms of psychological stress, it is imperative that you seek treatment immediately. Your healthcare professional will be able to assist you in both finding a solution to your problem and the modification of unhealthy behavior to improve your overall health.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

How a Classroom Climate Can Affect Stress Reduction

Mindfulness based stress reduction is an eight-week proof-based therapeutic program which provides intensive, mindfulness-based daily meditation and relaxation training to help people cope with chronic stress, burnout, anxiety and chronic pain. Developed by Dr. Michael J. Cole, Ph.D., this program is specifically designed to reduce the root causes of stress and to create lasting change in a person's relationship with their body, mind, and spirit. It uses mindfulness as the framework for transforming these three states and provides students with a powerful understanding of how to connect the physical, emotional, and spiritual realms. As part of the mindful based stress reduction curriculum, students are given extensive clinical instruction by Dr. Cole, along with a range of clinical practice exercises. During their clinical visits, Dr. Cole and his team of trained consultants assess each student's needs, helping them develop tailored programs based on their personal needs. The f...
Read more

What Allergies Look Like and Symptoms of Allergies

Symptoms of allergies generally include: Swelling of the eyes, face, ears. Dizziness. Sneezing. Runningny nose. Watery, red and itchy eyes. Allergic reactions to allergens are caused by an allergic reaction to the allergen. Common allergies include dust, pollen, cat, dog, food, latex and many other environmental irritants. Food allergy reactions may include eczema, hives, vomiting and swelling of the face, lips and tongue. Skin rash may also occur. These can range from mild to severe. The symptoms of allergies may be evident after several days or several weeks. In some cases, people who suffer with allergies may not have any known risk factors for allergies before they develop them. However, it is very important to have a complete medical history, including medical history of siblings. The immunological factors responsible for allergies and their development are also important to be considered along with other factors such as age, sex, family medical history and environmental condition...
Read more

How to Cure Early Stage Anxiety Stress Hives

Early Stages Of Anxiety Attacks are considered to be the worst-case scenario for sufferers. There's no need to worry because it can be treated. During early stages, the body is in its calmmost state. However, during this time the body releases calming chemicals known as endorphins to make us feel good and relaxed. These endorphins come from the adrenal glands, which are located in our back and on the front of the kidneys. The problem starts when the level of these chemicals become too high and they cause side effects. One of them is that it could trigger an attack. At this stage, we experience muscle spasms, a pounding heart, shaking, and other manifestations that seem to be a result of stress. This leaves us with a very anxious feeling. The only thing we can do at this point is to calm down. This is also the stage where most people start smoking marijuana to relieve themselves of the stress. When this stage is left behind, the sufferer has no other option but to carry on. But ther...
Read more

Is Depression Associated With Cardiac Arrest?

One of the most common complaints experienced by patients with coronary artery disease is chest pain with stress. Stress and anxiety can result in a variety of symptoms, from shortness of breath to heart palpitations and chest pain. The exact mechanism involved in this condition is unknown, but it is believed to occur due to increased blood flow to the stressed area. While increasing blood flow is indeed one of the potential causes, the exact mechanism(s) are not known. Stress itself may cause an increase in pulse rate, coronary venous reflux, and left ventricular compression, which all appear to be associated with coronary atherosclerosis. Patients with coronary artery disease who suffer from chest pain with stress exhibit increased cardiac morbidity, increased risk of major organ failure, increased mortality, and increased disability. The increased blood flow to the stressed area results in increased metabolism of glucose and amino acids. This increase in energy levels stimulate an i...
Read more

What You Need For a Healthy Diet

Nutrition is the biological and physical process by which an organism utilizes food to support its normal existence. It involves absorption, metabolism, assimilation, production, and disposal. There are seven metabolic processes in nutrition that include absorption, metabolism, synthesis, distribution, utilization, and elimination. Each of these processes occurs in all animals and most plants. In terms of dietary nutrition, what matters are the quantity of the nutrients and the balance of nutrients between the different categories of elements. What matters in human nutrition is a balance of sugar (sucrose) with fats, proteins, carbohydrates and non-nutrient vitamins? The nutrition label for foods lists all of these in the quantity and percentage that are indicated for a particular food. In nutrition, nutrients are separated into three categories based on their chemical nature. These categories are known as macro minerals, trace minerals and non-nutritive vitamins. A macro mineral is on...
Read more