24 May All the Ways Stress Can Impact Your Life
You’ve heard the adage. Death and taxes are the only two certain things in this world. But we’d like to add one more thing – stress.
Fortunately, stress isn’t always bad. There is such a thing as good stress, believe it or not. In the long term, however, excess stress can be bothersome, unhealthy and downright harmful.
Varun Monga, MD, a psychiatrist at Banner Health, offered his insight into what stress is and how stress may be affecting you in more ways than you realize. Additionally, he discussed helpful options for decreasing stress when the pressure builds up.
What is stress?
Recognizing stress is a vital skill in taking back control. Dr. Monga described stress as “a state of worry and mental tension caused by a difficult situation.” He went on to explain that everyone deals with stress from time to time, especially during times of change. It’s how our bodies respond to that stress that can cause problems.
How is stress impacting your life?
Stress may feel like just a mental hardship. But the truth is that it can reach into every aspect of your life, including your physical health. Dr. Monga outlined three places to look out for stress.
Mental health
Researchers have even found a link between consistent stress with an increased risk of developing anxiety or depression. Worsening mental health can trigger unhealthy behaviors which will only serve to make the situation more difficult, such as binge eating, alcohol use, smoking, drug abuse, etc. If you notice these sorts of habits creeping into your life, seek help from your primary care physician or a behavioral health specialist immediately.
Even mild stress can alter our moods in the short term. But long-term exposure can trigger a stress hormone, cortisol, which can actually change the structure of the brain over time. Cortisol can inhibit areas of the brain that regulate emotions and cause drastic mood swings and irritability.
Common mental and behavioral symptoms include:
Anxiety
Lack of motivation
Irritability
Depression
Difficulty focusing
Restlessness
Mood swings
Racing thoughts
Decreased physical activity
Physical health
That heightened sense of readiness (“fight or flight response”) that comes during stress is supported by physical reactions in the body. You may feel a rapid heart rate when you’re stressed, or you may begin to sweat. When stress is present in the body constantly, it can lead to real issues. Dr. Monga explained that high blood pressure, heart attacks, an increased chance for arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythms) and many other heart conditions can result from prolonged stress.
Have you ever been so stressed that you feel sick to your stomach? Excess chronic stress can lead to gastrointestinal issues, endocrine (hormonal) issues or a weakened immune system.
It’s important to remember that everything in your body is connected. When your brain is under extra pressure, that can impact your overall physical well-being. Unfortunately, when physical symptoms begin to pop up, more stressors are piled on. Addressing excess stress early is the best way to avoid escalation.
Common physical symptoms of stress include:
Depleted energy
Nausea
Difficulty with restful sleep
Muscle tension
Frequent illness
Chest pain
Headaches
Fatigue
Relationships
It’s difficult to be mentally present during stressful times. Even casual conversation can feel like a burden. While your loved ones may be patient and understand the pressure you’re experiencing, feeling cut off from these relationships can be damaging for you and the people in your life.
Support from loved ones and professionals may be just the thing to keep you grounded in reality. Reaching out to others during stressful times may feel difficult, but these people want to help. You may be surprised by how much better you feel after expressing yourself to people who care about you.
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