Essay on Stress: Causes And Effects

Stress Is the body’s way of responding to the hectic lives most of us live, whether good or bad. The body releases chemicals into the bloodstream, which creates a rush of energy and strength If an individual is feeling stressed. This energy can prove useful if an individual is in physical danger. Because it enables a person’s survival instinct kicks in; it is often described as ‘fight or flight.’ In addition, stress can also have a negative effect on the body, for example: suffering from stress and leaving it unchecked can contribute to health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Stress is defined as an automatic physical response to any stimulus that requires you to adjust to change.¹

Chronic stress can cause the immune system not to perform well (Cacioppo and Freberg 2013). A weakened immune system makes it much easier for one to become sick. People who experience chronic stress are more vulnerable to infectious diseases, like the flu according to numerous studies.

According to the lecture notes in week one course material, stress is responsible for the increase in the amount of hormones such as dopamine and epinephrine that are released in the body and how they affect neurotransmitters. The notes continue to further explain that “These neurotransmitters flow through every aspect of the body and with normal hormone input that stress can put strain on the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart and as well as impact the overall immune system” leaving the body susceptible to infection and in a weakened state (GCU, 2013). The signs that I recognize in myself that I am stressed and need to address before they worsen are headaches, inability to eat, and an abnormal desire to sleep more

According to McShane and Von Glinow, stress is a physiological and psychological response to a situation that is perceived as challenging or threatening to us (2015, p. 110). The human body reacts to stress with headaches, stomach aches, diarrhea, nausea, increased heart rate and blood pressure, muscle tightness, back pain, sweating, and increased production of cortisol and adrenaline (fight or flight hormones) (Stress management - the effects of stress, 2015). If left unmanaged, stress can affect the body’s immune system to fight off infection and disease and lead to depression and anxiety. Individuals who have persistent high blood pressure and don’t manage their stress levels are more likely to have heart disease, heart attacks and strokes (McShane &

This essay discusses the importance of stress management. It covers the signs and symptoms of stress. The essay also covers some links between health and stress. Coping with stress and stress management are also discussed. Stress effects one’s cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral function and requires management in order to maintain health and daily functionality.

This is because when corticosteroids are released into the body they stop the production of lymphocytes, which leads to the thymus gland shrinking. The thymus gland is then unable to produce t-cells which play an important role in the immune system and preventing illness (T. Fowler 2015). Short term immunosuppression is not dangerous to the body, when someone is stressed short term they are more likely to fall ill with not so serious illnesses such as catching a cold or flu, suffering with headaches, and even just generally feeling run down. These are an indirect effect of stress because of immunosuppression. However long term immunosuppression will leave the body open to infections and diseases (Cardwell, Clark and Meldrum 2000) such as coronary heart disease, ulcers, and other stomach problems. This has been proven by a study conducted on medical students, they were required to give blood sample 1 month before and immediately after their exams. The results were that the naturel killer (NK) cell activity was dramatically reduced in the blood samples taken after the exams, this was even lower for participants who reported stressful life events and loneliness. This study is

The immune system is a very important part to your bodies ability to function normally. Without it, people would have no way to fight illness naturally. Some believe that stress has a positive impact on the immune system, however this is only true in the short-term, as it boosts the ability to fight off illness (Mills, Reiss, & Dombeck). When it comes to long-term stress, the immune system’s response actually decreases and leaves the body more susceptible to disease (Mills, Reiss, & Dombeck). This makes those who are stressed are much more likely to contract illnesses such as a cold or flu (Mills, Reiss, & Dombeck). During long periods of stress, hormones are released that inhibit the body's ability to make extra white blood cells to fight invaders (Mills, Reiss, and Dombeck). Because of this, the

Stress is usually experienced when we are unable to deal with increasing pressure or menace that we believe that we do not have the means to cope with. On the other hand, a stressor can be in the form of a biologic or chemical agent, ecological condition or an external stimulus that interrupts the body’s homeostasis, triggering stress response in an organism. Examples of stressors include, taking an exam, coping with the demise of a loved one, dealing with phobia, job interviews, sickness and etc. Stress can elevate one’s heart rate, breathing, decrease the activity of digestion and it also increases glucose release by the liver.

Untreated chronic stress can result in serious health conditions including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Research shows that stress can contribute to the development of major

My definition of stress is the unforeseen, surprising response of the brain, to pleasant and bothersome stimuli. Selye (1936) identifies stress to be recognized by all, but nobody comprehends what it is. All of us have been exposed to stress; however, each one of us interprets stress differently, and our coping strategies vary from individual to individual. As a matter of fact, some people get motivated with stress, and it enhances both mental and physical performances while others succumb to depression and serious medical predicaments.

There is a huge impact on the immune system when stress occurs. Physiologic stress is a chemical or physical disturbance produced by change in the external environment or within the body that brings out a response to offset that disturbance. Three components of physiologic stress include the exogenous or endogenous stressor initiating the disturbance, the chemical or physical disturbance produced by stressor and the body’s counteracting adaptation response to disturbance. Stressors include pain, trauma, and malnutrition along with responses from experiences in life like anxiety and fear that induce times of stress.

Over the years stress management has become a big factor or part in our lives and how we cope with on a daily basis can be really challenging. One of the biggest problems is learning how to recognize this problem and dealing with it. After extensive research that doctors have gone through, it is now becoming less challenging because of the new techniques and methods. Making society aware of the potential threats of stress and anxieties is basic the most basic but very effective. In this paper I will discuss what stress is; relations of stress and anxiety; types of anxieties; causes of anxiety due to stress; how to deal with anxiety; percentages of U.S population.

Stress is the body’s reaction to internal or external stimuli that upset the body’s normal state. A stimulus that causes stress that can physical, mental, or emotional. The term stress is used to refer to both the body’s reaction and the stimuli that caused it. The body’s reaction to highly stressful situations is known as the flight or fight response. Under stressful circumstances, quantities of adrenaline, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that are released into the bloodstream. This stimulates the liver to provide the body with stored carbohydrates for extra energy. It also results in quickened heartbeat and respiration, as well as increased blood pressure and muscle tension. The body is getting prepared for extraordinary exertion does not materialize, the frustrate readiness may cause headache, upset, stomach, irritability and a host of other symptoms. Stress affects mental and physical by causing problems with cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, immunology and psychiatric. Some experts say that stress alone probably does not cause illness, but it contributes to circumstances in which diseases may take hold and flourish. Stress weakens and disturbs the body’s defense mechanisms and may play a role in the development of hypertension, ulcers, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Stress exists in all aspect of our lives and careers, but certain professions have higher stress rates than others. A police officer is one of the these professions that has

Stress is also linked low fertility in one’s reproductive organs, and can cause problems during pregnancy or one’s menstrual cycle (www.everydayhealth.com). This happens when one is overwhelmed with the stress he or she is going through in their lives. No one person is the same, meaning stressors as well as stress levels differ for each individual. This is why it is hard for scientists to reach the core because it is a subjective sensation related with a variety of symptoms that differ for each of us. Because of this, stress is not always a synonym for distress. Situations like a steep roller coaster ride that cause fear and anxiety for some can prove highly pleasurable for others (www.stress.org). Each person also responds to stress differently. There are numerous physical as well as emotional responses to stress. Stress can cause an ocean of different emotions that are often times unpredictable. It can have wide ranging effects on people’s emotions, mood and behavior (www.stress.org). Stress has said to have been America’s number one leading health problem. It has been shown that stress levels have escalated in children, teenagers, college students and the elderly for reasons that of which have lead to: increased crime, violence, and other threats to personal safety; pernicious peer pressures that lead to substance abuse and other unhealthy life style habits; social isolation and loneliness; the erosion of family and religious