Everyone has experienced stress from time to time. But what exactly is stress?
How does stress affect a person's overall health and what can be done to cope with the stress that occurs? What is stress?
Stress is the body's reaction to dangerous situations, both real and only in the mind.
When we feel threatened, a chemical reaction occurs in the body causing it to act to prevent injury. [1, 2, 3, 4]
This reaction is known as the stress response. When this response occurs, the body will produce large amounts of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These substances will trigger body reactions such as:[1, 3]
- Rising blood pressure
- Muscles tighten
- Perspire
- Vigilance
- Heart rate increases
- Breathing is getting faster
This is the body's conditioned way of acting in order to protect itself.
Stress can be different for everyone. The cause of stress in one person may not be something serious for another. Some people can also cope with stress better than others.
Environmental factors that trigger the stress response are called stressors. Examples such as loud noises, aggressive attitudes from others, speeding cars, scary scenes in movies, or even going on a date for the first time.
It's worth noting, not all stress is bad. In small doses, stress can help us complete tasks and prevent ourselves from getting hurt. For example, stress is something that makes us reflex step on the brakes so as not to hit the car in front of us.
Our bodies are designed to cope with small amounts of stress. However, long-term and chronic stress can make the body depressed and experience adverse consequences of overall health. [1, 2]
It is important for us to understand how the body responds to stress that is small and large, so that we know when to ask for help. Causes of Stress
Everyone shows different reactions to situations that cause stress. There are people who are prone to stress, some who are not.
It is not yet known why a stressor can cause a different reaction. Mental health conditions, such as depression, or increased frustration, and anxiety can make a person more stressed than others. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Past experiences can also affect how a person reacts to stressors.
Things in life that can trigger stress include:[2, 3, 4]
- Work or retirement issues
- Lack of time or money
- Losing someone
- Problems in the family
- Disease
- Moving house
- Marriage and divorce
Other causes that are often reported to cause stress are:
- Abortion or miscarriage
- Driving in traffic or fear of an accident
- Fear of experiencing criminal acts or problems with neighbors
- Pregnancy and parenthood
- Noise, pollution, and too many people
- Uncertainty or waiting for exam results and so on
Some people can also experience ongoing stress after a traumatic event, such as an accident or being the victim of a crime. Symptoms of Stress
Stress can affect all aspects of life, including emotions, behavior, thinking skills, and physical health.
No part of the body is immune to stress. However, because everyone copes with stress in different ways, the symptoms of stress can also be different for each person.
The symptoms of stress can be vague and similar to those caused by medical disorders. Therefore, it is important to consult on this issue with a doctor.
The following can happen when we experience stress:[1, 3] Emotional Symptoms
- Irritable, frustrated, and moody
- Feeling out of control or feeling compelled to take control
- Difficulty calming the body and mind
- Feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), loneliness, worthlessness, and depression
- Avoiding others
- Sad
- Powerless
- Perspire
- Faint
- Headache
- Abdominal pain, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
- Tense muscles and pain
- Chest pain and heart palpitations
- Insomnia
- Frequent flu and infections
- Loss of passion
- Nervous and body shaking, ears ringing, hands and feet cold and sweating
- Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing
- Jaws press against each other and teeth rub against each other
- Constantly worrying
- The mind keeps moving.
- Irregular and easy to forget activities
- Unable to focus
- Pessimist or just looking at something from the negative side
- Changes in appetite; Not tasteful at eating or even eating more than usual
- Procrastinating on work and avoiding responsibilities
- Drinking alcohol, drug use, or smoking
- Showing signs of anxiety, such as biting nails, walking back and forth, and not being able to sit quietly
- More solitude
- Frequent crying
- Having problems in personal relationships
Experiencing a little stress once in a while in life is not something to worry about. However, ongoing and chronic stress can lead to serious health problems.
Coping with the consequences of chronic stress can be quite difficult. Because the causes of long-term stress are continuous compared to the causes of acute stress, the body never gets a clear signal to return to normal function. [2]
When experiencing chronic stress, the body's reactions to protect themselves can even interfere with the immune system, digestion, cardiovascular, sleep patterns, and the reproductive system.
Over time, this continuous body strain due to stress can lead to serious health problems, such as:[1, 2]
- Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders
- Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat, heart attack, and stroke
- Obesity and eating disorders
- Menstrual problems
- Sexual dysfunction, such as impotent and premature ejaculation in men and loss of arousal in both men and women
- Skin and hair problems, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema, as well as hair loss
- Digestive problems, such as GERD, gastritis, stomach sores, and colon irritation
Doctors usually won't prescribe a doctor to deal with stress, unless there are other illnesses that need to be treated, such as depression or anxiety disorders.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe antidepressants. However, there is a risk that this drug will only cover stress instead of addressing the problem. Antidepressants can also cause side effects that will actually worsen stress, such as low libido.
The best way to deal with stress is to learn how to manage the stressors that are triggers. Coping with stress before it becomes chronic and long-term can help a person maintain his physical and mental health.
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