There are various psychological effects of stress on human body and mind. Stress can be defined as our body’s response to anything. Stress is any change that causes emotional, physical and psychological strain. Stress is an undesirable condition. People face stress due to the problems they are facing in their life. Some people face stress on daily basis . Stress have negative affects on our health. We might not realize it but stress symptoms badly affect our health.We blame illness for the irritating headache, decreased productivity at work and frequent insomnia. But the actual cause is the stress.Stress symptoms can affect our feelings, body and thoughts. Stress that is left untreated can cause many health problems,such as diabetes, blood pressure and obesity.
Common effects of stress
| On your body | On your mood | On your behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Chest pain | Restlessness | Overeating |
| Stomach upset | Irritability and anger | Tobacco use |
| Headache | Feeling overwhelmed | Angry outbursts |
| Sleep problems | Sadness and depression | Social withdrawal |
| Change in sex drive | Anxiety | Drug and alcohol misuse |
| Muscle tension and pain | Lack of motivation | Exercise less often |
Act to manage stress
Taking steps to manage the stress symptoms can have various health benefits. Look stress management strategies such as:
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Spending more time with friends and family.
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Getting Physical activity on daily bases.
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Giving some time to hobbies such as listening to music and reading a book.
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Practicing different relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, massage or yoga.
Try to find active ways to handle the stress. Inactive ways to handle the stress such as surfing the internet, watching televisions or playing video games for a little time they seem relaxing ,but they may increase the stress over the long period. Eat a balanced and healthy diet and be sure to get plenty of sleep. Avoid excess caffeine, tobacco use , use of illegal substances and alcohol.
Summary
Taking steps to manage the stress symptoms can have various health benefits. Spending more time with friends and family can reduce our stress.
Psychological Stress
In psychology stress is a feeling of emotional pressure and pain. Stress is a kind of psychological pain. Small amounts of stress may be beneficial and even healthy. We can identify the negative stress. The stress affects us psychologically.
Eustress is a term used for good stress. Good stress can actually be beneficial to us. Unlike distress or bad stress , eustress can help with focus, energy, performance and motivation. Bad stress causes concern, a decrease in performance and anxiety. It can lead to more serious problems if not treated.
Psychological stress effects
It is obvious that the long-term effects of a stress can spoil or damage our health. Stress negatively impact our lives. Stress can cause physical conditions such as digestive issues, headaches and sleep disturbances. It can also cause psychological strains such as depression, anxiety, headaches and confusions.
According to the American Psychological Association unchecked chronic stress or any type of stress that is constant and lasts over an longer period of time can result in weakened immune system and high blood pressure. It also causes the development of heart diseases and obesity.
Psychological stress signs
There is a distinction between an actual stress and a stressor. A stressor can be a place, situation or a person that is causing stress. Stress is the response to a combination of those stressors. There are various number of situations that can cause stress. Dr. Gary Brown, a psychotherapist says some of the stressors include:
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Health Issues
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Moving to a new place
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Relationship conflicts with family members and friends
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Increasing work responsibilities
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Financial Issues
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Increasing demands
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Loss of a caring and loved one
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Exposure to the traumatic incidents such as violent crime or a car accident.
The first step to manage the stress and its adverse effects is knowing how to spot the signs of stress. Some of the more common psychological, physical and emotional signs of chronic or a long lasting stress include:
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High blood pressure
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Persistent thoughts about stressors
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Fatigue
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Changes in behavior include feelings of sadness, loss of emotional control, inability to rest, self-medication and social withdrawal.
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Difficulty in sleeping
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Poor problem-solving ability
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Feeling overwhelmed
Summary
In psychology stress is a feeling of emotional pressure and pain. Stress is a kind of psychological pain. It is obvious that the long-term effects of a stress can spoil or damage our health. There is a distinction between an actual stress and a stressor.
How does stress impact our health?
Stress is experienced by everyone. Despite being having many negative effects ,stress in itself is not an illness. But there are connections between mental health conditions and stress including anxiety, depression psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder. Stress links to the mental health. The more we comprehend the stress the more we can handle it. In this article we examine the science of mental health and stress.
Fight or flight
Stress causes physical alterations in the body. It increases breathing and heart rate. Short-term memory becomes effective. This stress is prepared by the body for “fight or flight” when we have a danger. Its response has evolved to keep us safe when we sense danger. Thinking skills improve as stress enhances, so in short stress can be a good thing. It can help us prepare for a job interview, sports match or exam. The body returns to its normal state after a stressful event.
Long-term stress
Various situations can Cause a stress response in the body. Changes at work, accidents, illness, problems with relationships money, housing or family can all cause stress. Daily hassles can make us feel stressed. We are unable to control and predict what is happening to us and so our body goes into a state of increased changes. When the stress response becomes chronic it has a many different effect to the short bursts that increased the body’s abilities.
In most cases the stress response controlling system is no longer able to return to its normal state. Memory, attention and the way we deal with feelings are negatively impacted.
The long term stress can contribute to both mental and physical illness through effects on the immune, heart, hormones acting on the brain and metabolic functions. Some of the behavioral and emotional symptoms of stress interconnected with those of mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. This can make it hard to differentiate where one ends and the other begins, or which came first. Someone who is stressed may feel down, worried, angry and irritable.
What are effects of stress on our body parts and their functioning?
Stress have various effects on body parts. Functions and effects of various body parts under the stress are following:
Digestive system
In stress, our liver produces extra blood sugar glucose to give you a energy. If we are under long term stress our body may not be able to keep up with this excess glucose surge. long term stress may increase our risk of developing type 2 diabetes
The rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and more amount of hormones can also upset our digestive system. We are more probably to have acid reflux and heartburn. Stress doesn’t cause ulcers but it can increase our risk for them and cause existing ulcers to act up.
Stress can affect the way food moves through our body leading to constipation. We might also experience vomiting, nausea or a stomachache.
Sexuality and Reproductive system
Stress is exhausting for both the mind and body. It is not strange to lose our urge when we are in constant stress. Although short-term stress may cause men to produce more of the hormone testosterone, this effect doesn’t end.If stress continues for a large period, a man’s testosterone levels can start to drop. This can cause erectile dysfunction or interfere with the sperm production. Long term or Chronic stress may also enhance the risk of infection for male reproductive organs like the testes and prostate.
Respiratory and Cardiovascular system
Stress hormones affect our cardiovascular and respiratory system. During the stress response, we breathe speedily in an effort to rapidly distribute oxygen-rich blood to our body. If we already have a breathing issue such as emphysema,or asthma stress can make it even difficult o breathe.
In stress, our heart also pumps speedily. Stress hormones divert more oxygen to our muscles and cause our blood vessels to constrict, so we’ll have more energy to take action. But this also increases our blood pressure. Long term or Chronic stress will make our heart work too difficult for too long. When our blood pressure increases, risks for having a heart attack or stroke also increases.
Central Nervous system and Endocrine system
Our central nervous system is in charge of our “fight or flight” response. In our brain, the hypothalamus, telling our adrenal glands to release the stress hormones cortiso and adrenaline . These hormones increases our heartbeat and send blood rushing to the areas that need it badly in an emergency, such as our heart, muscles, and other necessary organs.
When the fear that is perceived is gone, the hypothalamus should tell systems to return in a normal state. If the stressor doesn’t go away, or if the central nervous system fails to return to normal, the response will continue.
The Immune system
Another link between mental health and stress is the immune system. The immune system is activated during the stress response, helping to keep us safe. But the long-term stress and longer activation of the immune system could negatively affect the brain functions. A long term activation of the immune system is linked with the depression.Researchers are working to comprehend how in some people this activation can lead to mental illness and depression. 30 percent of people with depression and anxiety have enhanced immune activity in the body. Researchers are also working to find out if anti-inflammatory drugs might help people with this kind of stress.
The biology of mental health and stress
The long term and chronic stress enhances the risk of developing anxiety and depression. Researchers founds that the first response to stress occurs in the brain within in seconds of sensing a ‘stressor’. Chemicals which signal between neurotransmitters are released. These include adernaline and serotonin. After this, stress hormones are released,which affect areas of the brain key for regulating emotions and memory.
Researchers are also examining how these systems are involved in depression and anxiety, mentioning a biochemical link between mental illness and stress. Long-term stress can alter the structure of the brain, especially in areas supporting memory and learning.
Summary
Stress is experienced by everyone. It causes physical alterations in the body. It increases breathing and heart rate. It have various effects on body parts.
What are the symptoms of stress?
Stress can affect all areas of our life. Psychological symptoms of stress including changes in our behaviors, emotions , physical health and thinking ability. No part of our body is immune. But, because people tackle the stress differently so the symptoms of can change. We may experience any kind of the following symptoms of stress.
Physical Symptoms
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Insomnia
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Rapid heart beat and chest pain
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Pains, aches and tense muscles
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Often infections and cold
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Loss of sexual ability
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Low energy
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Difficulty in swallowing
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Shaking and nervousness
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Grinding teeth and clenched jaw
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Upset stomach including constipation, nausea and diarrhea.
Cognitive symptoms
Cognitive symptoms of stress are:
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Disorganization and forgetfulness
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Inability to concentrate
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Poor judgement about things
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Persistent worrying
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Seeing only the negative aspects
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Racing thoughts
Emotional symptoms
Emotional symptoms of stress are:
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Becoming easily frustrated, moody and agitated.
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Feeling overwhelmed
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Loosing control
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Having difficulty quieting and relaxing the mind
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Avoiding family members and friends
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Feeling bad about the self, worthless and lonely
Behavioral symptoms
Behavioral symptoms of stress are:
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Avoiding responsibilities and procrastinating
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Increased use of drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.
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Changes in the appetite,either eating too much or not eating
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Exhibiting nervous behaviors such as fidgeting, pacing and nail biting.
Summary
Some symptoms of the stress are :Insomnia, rapid heart beat and chest pain, pains, aches and tense muscles, feeling overwhelmed, loosing control, having difficulty quieting and relaxing the mind etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is an example of social stress?
Social stress can be defined as a situation which threatens one’s sense of belonging within a group dyad or larger social context. Social stressors can elicit raise in self conscious feelings such as embarassment and shame. -
How to get rid of social stress?
Slow and stop down: Don’t react when you have feelings of social anxiety. Do few relaxation exercises or practice medication. By remaining busy in these adaptive behaviors will break the cycle between runaway emotions and anxious thoughts. -
Why am I stressing for no reason?
Stress can be caused by various aspects: brain chemistry, environmental factors and genetics. Symptoms of the anxiety can be decreased with anti-anxiety medication. But people may still experience some stress with medication. -
Are bananas good for stress?
Taking potassium-rich foods in diet like bananas and pumpkin seeds may help to decrease the symptom of stress and anxiety. -
What causes constant stress?
Some potential causes of long-term stress are: -
Financial difficulties
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Pressure of work
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Relationship issues
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Loss of loved ones
Conclusion
There are various psychological effects of stress on human body and mind. Stress is any change that causes emotional, physical and psychological strain. Stress is an undesirable condition. In psychology stress is a feeling of emotional pressure and pain. Stress is a kind of psychological pain. Small amounts of stress may be beneficial and even healthy. It is obvious that the long-term effects of a stress can spoil or damage our health. Stress negatively impact our lives. There is a distinction between an actual stress and a stressor. A stressor can be a place, situation or a person that is causing stress. Stress is experienced by everyone. Despite being having many negative effects ,stress in itself is not an illness. But there are connections between mental health conditions and stress.
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