Can stress kill you?

Stress is a hot topic in mental health, and understandably so. Everyone experiences stress from time to time. Work and school deadlines, financial struggles, and relationships can all be a source of stress. For many people, stress passes and is moved through, but some people become overwhelmed and may be unable to cope with it.

Stress can be defined as physical, mental, or emotional tension, or the feeling we experience when a person believes that demands surpass the personal resources a person believes they possess. There are multiple kinds of stress that a person may experience:

• Eustress is positive stress and can come from positive situations like a new relationship, work promotion, having a new baby, graduating from school, and other things that may be positive but bring on changes for us to navigate.
• Acute stress is when the body prepares to fight, faint, flee, or faint and is activated when we perceive danger.
• Chronic stress is the sort of stress that we experience regularly. Work, bills, juggling responsibilities. This stress tends to get pushed to the back burner and ignored, which over time can cause us problems.
• Distress is stress from negative life events like getting injured, the end of a relationship, financial problems, trouble finding work, and more.

Chronic stress that isn’t addressed can impact the immune system, cardiovascular health, and more. Long term stress without management exposes the body to cortisol and stress hormones that increase the risk of some serious health concerns, including:

• Depression
• Sleep difficulties
• Weight gain
• Cognitive impairments like memory and thinking issues
• Headaches
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Anxiety
• Weakened immune system
• Disruption of menstrual cycles
• Lower sex drive

The seriousness of stress complications makes it clear that learning healthy means of coping with stress is vital to overall health. It isn’t the things causing the stress itself that can be hazardous, but rather our response to the stress and whether or not we work to manage it.

Lifestyle changes can be very helpful in managing stress. A doctor or therapist may recommend to you:

• Trying relaxation techniques like meditation, or deep breathing
• Exercising and yoga
• Investing time in activities you enjoy
• Building and cultivating your support system
• Eating nutritious food
• Improving your sleep quality
• Connecting with your community through community activities

Counseling can be a helpful tool in managing stress. It can provide a safe place to “vent” and get feedback. Counseling can also help you improve communication skills, identify boundary issues, correct them, and improve overall wellness.