How stress affects health?

Stress can be considered good or bad depending upon how one relates to and perceives the stressor and the ability to achieve rest or relaxation after the flight/fight/freeze (FFF), which is a physiological response to a perceived threat that is activated. This FFF response is activated in response to a perceived or imagined threat and releases stress hormones, such as adrenaline, cortisol, and also impacts estrogen and testosterone. The impact of the release of these hormones is that it increases blood pressure and blood sugar while suppressing the immune system. In preparation to meet a perceived threat, the heart speeds up, breathing becomes fast and shallow, digestion slows down or stops, blood vessels constrict in many parts of the body. In contrast, the blood vessels in the muscles dilate, the bladder may relax, hearing might become impaired, and vision becomes restricted. According to WebMD, as a result of stress, one might experience short-term or long-term health issues, including headaches, muscle pain, chest pain, fatigue, changes in sex drive, stomach or digestive problems, or sleep problems. On an emotional level, when FFF is activated, one becomes more anxious, irritated or aggressive, restless, unmotivated, difficulty with concentration, feels overwhelmed, or feels sad or depressed. The FFF response impacts the prefrontal cortex, which is impaired and prevents higher-level reasoning and thinking, making it difficult to think clearly or make good decisions and may lead to behaviors such as social withdrawal, angry outbursts, drug or alcohol abuse.

Acute or chronic stress, which according to WebMD, can lead to significant or long-term health problems, such as headaches or migraines, stomach problems or ulcers, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, problems with sleeping, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, as well as mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. In fact, WebMD reports that between 75% percent of 90% of all doctor's office visits are attributed to stress-related ailments and complaints, and 50% of emotional disorders are often due to chronic stress reactions. For these reasons, it’s important to understand the negative impact of worry, anxiety, and stress on physical and mental health and seek treatment as early as possible.