Stress and the effects on the Body

Stress is inevitable and comes in abundance . It is merely a factor of life . However , stress , if not understood or treated , can cause a variety of health complications . It has a negative emotional and physiological affect , which occurs as individuals try to adjust or deal with circumstances that disrupt daily living (Bernstein Nash 2005 . Some individuals are affected by stressors more strongly then others and they can become more affected on some occasions opposed to others (Bernstein Nash 2005 . This can led to immune deficiencies and cardiovascular complications . Several studies have shown that

stress can shape the development of physical illness by influencing thoughts , organ systems , and behavior (Bernstein Nash 2005

The immune system is the body 's infantry to ward of invading microorganisms : viruses , bacterial , and parasitic . This defense system is very intricate and can be as complex as the nervous system (Bernstein Nash 2005 . These complex components kill , eat , or inactivate foreign invaders . Stressors can impair the immune system , for example - a person can be more susceptible to colds , influenza , and other infectious diseases (Bernstein Nash 2005 . Autoimmune diss can come into play , also . This is where the immune system actually attacks the body 's own cells . Researchers have found that individuals under stress are more vulnerable to infectious diseases than less-stressed individuals (Bernstein Nash 2005 . These findings , also , show that stressors will lead to suppression of the immune system . These affects are strongly present in the elderly (Bernstein Nash 2005 . Clinic studies show that a myriad of immune impairments are shown in individuals who care for the elderly and individuals that go through a divorce . Killer cell activity has been located in individuals whom lost a love one , as well (Bernstein Nash 2005

Stress and the cardiovascular system can become a serious , or fatal combination . The two can cause coronary heart disease (CHD hypertension (high blood pressure , and stroke (Bernstein Nash 2005 This link is present in individuals who display strong reactions to stressors . For instance , among health adults whose blood pressure rose when introduced to mild stimuli had a greater risk to develop hypertension in the next three decades (Bernstein Nash 2005 . These reactions to stressors depend partly on personality , particularly individuals with the trait of hostility -in adjunct to irritability and impatience - has been connected with the appearance of coronary heart disease (Bernstein Nash 2005 . Stressors will cause wear and tear on the arterial walls of the heart . When the heart rate is sped up hypertension forces blood to flow through constricted blood vessels (Bernstein Nash 2005 . It is also apparent that increased action of the sympathetic nervous system puts stress on the arteries . Stress hormones can be released by the adrenal glands , which in high levels can cause deposits fatty substances within the walls of the artery , such as cholesterol , that are shown to increase the risk of coronary heart disease (Bernstein Nash 2005 . Again , these affects can be avoided or prevented by learning stress coping skills and support groups , however individuals with hostility...