Stress Is Not Just Psychological, It Can Make You Really Sick

Chronic stress has been associated with lower immune response, impairment of brain structure and function, and increased susceptibility to certain infections

Stress is a normal reaction of the body and each one of us suffers from it daily. Some stress is essential for our overall well-being. It alerts us, motivates us, and gets us ready to face any challenging situation. But like anything else, too much of something is always detrimental to our health and so is stress. You heard it right, too much stress or chronic stress can make you physically sick.

Chronic stress (over some time) can manifest itself in a variety of physical, emotional, or psychological symptoms. You are always more prone to headaches, upset digestion, high blood pressure, and problems with sexual life and sleep. If the management of this stress is not healthy but the person depends on easy and unhealthy ways of coping with it, this might add to the problem. It is therefore a good idea to assess very often whether the stress you are facing is normal or not.

Good stress versus bad stress

As per some experts, stress is part of our fundamental survival stress. It helps us realize the danger and is a protective force that initiates a 'fight' or 'flight' response, a reaction that is more than essential for our survival. However, the same stress can turn dangerous if it dampens your immune system and goes over a long period. Repeated short-term stress is experienced by all of us and much of it we are able to manage it well. But when the biological stress response is activated for months or years at a length, it might severely affect one's physical and psychological health.

Chronic stress and physical illness

While stress is often considered a psychological phenomenon, there is little awareness of its physical effects on the body. Chronic stress has been associated with lower immune response, impairment of brain structure and function, and increased susceptibility to certain infections. It is also known to worsen conditions like depression, heart disease and some types of cancer. Chronic stress is also associated with an increase in inflammation and oxidative damage.

How to know if you are suffering from chronic stress

Chronic stress can affect your entire body. It manifests itself in a wide scale of symptoms. The severity and duration of these symptoms might differ from person to person. Here are a few signs indicative of chronic stress-

1. Chronic irritability
2. Fatigue
3. Frequent headaches
4. Difficulty concentrating
5. Difficulty sleeping
6. Digestive problems
7. Frequent illness or infections
8. Changes in appetite
9. Low-self esteem.