Question

Discuss "Stress is at the root of most chronic physical and emotional health problems today"

Answer 1

#. Stress is the body’s natural defense against a challenging or threatening situation . It causes the body to flood with hormones that prepare its systems to evade or confront danger. People commonly refer to this as the fight-or-flight mechanism.

When humans face a challenge or threat, they have a partly physical response. The body activates resources that help people either stay and confront the challenge or get to safety as fast as possible.

The body produces larger quantities of the chemicals cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These trigger the following physical reactions:

increased blood pressure

heightened muscle preparedness

sweating

alertness

These factors all improve a person’s ability to respond to a potentially hazardous or challenging situation. Norepinephrine and epinephrine also cause a faster heart rate.

Environmental factors that trigger this reaction are called stressors. Examples include noises, aggressive behavior, a speeding car, scary moments in movies, or even going out on a first date. Feelings of stress tend to increase in tandem with the number of stressors.

Common major life events that can trigger stress include:

job issues or retirement

lack of time or money

bereavement

family problems

illness

moving home

relationships, marriage, and divorce

Other commonly reported causes of stress are:

abortion or pregnancy loss

driving in heavy traffic or fear of an accident

fear of crime or problems with neighbors

pregnancy and becoming a parent

excessive noise, overcrowding, and pollution

uncertainty or waiting for an important outcome

Stress slows down some normal bodily functions, such as those that the digestive and immune systems perform. The body can then concentrate its resources on breathing, blood flow, alertness, and the preparation of the muscles for sudden use.

The body changes in the following ways during a stress reaction:

blood pressure and pulse rise

breathing speeds up

digestive system slows down

immune activity decreases

muscles become more tense

sleepiness decreases due to a heightened state of alertness.

Emotional reactions can include:

anger

burnout

concentration issues

fatigue

a feeling of insecurity

forgetfulness

irritability

nail biting

restlessness

sadness

Stress-associated behaviors include:

food cravings and eating too much or too little

sudden angry outbursts

drug and alcohol misuse

higher tobacco consumption

social withdrawal

frequent crying

relationship problems

If stress becomes chronic, it can lead to several complications, including :-

anxiety

depression

heart disease

high blood pressure

lower immunity against diseases

muscular aches

PTSD

sleeping difficulties

stomach upset

erectile dysfunction (impotence) and loss of libido