Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access

Psychological Stress and its Impacts on Human Body

Anika Evin^{* *}Correspondence: Anika Evin, Department of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway,, Ireland, Email:

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Description

A physical reaction is a situation that requires attention or action. Stress usually causes anxiety, concern, and poor performance. It can also make the person feel uncomfortable and lead to more serious problems if left untreated. Stress can have a negative impact on our lives. It can cause physical effects such as headaches, digestive problems, and sleep disturbances. It can also cause psychological and emotional distress as well as confusion, anxiety, and depression. If chronic or long-lasting stress is left untreated, it can lead to high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Stress can be for a short period of time, conditional and a positive force motivating the performance, however bodies are armed well to handle stress but, if the person experiences stress over a long period of time, it can become chronic stress that negatively impacts the health and will have serious effects on the body. A sudden onset stress causes muscles to tense rapidly and relax again when the stress passes. Muscle tension is almost a reflex response to stress. Stress and intense emotions can be associated with respiratory symptoms such as breathing difficulty and rapid breathing as the airway between the nose and lungs gets narrowed.

Acute stress, occurring in a short term, can cause an increase in the heart rate and a stronger contraction of the heart muscle, making the stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol act as messengers for these effects. In the time of stress, the hypothalamus, which is a collection of nuclei that connects the brain to the endocrine system, signals the pituitary gland to produce hormones, and then those hormones signal the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, to increase cortisol production. Stress can disrupt the brain-gut communication, causing pain, bloating, and other intestinal discomforts which are felt easily as well as in bowels. If the stress is severe enough, vomiting can occur. In addition, stress can lead to an unwanted increase or decrease in appetite, which can also affect the digestion, and can increase gas production associated with nutrient absorption. It can affect the quick move of food through the body and even can cause diarrhea and constipation. Furthermore, stress can cause muscle spasms in the intestines, which can be painful. At times stress can be a positive force, motivator, and good stress. It's called eustress which can actually be beneficial. Unlike bad stress and distress, good stress helps with motivation, focus, energy, and performance, even some people may find it exciting. Bad stress usually causes anxiety, worry, and reduce the performance. It can also make the person feel uncomfortable which can lead to more serious problems if it is left untreated.

Stress can be managed by maintaining a healthy social network, engaging in regular physical activity, and getting enough sleep every night. Tachycardia, high blood pressure, feeling overwhelmed, fatigue, sleeping difficulty, mood swings and headaches are common physical, psychological and emotional manifestations of chronic stress. Sometimes the best way to manage stress is to change the situation. Otherwise, the best strategy is to change how to respond to the situation. If the person is having the symptoms of stress, taking some steps to manage the stress can provide many health benefits, they include regular physical activity, deep breathing, and meditation, practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga, tai chi, and massage, and maintaining a sense of humor. It becomes even more dangerous when stress begins to interfere with the ability to live a normal life for an extended period of time. Other forms of chronic stress, like depression, are also associated with the increased cardiovascular risk.