The Physiological Effects of Stress

By Karen Gosling

The body manages well with an optimal level of stress. Adrenalin generated to the optimal level of stress is needed for alertness and clarity and for being on guard – fight or flight. For example, when your thoughts focus on pain perceived in the future, the resulting negative emotions of fear and anxiety could increase stress beyond the optimal level. This causes the body to produce adrenalin in excess of what the body needs. Similarly, thoughts focused on memory of pain in the past will increase stress beyond the optimal level. Higher levels of adrenalin in the body from increased stress – that is, accumulated negative emotion or emotional constipation – will begin to affect the body. The chemicals adrenalin and noradrenalin are released by the body's involuntary (sympathetic) nervous system and will take time to be eliminated from the body.

Physiological effects on the body from accumulated stress include:

1. A breakdown in the immune system. Making a person more susceptible to colds and flu, skin conditions, and other ailments.
   
2. An interruption to the autonomic nervous system that copes with digestion, bowel irritation and evacuation, reproduction, and recovery from stress.
   
3. A decrease in the level of serotonin – the chemical in the brain that is responsible for mood and thinking. Lowered serotonin leaves one feeling flat, despondent, depressed – a loss of "joie-de-vivre". This depressed mood state often manifests as lethargy and "I can't be bothered". Thinking also becomes impaired and irrational.
   
4. Lowered personal esteem – caused by a loud inner voice – which can lead to depression and/or nervous suffering.

Balancing emotion

In the course of a day, if you experience a balance of good and bad feelings, it is unlikely that you will accumulate stress. People with an avoidant emotional style are more prone to stress as they feel each emotion with a greater intensity. But because a sensitive person similarly feels positive emotion with more intensity, if there is a balance of good feelings (feeling secure and loved, nurtured and understood) on a "bad" day, then the balance is restored readily. And the person copes with their stress. Excessive adrenalin produced may cause physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms of a stress or trauma reaction in some people (see table). The amount of additional adrenalin experienced in the body will depend upon whether you have an avoidant or reactive emotional style – and the nature of the trauma.

Karen Gosling is an expert emotional wealth counselor. Have you had enough of being overwhelmed with life dramas and wish you could get back a feeling of being in control? Do you know that when you're stressed it's hard to focus on reading books? Order my complete set of 12 one-hour audio CDs on surviving life dramas for you to listen to as you release your pain and create a life without drama.

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