The Impact Of Stress On Physical Health: How Therapy Can Help

Stress can manifest physically and mentally, affecting overall well-being (tCaPC).

As the world continuously evolves, the pressure to deliver, thrive, and be on top of our game increases. So, stress has become an unavoidable part of our lives. Whether it is trying to meet work deadlines, dealing with personal issues, or trying to fit into societal demands, stress has eaten deep and can take a significant toll on our physical and mental health if its boosters in our lives are not attended to. Understanding the effect of stress on our body, along with our mental health, and how therapy can address it would go a long way in helping us find balance.

Common sources of Stress

The common sources of stress include:

Noise: When there is a lack of concentration because of a noisy environment, your body becomes restless, with stress being the result after a long time.

Unsafe Environment: Nothing elevates your heart rate more than a threat to your well-being. If you live in an unsafe region, the thought of going home can give you anxiety and increase your stress levels.

Relationships: the actions of the people you love affect you more times than you refuse to admit. When they are going through a rough patch, you are going through it too, when they are missing, your stress levels are off the charts. Every negative affecting your loved ones may affect you too, causing stress and anxiety.

Major Life Changes: it is normal to be nervous or anxious about new beginnings and uncertainty. However, prolonged stress or anxiety may hurt our physical health.

Understanding The Link Between Stress And Physical Health

Stress and its symptoms can affect your body and your behavior, even if you don't know it. Sometimes, we blame an underlying illness for our constant fatigue, totally overlooking the pressure and the effects of the stress we go through every day. Stress is not just an emotional issue or a mind game. When any part of you works itself beyond the limit, the other parts are affected. Then, your body goes into a fight or flight mode, releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Although pressure can have a positive effect on the body, it has its limits. Since your body is directly connected to your mind, it becomes as important to your body as your eyes, ears, legs, arms, and other parts. Your body becomes stressed when the mind is stressed, and vice versa.

The connection between stress and the physical state of the body can not be overemphasized. Stress can worsen a mild physical condition or even create one that has not been. For instance, stress can be linked to diabetes. It can raise blood sugar levels, making diabetes harder to manage. Stress can also be linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and obesity. If not taken care of, these conditions can be fatal.

Every individual must fight or try to reduce the effects of chronic stress on the body because it is a major negative catalyst of the immune system. When the immune system is down, it allows a general invitation of diverse kinds of health crises and emergencies into the body. For instance, the current surge of Monkeypox (Mpox) in Canada and across the globe has kept everyone worried and on edge. You keep wondering if the person next to you is hidden in a turtleneck and overall has this disease and would not tell. The anxiety surrounding the potential surge and pandemic of this virus across every state in Canada can disrupt the flow of the body system and even weaken the immune system, surging the potential for any other physics issue to come through.

With your immune system down, how long can your body hold on if there is a potential surge of this global cankerworm?

Understanding the link between stress and mental health

When stress is prolonged, and the effects are unattended, the risks for mental health problems and medical problems increase. It is a catalyst for mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic anxiety. Can you imagine when your body is so tired and you are in so much pain that you struggle with insomnia? Yes, it's possible.

How to get rid of stress

Managing or getting rid of stress starts with your willingness and acceptance. You need to understand that you don't have to carry every burden. It's okay to leave some. To manage stress, you must understand its effects on your body system. You would only cut the source when you understand the symptoms. Here are a few strategies that can help you manage stress:

Meditation: Meditation is an ancient cognitive technique for relieving stress. It helps calm your mind and your body even if your stress levels are off the chart. However, it starts with breathing. Regular and rhythmic breathing in and out can help with anxiety or panic attacks amid uncertainty. Regular meditation can also lower blood pressure, improve your heart health, and breed a stronger immune system. Try to meditate for a few minutes every day. It may be before or after you start your activities for the day. It is an effective way of fighting the effects of stress on your physical health.

Meditation is a powerful tool to reduce stress and improve mental clarity (tCaPC).

Therapy: Psychotherapy plays a critical role in managing stress because it addresses the source and provides practical ways of dealing with it. For instance, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) addresses thoughts and Behavioral patterns that can contribute to increasing stress levels. Therapy can also provide you with relaxation techniques and lifestyle routines like taking breaks, doing something fun, dieting, and doing things that are unique to your personality. It can also help you manage stress comprehensively.

If you have an underlying stress-related health condition like high blood pressure, diabetes, or even chronic anxiety over the current spread of the Monkeypox virus, it is advisable to take your medications, along with therapy to help you manage your condition effectively.

Discuss your stress and anxiety with a qualified therapist to manage your well-being (tCaPC).

Conclusion

Stress is something we encounter in various aspects of our lives, so we can not shelve it completely. However, we can manage how it affects us and take charge of its link to our health through our lifestyle and therapy. When you struggle with chronic stress and you find it difficult to come out due to various factors in your life, seeking professional help can make a huge difference. That way, you can tackle your stress triggers from the source and learn new ways of coping in our pressure-filled world.