Recognizing and Dealing with Medical Problems of Stress

 

In any given day, you are bound to experience some form of stress.  Whether it is caused by family or a big life change, all stress shares a common theme: It has the potential to turn your life upside down.  Many people get used to high levels of stress and accept it as a natural part of life.  But what they don’t realize is that it can cause illness that impacts your life in a very big way.  

 

The medical problems of stress are vast and have the ability to put you in the hospital or lead you to seek counseling.  One such medical problem is exhaustion.  Roughly 50 years ago, the medical doctor, Hans Selye, developed a process to evaluate the onset of stress.  He found that the medical problems of stress are vast and can be broken down into stages.  Called general adaptation syndrome (GAS), Selye found that the body first goes into alarm mode.  In this stage, stress is recognized.  You then begin to resist the situation.  This leads to exhaustion, the third stage.  

 

This is just the beginning of the stress response.  At this stage, you may begin to experience the medical problems of stress.  Many people eat when they’re under pressure, and the foods they consume quite often are not very healthy.  This can lead to weight gain and in many cases, obesity.  Some studies even say that high levels of stress can cause cancer.  

 

While this is an extreme case, it does happen.  When you’re stressed, you may not think about your health.  You may even forget to go to the doctor.  As a result, many people let serious health problems go undiagnosed.  The physical symptoms of stress often mirror those of terminal illnesses, and many attribute these symptoms with stress.  That’s why it’s so important to see the doctor on a regular basis.

   

For those with anxiety and nervous disorders, high levels of stress can lead to more panic attacks and can exacerbate the symptoms of psychological disorders, such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  PTSD can trigger a number of problems such as increased heart rate and high blood pressure.  This can lead to sweaty palms and an increased heart rate.  When your heart rate is high, you can be propelled into the fight or flight response, because you’re trying to figure out why your heart is racing.

 

In addition to contributing to already high levels of stress, this can also lead to more medical problems such as heart palpitations and hyperventilation.  Too much stress can also lead to heart disease later in life.

 

Women dealing with too much stress may develop problems with their menstrual cycle.  This may cause periods to be late and cause PMS.  Acne and fatigue are also examples of the medical problems of stress.  Additionally, it can cause gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhoea and constipation.  

These physical symptoms can be minimized by eating healthily and eliminating extraneous stressors.  You can do this by taking a few moments for yourself before reentering a stressful situation.  

 

It’s not surprising that stress can cause medical problems, especially when most people experience it in large doses.  However, avoiding these medical problems is much easier when you know how to recognize physical symptoms caused by stress.  When you do, you will be able to relax and let go of high stress levels.

 

 

 

I hope you found this article to be useful. Don’t forget you can download my FREE EBOOK for more help and advice on managing and relieving stress.