Stress is a natural reaction; it's a set of physical and physiological reactions by the body to a particular situation, known as stressful. It can affect anyone, usually for a short period of time. Stress is triggered by situations that represent a "danger" to the individual. These stressful situations can occur in various contexts, depending on the person's age. Chronic stress, however, is pathological.
In everyday language, we speak of positivestress (eustress ) or negativestress (distress). Stress is different from anxiety, which is an emotion, whereas stress is a response mechanism that can lead to different emotions, including anxiety.
To understand how this works, we need to know how the adrenergic system (commonly known as the sympathetic system) works, whose neurotransmitters areadrenalin and noradrenalin.
Adrenalin plays a role in fear, anxiety and stress. It is secreted in response to stress or physical activity, resulting in accelerated heart rate, increased speed of heart contractions, higher blood pressure, dilated bronchi and pupils. It responds to a need for energy, for example, to face danger.
Whenadrenalin or noradrenalin secretion is considerably increased, or when there is too much of it in the body (even exogenously), this can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiac arrhythmia or asthma.
Originally, stress was a useful reaction that enabled us to defend ourselves against external aggression by means of certain reflexes. But sometimes, these fine reflexes seize up, leading to exaggerated anticipations and responses. This is when the symptoms of stress appear, gradually becoming annoying and even disabling.
A situation of chronic stress can be considered pathological, and can lead to digestive disorders, headaches, sleep disorders, anxiety, insomnia, depression, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalances and so on.
Stress is the body's physiological and psychological response to an event perceived as a challenge or threat. It is triggered by situations requiring rapid adaptation. This reaction, often temporary, becomes problematic when it becomes chronic, leading to serious health imbalances.
There are two main types of stress:
Note that stress is different fromanxiety, which is an emotion. Stress is a physiological mechanism that can induce various emotions, including anxiety.
In asthma sufferers, for example, stress can be the source of deterioration in asthma-related symptoms. The same applies to people with depression, anxiety or psychological disorders.
A stressful event triggers a chain reaction in the brain, leading to the production of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Cortisol then activates two areas of the brain: the cerebral cortex, which reacts to the stressful stimulus (escape, attack, immobilization, compensation...) and the hippocampus, which calms the reaction. If the stress is too great or prolonged, the hippocampus, saturated with cortisol, can no longer regulate it. Cortisol invades the brain, causing depression. The areas most affected are the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex and prefrontal cortex.
The question is whether you're stressed a little or a lot, with a risk of tipping over into chronic stress. Stress sets in very gradually and insidiously, and we don't always realize it, until we are alerted, sometimes by those around us. So take stock by asking yourself the right questions, and identify the symptoms of stress. Then you can move on to stress management.
Stress generates symptoms in three areas:
Chronic stress occurs when the body is constantly subjected to situations perceived as stressful. Unlike acute stress, which is a one-off event, chronic stress builds up gradually, overcoming the body's natural regulatory mechanisms. It results from a prolonged excess of cortisol, the main stress hormone, produced by the adrenal glands.
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