STRESS AND CHRONIC DISEASE

Many psychologists and others have struggled a lot for many years to establish an effective definition of stress.
On the basis of some reviews, it can be said that chronic stress is the response to emotional pressure suffered
for a prolonged period over which an individual perceives he or she has no control. If stress continues for a long time, it can cause damage to an individual's physical and mental health. Psychosocial stress is an important contributor to chronic disease development. Chronic disease causes extended pain and suffering and decreases the quality of life for millions. Stress exposes our body to unhealthy, persistently elevated levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Studies also link stress to changes in the way blood
clots which increases the risk of heart attack. Stress itself might be a risk factor, or it could be that high levels
of stress make other risk factors (such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure) worse. For example, you are under stress, your blood pressure goes up, you may overeat, you may exercise less, and you may be more likely to smoke. Many individuals exposed to stressful events do not show signs or symptoms of depression, some individuals exposed to psychological stress are predisposed to major depression Psychosomatic disorders (headache, twitching, gastric ulcer, Cancers, arthritis) can generally develop when a stressful life event occurs. It's not always easy to predict how stress will affect a person s health but it's known that stress does affect a person's health and. therefore, it's important to practice regular stress management techniques.