Stress

Stress is a normal physiological response to life’s challenges. It is not an emotion but a chemical reaction that starts deep in the brain. A region called the amygdala weighs up the situation and if alarm bells ring it sends signals to the hypothalamus near the brain’s base. Here, the “fight-or-flight” response is triggered, with the release of adrenalin and other hormones including cortisol. Adrenalin makes your heart race, your blood pump and your breathing rate increase, priming you for action. Cortisol increases the amount of glucose in your bloodstream, and suppresses other bodily systems such as digestion and immunity, so that you can direct your energy where it is required immediately.

This is a huge advantage when you need to react quickly to an oncoming vehicle or to focus on making an important presentation. But the stress response can cause problems if it kicks in unnecessarily, is too strong, or continues at a low level for a long period. Unfortunately, this is quite common. Surveys indicate that the majority of people are overwhelmed by stress from time to time.

The symptoms of damaging stress include feeling constantly anxious, worried or scared, irritability, rumination, problems concentrating, lack of self-confidence and insomnia. People under stress may drink or smoke more, and eat less or more than they usually do. Serious effects, such as suicidal thoughts and self-harming, are also very common.

Stress brings long-term health problems. Continually raised adrenalin levels damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Chronically high cortisol, meanwhile, is associated with digestive disorder, weight gain and diabetes. Prolonged stress is also linked with mental health issues, and extreme stress can result in PTSD and depression.

Some people are naturally far more resilient to stress than others. How you cope with adversity is down to a complex combination of factors including genes, early experiences, personality and the microbes in their gut. Studies of people who are preternaturally calm could help us all become more resilient. Researchers are even developing a “stress vaccine”.

Need a listening ear? UK Samaritans: 116123; US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 800 273 8255; hotlines in other countries.