PTSD is an example of stress that's serious and intense. PTSD is a specific type of stress reaction caused by a traumatic event that's so intense it overwhelms the person's ability to cope. Serious stress is not at all routine.
Chronic stress- The APA defines chronic stress as stress that is constant and persists over an extended period of time. It is the most harmful type of stress to our overall health.
Chronic stressor exposure is considered to be the most toxic form of stressor exposure because chronic events are the most likely to result in long-term or permanent changes in the emotional, physiological, and behavioral responses that influence susceptibility to and course of disease.
Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
But chronic stress, which is constant and persists over an extended period of time, can be debilitating and overwhelming. Chronic stress can affect both our physical and psychological well-being by causing a variety of problems including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system.
If you are stressed, you might feel: Irritable, angry, impatient or wound up. Over-burdened or overwhelmed. Anxious, nervous or afraid.
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) is a mental health problem that can occur in the first month after a traumatic event. The symptoms of ASD are like PTSD symptoms, but you must have them for longer than one month to have PTSD.
STRESS, LIKE DEATH, COMES TO EVERYONE AND CAUSES A HOST OF ADVERSE PHYSICAL CHANGES, MANY OF WHICH CAN LEAD TO DEATH. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES AND ATTITUDE CHANGES TO RELIEVE STRESS ARE DESCRIBED.
Depression is more serious and long-lasting than stress, and requires a different kind of help. In a 2010 survey by the American College Health Association, 28% of college students reported feeling so depressed at some point they had trouble functioning, and 8% sought treatment for depression.
Chronic stress is linked to six leading causes of death including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide, according to the American Psychological Association.
According to some random online survey, the most stressful number of kids to have is three. In fact, having four is supposed to be less stressful than three kids.
Anxiety is more of an outsized reaction. If the worry and distress you feel in a given situation is unusual, excessive, or goes well beyond the reactions of other people, it may be anxiety rather than stress. Anxiety can cause you to be unable to function.
If you guessed "mental stress," you are right. While exercise stress tests on the treadmill can provoke transient heart symptoms, mental stress is much more demanding...and even debilitating... over the long run. And the two together can be devastating.
The alarm stage is when the central nervous system is awakened, causing your body's defenses to assemble. This SOS stage results in a fight-or-flight response. The resistance stage is when your body begins to repair itself and normalize heart rate, blood pressure, etc.
Stress Kills Brain Cells
It has been suggested by researchers that chronic stress can even kill new neurons in the brain's hippocampus. The hippocampus is one of only two locations where neurons are produced.
Stress can cause an imbalance of neural circuitry subserving cognition, decision making, anxiety and mood that can increase or decrease expression of those behaviors and behavioral states. This imbalance, in turn, affects systemic physiology via neuroendocrine, autonomic, immune and metabolic mediators.
Studies suggest that the high levels of cortisol from long-term stress can increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure. These are common risk factors for heart disease. This stress can also cause changes that promote the buildup of plaque deposits in the arteries.
A nervous breakdown, also known as a mental health crisis or mental breakdown, describes a period of intense mental distress. A person having a nervous breakdown is temporarily not able to function in their everyday life.
If a person has emotional distress or sudden fright, their body releases adrenaline into the bloodstream, but this usually reverses itself in a healthy person. This is where the confusion in the term 'shock' sometimes occurs. This 'non-medical shock' is a response to anxiety or fear.
Instead, a mental health crisis or a breakdown of your mental health is a situation that happens when you have intense physical and emotional stress, have difficulty coping and aren't able to function effectively. It's the feeling of being physically, mentally and emotionally overwhelmed by the stress of life.
But ongoing, chronic stress can cause or worsen many serious health problems, including: Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, and strokes.
This can be emotional or physical. We may feel toxic stress when we face strong, frequent, or prolonged challenges. These can include abuse, neglect, violence, or substance use in the home. These experiences can trigger our body's stress response. This response floods our body with "fight or flight" chemicals.