Thursday, April 23, 2009

How the Brain Responds to Stress

What is stress?

Stress is the reaction of the body to a change that requires physical, mental or emotional adjustments or response to events that cause bodily or mental tension. It comes from any situations that heightens your emotions and is caused by stress-causing factor called stressors.

What stress can do to your brain?

Stress overloads your brain with powerful hormones that are intended only for short term duty in emergency situations. The effects of these hormones damages and kills brain cells.

How the brain responses to stress?

Emotional or physical responses you have on stress are set in motion by a series of chemical releases and reactions.

Different kinds of stress:

Stress can manifest itself physically, emotionally, or mentally depending on the stressors and the types of changes or events that we are dealing.
  1. Physical Stress - this occurs when the body starts to suffer as a result of a stressful situation. The most common physical symptom is headache. Long term stress can lead to digestive problems, insomnia, fatigue, high-blood pressure, heart problems and even hair loss.
  2. Emotional Stress - stress affecting the mind and include anxiety, anger, and depression. Anxiety is a response to failure, danger or fear of the unknown. Anger is a common response to frustration or social stress. Depression is frequently seen as an emotional response to upsetting situations.
  3. Mental or Psychological Stress - Long term stress can cause psychological problems. A person with psychological stress has symptoms that include phobias, withdrawal from society, disturbing behaviors and eating disorders.
Stress symptoms can be associated with serious medical conditions and should not be taken for granted.


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