What can a lot of stress do to your body?

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.
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What are the side effects of too much stress?

These effects might include:
  • Diffculty breathing.
  • Panic attacks.
  • Blurred eyesight or sore eyes.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Fatigue.
  • Muscle aches and headaches.
  • Chest pains and high blood pressure.
  • Indigestion or heartburn.
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What happens to a person's body during times of stress?

When stress is acute (in the moment), heart rate and blood pressure increase, but they return to normal once the acute stress has passed. If acute stress is repeatedly experienced, or if stress becomes chronic (over a long period of time) it can cause damage to blood vessels and arteries.
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What are the 5 stages of stress?

There are 5 stages of stress, knowing them can help you take action in the moment, to stop yourself spiralling out of control.
  • Stage 1: Fight or Flight. We perceive some kind of threat. ...
  • Stage 2: Damage control. ...
  • Stage 3: Recovery. ...
  • Stage 4: Adaption. ...
  • Stage 5: Burnout.
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What are 5 symptoms of acute stress?

Symptoms of acute stress reactions may include the following:
  • Psychological symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, irritability, emotional ups and downs, poor sleep, poor concentration, wanting to be alone.
  • Recurrent dreams or flashbacks, which can be intrusive and unpleasant.
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How stress affects your body - Sharon Horesh Bergquist



What are four signs of stress?

Physical symptoms of stress include:
  • Aches and pains.
  • Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing.
  • Exhaustion or trouble sleeping.
  • Headaches, dizziness or shaking.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Muscle tension or jaw clenching.
  • Stomach or digestive problems.
  • Trouble having sex.
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Can stress make you ill?

Too much stress, however, can suppress your immune system and cause you to get sick more easily. Prolonged periods of stress can also increase your risk of several diseases, including heart disease and cancer. According to a study, 60 to 80 percent of doctor's office visits may be stress-related.
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How do you reverse stress damage?

Here are seven strategies to help you fix your brain and keep your stress under control:
  1. Say No. ...
  2. Disconnect. ...
  3. Neutralize Toxic People. ...
  4. Don't Hold Grudges. ...
  5. Practice Mindfulness. ...
  6. Put Things In Perspective. ...
  7. Use Your Support System.
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Can stress shut down your brain?

Stress can kill brain cells and even reduce the size of the brain. Chronic stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning.
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Can stress permanently damage your brain?

In a study published in Molecular Psychiatry, researchers found that chronic stress results in long-term changes in the brain. 3 These changes, they suggest, might help explain why those who experience chronic stress are also more prone to mood and anxiety disorders later on in life.
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What does chronic stress feel like?

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.
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Can you be hospitalized for stress?

The treatment of your stress will vary greatly depending on the types of symptoms you are experiencing and how severe they are. Treatment can range from simple reassurance to inpatient care and evaluation in a hospital setting.
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What is the best medicine for stress?

Drugs such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) work quickly, typically bringing relief within 30 minutes to an hour. That makes them very effective when taken during a panic attack or another overwhelming anxiety episode.
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What is chronic stress?

Chronic stress is a prolonged and constant feeling of stress that can negatively affect your health if it goes untreated. It can be caused by the everyday pressures of family and work or by traumatic situations.
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What happens if anxiety is left untreated?

Untreated anxiety can lead to other mental disorders, such as depression or substance abuse. People with anxiety, especially when not properly treated, have a higher risk of suicide or self-harm behaviors. People with untreated anxiety may lead a life of isolation.
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What organs are affected by anxiety?

Effects of Anxiety on the Body
  • The effects of anxiety on the body. Anxiety is a normal part of life. ...
  • Cardiovascular system. Anxiety disorders can cause rapid heart rate, palpitations, and chest pain. ...
  • Excretory and digestive systems. Anxiety also affects your excretory and digestive systems. ...
  • Respiratory system.
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What does severe anxiety look like?

Physical symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heart rate, increased breathing rate, sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath. Extreme feelings of fear or anxiety that are out of proportion to the actual threat. Irrational fear or worry about different objects or situations.
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Can anxiety damage your heart?

The Effect of Anxiety on the Heart

Rapid heart rate (tachycardia) – In serious cases, can interfere with normal heart function and increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Increased blood pressure – If chronic, can lead to coronary disease, weakening of the heart muscle, and heart failure.
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What is a nervous breakdown?

The term "nervous breakdown" is sometimes used by people to describe a stressful situation in which they're temporarily unable to function normally in day-to-day life. It's commonly understood to occur when life's demands become physically and emotionally overwhelming.
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What is a drug that calms you down?

Benzodiazepines used for the treatment of insomnia include lorazepam (Ativan), nitrazepam (Mogadon), oxazepam (Serax), temazepam (Restoril), triazolam (Halcion) and flurazepam (Dalmane). Another drug used for insomnia is zopiclone (Imovane). This drug is similar to benzodiazepines and has similar side-effects.
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What is toxic stress?

Toxic stress response:

This is the body's response to lasting and serious stress, without enough support from a caregiver. When a child doesn't get the help he needs, his body can't turn off the stress response normally. This lasting stress can harm a child's body and brain and can cause lifelong health problems.
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What does a breakdown feel like?

feel overwhelmed — unable to concentrate or make decisions. be moody — feeling low or depression; feeling burnt out; emotional outbursts of uncontrollable anger, fear, helplessness or crying. feel depersonalised — not feeling like themselves or feeling detached from situations.
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What stress does to the body and brain?

Stress Shrinks the Brain

While the overall volume of the brain tends to remain about the same, it has been found that chronic stress in otherwise healthy individuals can cause areas of the brain associated with emotions, metabolism, and memory to shrink.
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