How does stress affect the body?

Having stress can affect the body in many ways. It is something that can bring emotional and physical problems to the body so a person should take the appropriate steps to deal with it.

There are many ways that stress can harm the body. The release of chemicals called catecholamine from brain will include hormones that include adrenaline and epinephrine. A person may feel an increase in their heart rate and blood pressure. This will occur when the body is feeling the stress and their lungs and heart are going to work harder. The rate of breathing will increase and the lungs will take in more oxygen.

The blood flow increases to get the body ready for other demands that stress brings on. A person will probably have dryness of the mouth. Blood flow will decrease to areas that are less important for basic survival and this will include the mouth. The cause of dryness of the mouth will mean that a person will have a hard time talking and swallowing.

The skin can become clammy as the blood flow is diverted to vital organs and muscles. You will feel hot or cold when this happens and you may have feelings of hot flashes as well. You will also find that digesting food is more difficult and you may experience stomach problems like nausea or cramps.

Having long-term stress can lead to physical or psychological damage to the body. Stress develops slowly into more serious problems, which can include anxiety disorders or depression. This is when a person will feel lonely and disgusted with their body and will not want to be around any other people. When this is the case, it is time for them to get the help that they need to cope with their stress. This is the only way that they can get rid of the stress that is ruining their lives.

Stress can make a person push their loved ones away. It can affect personal relationships and make it hard for people to want to be around you. Some people will get irritable and upset over the smallest thing. They will get angry easily and find themselves yelling at the people that they love the most. This is a normal side effect of stress but it can be helped and a person can start to feel like themselves again with a little help and understanding.

Learning self-hypnosis can help a person cope with stress along with other aspects of stress management.

Antonia Stuart-James is an English Hypnotherapist in Belgium helping people to make change and manage stress.