Stress From Life Events - Essay Example

Stress from Life Events Stress Relation to Illnesses The body responds to demands for either a good or bad experiences happening around them. The response is what is known as stress. In regards to the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, the following occurrences have occurred in the past year.Unplanned pregnancy/abortion100Divorce of parents90Change in acceptance by peers67Failure of a grade in school56Suspension from school50Becoming involved with drugs or alcohol50Increased absence of parent from home38 The total score from the scale add up to 451From these results, Rahe predicts a significant probability of illnesses resulting from these high-stress levels.

In a single statement, he put this value at high risk of diseases.The kind of stress that can cause diseases is that which causes a disturbance in the way one’s body operates. It shifts the normal life, and if it stays for a longer time, it affects the body and mind of that individual. Stress causes one’s body to wear out and in many cases results to people involvements in bad habits. These habits are what majorly lead to some of the illnesses associated with stress for example smoking as a habit leading to lung or throat cancers.

With the current stress rating levels, one would require significant social support as a way of coping with the stress. Without this, it is possible for an individual to have constantly negative thoughts about the problems they are facing or pains they are undergoing. The thoughts on the long run develop such problems as headaches and or extreme migraines.A total count reading of 451 from Rahe’s assessment would probably indicate chronic stress. From scientific studies, chronic stress results in a boost in the catecholamine and suppressor T cells levels that lead to the lowering of the immune system.

With a suppressed immune system, the body system is vulnerable to opportunistic infections such as viral and bacterial attacks. With these attacks probability of getting ill is substantially high.Development of ulcers is one of the few indicators that an individual is undergoing stress. Stress alters the concentration levels of the acids in the gut leading to peptic ulcers. This is possible as stress changes the way one’s body functions. Stress that usually affects the brain has its effects felt directly in the stomach as the brain, and the stomach are linked via exchange of chemicals and messages in the brain-gut- axis.

With ulcers, uptake of food is usually hampered lowering the immune system of the body got from the foods.Being an asthmatic breathing difficulties are likely to be met. However, these can easily be checked if appropriate medical guidelines are followed. Stress causes the release of histamine in the blood among other chemicals. Histamine leads to allergic symptoms and it gets worse with high levels of histamine in the bloodstream. In asthmatics, it causes broncho- constriction, making breathing impossible.

An asthmatic attack is thus probable.When having stress, the body ensures sugars are readily produced in the blood stream. The levels of insulin fall, while glucagon rises resulting in the breakdown of stored glycogen to glucose. With more sugars in the blood, for people with diabetes, it would be very difficult in controlling the levels of sugar. Persistent stress leading to these conditions would ultimately result in disorders in the blood sugar levels causing the development of diabetes.Apart from these illnesses, schizophrenia, arteriosclerosis, blood pressure and heart conditions are but some others caused by chronic stress.

Stress contributes majorly to the reduction of the immune system thus creating a pathway for the opportunistic infections. Therefore, stress is a primary cause of many ailments affecting us today.Strategies to Cope With Chronic StressFirst for one to be able to cope with the stress they have to admit they have the problem. Meditation that enables one’s mind to remove the most disturbing thoughts that are stress activators is a way to help relieve chronic stress. Through training the mind into being lesser reactive to the stressors, concentration of the stress hormones in the blood is reduced.

The meditation process should be a routine so that the mind learns how to relax and be lesser receptive to the stress.Physical exercise can enable relieve stress. The relaxation of the tense muscles comes in with the production of feel-good endorphins that help treat mild depressions and anxiety. The exercises should be regularly done thus joining a team or club can help manage chronic stress.Another useful technique for managing stress would be to write. Writing down the things stressing an individual on a plain piece of paper without reading the previously written items for not less than fifteen minutes, can be effective as one’s innermost thoughts are expressed out on that piece of paper, thus removing the anxiety associated with the stress.

Guided imagery would also do help in relieving stress. It works via the creation of new thoughts and images in the mind thus replacing the troubling feelings. With these, a new environment of peace is created in the brain allowing it to calm down. Guided imagery is done through listening to a script that helps create new thoughts and images in the mind in a different environment.ReferenceLewis, M., & Ramsay, D. (1999). Soothing and stress. Mahwah, N.J: L. Erlbaum Associates.