Stress

Stress is mental or physical strain caused by anxiety or overwork. Stress disorders can develop in anyone, but researchers have found some common threads that cause the increased potential to develop stress disorders. Biological symptoms of stress include perspiration, increased breathing, tense muscles, increased heartbeat, goose bumps, and nausea. Emotional symptoms of stress include horror, dread, and panic. Cognitive symptoms of stress include decreased concentration, disorientation, and remembering things incorrectly. When the body is under extreme stressful situations the sympathetic nervous system creates the flight/fight response. The hypothalamic and pituitary glands release the stress hormone ACTH and corticosteroids. Then the parasympathetic nervous system returns the body back to normal after the flight/fight response is over. The hippocampus in the brain controls memories and regulates the stress hormones working closely with the amygdala that works with the memories and connects the memories to positive or negative emotions. High levels of cortisol have been located in moms as well as in the found in baby’s blood streams that were born to moms who have experienced a very stressful situation during the pregnancy. An actual gene that may give a higher incidence to developing stress disorders has not been identified and there is a further indication of research needed in this area.

Personality can have an impact on the likelihood that someone will develop stress disorder. People who generally have positive attitudes towards life are less anxious and do better when they feel they have better control over their lives. Childhood experiences as well as poverty can enhance the likelihood of developing stress disorders. If a child has family members that have psychology issues or if a child’s parents split before the age of 10 the child can be more likely to develop a stress disorder. There can be long term effects and more potential to develop a stress disorder if a person has been abused or assaulted. Social support is another factor that can contribute to the likelihood that stress disorders develop. A weak social support system causes increased stress. If a person feels loved, valued and supported less stress will develop, but if a person has a poor support system in their family with no love and support they will have higher chances of developing stress disorders. Also victims of crime seem to do better if they are believed and supported by the legal system.

Development of good coping styles can make a difference. Possessing positive attitudes towards life, and feelings of control, with a healthy childhood, and strong social support can help alleviate the potential for developing stress disorders. This has seemed potentially consistent over all ethic groups until recently researchers have noted that stress disorders seem to develop at a higher rate in the Hispanic-American population probably due to their overall belief systems.

The severity of a trauma will have an effect on how likely a stress disorder will develop. How severe the trauma is, and how long the exposure to the trauma can lead to more stress disorders. People who have experienced being imprisoned, extensive physical injury, and seeing injury or the death of others have increased development of stress disorders.