Stress and Your Body, Mind and Spirit
Facilitated by Rev. Patrice Joy, MA, Holy Fire Reiki II Master
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A balanced life of good living practices including one’s attitude and sound nutrition for optimal health and body defense. Stress results when these are not in balance. Stress refers to the consequence of the failure of an organism, human or other animal, to respond adequately to mental, emotional, or physical demands, whether actual or imagined. Stress affects the mind, body and spirit. The term stress was first employed in the 1930’s by Canadian endocrinologist Hans Selye who researched the effects of stress and defined three stages of stress:
Alarm is the first stage. When the threat or stressor is identified or realized, the body’s stress response is a state of alarm. During this stage, adrenaline will be produced in order to bring about the fight-or-flight response. There is some activation of the HPA axis, producing cortisol.
Resistance is the second stage. If the stressor persists, it becomes necessary to attempt some means of coping with the stress. Although the body begins to try to adapt to the strains or demands of the environment, the body cannot keep this up indefinitely, so its resources are gradually depleted.
Exhaustion is the third and final stage in this model. At this point, all of the body’s resources are eventually depleted and the body is unable to maintain normal function. The initial autonomic nervous system symptoms may reappear (sweating, raised heart rate, etc.). If stage three is extended, long-term damage may result, as the body’s immune system becomes exhausted, and bodily functions become impaired. The result can manifest itself in obvious illnesses such as ulcers, depression, diabetes, trouble with the digestive system, or even cardiovascular problems, along with other mental illnesses.
Signs of stress may be cognitive, emotional, physical, or behavioral. Signs include poor judgment, a general negative outlook] excessive worrying, moodiness, irritability, agitation, inability to relax, feeling lonely, isolated or depressed, acne, aches and pains, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, eating too much or not enough, sleeping too much or not enough, social withdrawal, procrastination or neglect of responsibilities, increased alcohol, nicotine or drug consumption, and nervous habits such as pacing about, nail-biting and pain.
The health of the body is drastically affected by stress. Stress is also linked to several serious diseases and unhealthy situations, such as heart disease, cancer, lung disease, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. It’s important to understand how stress can impact your day-to-day life as well as your long-term health. Here are some ways that chronic stress may affect your physical and mental health:
Brain: Stress can impede your thought processes and hamper your thinking. You may find making simple decisions like what to have for dinner or remembering directions to a restaurant are more difficult than in a non-stressed state.
Emotions: People dealing with chronic stress may be easily frustrated and quick to lose their temper. They may cry more often and spend considerably more time worrying about things than they would without being stressed.
Teeth and Gums: Strange as it may seem, stress can take a toll on your oral health. Stress may cause you to clench or grind your teeth. It’s often done unconsciously or during your sleep, but if it’s not treated, it may lead to problems with your temporomandibular joints. Stress may also lead to gum disease, perhaps because of teeth grinding, less attention to oral hygiene, salivary changes, and impaired immunity.
Heart: In terms of its effect on the body, stress is dangerous to your heart. Stress hormones speed up your heart rate, constrict blood vessels, and make the heart and blood vessels more likely to overreact in the event of a future stressful event. Stress is also linked to high blood pressure, blood clots, and in some cases, even stroke.
Lungs: People with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often have worsening symptoms during times of chronic stress.
Stomach: Stress may make your stomach uneasy, and you may have increased incidence of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In people with gastrointestinal disorders and diseases like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, and peptic ulcer disease, symptoms may be worsened by stress.
Skin: Stress may intensify skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema, herpes, acne, and rosacea. It is also known to bring on cold sores and fever blisters.
Hair: Your hair may fall victim to your stress. When a person is under a great deal of stress, his or her hair may enter the falling-out stage of the hair life cycle. It can occur up to three months after the stressful event, but hair usually grows back within a year.
Muscles: Stress-related tension in your back, neck, and shoulders can lead to muscle pain throughout your body.
Immune System: If it seems you always get sick when you can least afford it, it may be because your stress is suppressing your immune system, making you more susceptible to infection. Stress can worsen symptoms of chronic illness such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. The notion that the nervous system is responsible for several symptoms of illness and disease through the release of stress hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol and aldosterone) was established through the pioneering research of Hans Selye. In this theory, a dysfunctional immune system can precipitate infection, allergies and perhaps cancer.
Emotions have begun to be a focus of research relating stress hormonal output to breakdown of physical and mental functions. Emotional well-being is the ability to feel and express the entire range of human emotions and to control them, not be controlled by them. Many health problems are thought to be directly tied to our inability to recognize and appropriately express our emotions. Over the last two decades, researchers have begun to realize the importance of the connection of anger to coronary heart disease, as well as other serious maladies. Only recently, has it been suggested that venting anger creatively brings about a clear resolution of frustrations and freedom from this powerful emotion promotes inner peace.
Humans are the only species that can process anger into delayed revenge and behave aggressively for seemingly inexplicable reasons. Studies indicate that because it is not socially acceptable for women to express aggressive or violent temperament, these repressed feelings have developed into ulcers, migraines and perhaps breast cancer. Anger is often ignored, avoided or suppressed. The Psychosocial systems of health are affecting class and cultural definitions of one’s self in men and women. These roles are restructured through balance of expectations of male/female traits and to get rid of dysfunctional emotions,
Author, Daniel Goleman, has coined the theory he defines as emotional intelligence. He is convinced that learning to identify, empathize and resolve feelings of anger, anxiety, depression (buried anger), pessimism and loneliness is a necessary form of disease prevention. Intervention to treat depression includes many coping and relaxation techniques such as art/color/sound therapy. Studies have shown that physical exercise results in a less depressed state of mind. Integrative health therapies are being consideration by more of the public as more personal responsibility is taken for one’s emotions and general well being. As this trend grows, more people are introspecting their own behavior, looking for alternatives to conventional medicine of drugs and surgery, and there is an increasing call for a deeper meaning to life.
This has lead to the component of a Psycho-spiritual whole person system. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a psychological approach to stress that includes a variety of approaches and therapeutic systems to treat the whole person. Relaxation, mindfulness and distraction and trying out new ways of behaving and reacting are also commonly included.
Herbert Benson, M.D.is an American cardiologist born in 1935. Benson is a pioneer in mind/body medicine and is one of the first Western physicians to bring spirituality and healing into medicine and founder of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. More than four million copies of his books have been printed in many languages. In his 35+ year career, he has defined the relaxation response and continues to lead teaching and research into its efficacy in counteracting the harmful effects of stress. His work serves as a bridge between medicine and religion, East and West, mind and body, and belief and science. Benson has pioneered mind-body research, focusing on stress and the relaxation response in medicine. In his research, the mind and body are one system, in which meditation can play a significant role in reducing stress responses. He continues to pioneer medical research into Body/mind questions.
The research in stress and its effect on the body has been expanded by several innovative scientific researchers over the last fifty years. The life work of Jon Kabot-Zinn, PhD has been largely dedicated to bringing mindfulness into the mainstream of medicine and society. Kabat-Zinn has made significant contributions to modern health care with his research which focused on mind/body interactions for healing, and on various clinical applications of mindfulness meditation training for people with chronic pain and/or stress-related disorders.
In the early 1900’s, Carl Gustav Jung, a psychiatrist from Switzerland, connected the psychological to the spirituality of the whole person. Jung developed the theory of the conscious and unconscious mind. Jung felt that ideas and feelings may be suppressed in the unconscious mind and continue to influence thoughts and behaviors. Jung referred to a second level of the unconscious he defines as collective unconscious, which is integrated with ancient wisdom. He claimed this knowledge passed down from generation to generation connecting all people as one in divine consciousness and aids the self-discovery process. Jung believed the inability to get in touch with our inner selves has been the basis for life’s stressors in modern society. He felt that sickness is a result of not being whole and of never connecting with the divine qualities of the unconscious mind to clarify values and gain sharp focus on life’s meaning.
Wayne Dyer, PhD is a psychotherapist who has expanded on Jung’s concepts of the personal connection to the whole with a focus on positive thinking and self-actualization. He feels that relaxation is achieved when the present moment is fully experience and appreciated. Yet, as the individual grows into adulthood, the mind becomes willingly preoccupied (often paralyzed) with guilt and anger of the past or fear of the future. These are distractions from one’s ability to start planning strategically for future events.
Author, Aldous Huxley, describes human spirituality as a reality that is beyond culture, religion, politics and ego. Spiritual does not have a religious connotation, but refers specifically to human morality. Typically people describe their collective spiritual experiences as a journey or path which is creative and progressive. Human spirituality is defined as the maturation process that develops through a nurturing relationship with oneself and others; the development of a strong personal value system; and a meaningful purpose in life. When these facets are integrated, human consciousness will advance to a higher level of understanding that involves seeing oneself as a part of a larger whole in which we can set aside our cultural and political differences and work together as a worldwide people.