Understand how stress affects your body

If you’re like most people, you have some form of stress in your life. Job stress, financial problems and even family issues can sometimes become overwhelming.

Although it may seem like there is nothing you can do about it, there are ways to manage stress and achieve balance in your life. Stress is tension from everyday events—both good and bad. Bad stress can come from a family member’s death,

the loss of a job or a divorce. Good stress could be planning a wedding, buying a home or having a child. These events can affect your mind and body.

Physical effects

When you are in a stressful situation, your body releases chemicals that increase your heartbeat, cause you to breathe faster, and change your digestive patterns. Too much stress can raise your blood pressure, and make your heart work harder, which can increase your risk for a heart attack. Stress can weaken your immune system, making you more open to infection and disease. Stress can also affect your appetite by making you feel like you need to eat more (or less), and cause your body to convert more energy to fat, causing weight gain.

When is it more than stress?

For some people, prolonged stress can increase symptoms of depression. Depression can make your outlook on life negative and daily tasks more stressful. However, depression is a treatable medical condition that can be caused by a chemical imbalance, genetics, illness, life events or substance abuse. It can affect people of any age, gender or economic status.

What about treatment?

Treatment of depression normally includes a combination of medication and talk therapy with a mental health clinician. Most of the time, people do not seek help because they are scared or embarrassed. It’s important to understand depression is a treatable medical condition, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your doctor is the only person who can tell if you have clinical depression. A medical checkup may be necessary to rule out other causes of symptoms. Talk therapy can help stop negative thinking, and help you manage stress and get more enjoyment out of your daily activities. Medications can help you feel better within four to six weeks. Taking medication as prescribed is important, so it works effectively to control your symptoms.