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- Prolonged stress, also known as chronic stress, is a long-term physiological response that can have serious health consequences if it is not treated. The impact of prolonged stress can include both physical and mental health conditions.
www.verywellmind.com/prolonged-stress-symptoms-causes-impact-and-coping-5092113
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Some people may cope with stress more effectively or recover from stressful events more quickly than others. Studies have linked a person’s emotional response to daily stressors with long-term health effects, including mental disorders, physical illness, and even death.
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- 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.007
- 2019
- 2019/12
- Overview
- Signs of Prolonged Stress
- Causes
- Examples
- Impact of Prolonged Stress
- How to Deal With Prolonged Stress
- Keep in Mind
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Prolonged stress, also known as chronic stress, is a long-term physiological response that can have serious health consequences if it is not treated. The impact of prolonged stress can include both physical and mental health conditions.
When people experience stress, the fight-or-flight response causes the release of hormones that help prepare the body to take action. You become both physically and mentally alert as your heart rate and breathing rate increase.
This allows you to take action in situations that require a quick response. However, being in this heightened state of arousal becomes problematic when there is no immediate danger and you remain in this state for a prolonged period of time.
Long-term, prolonged stress can have a number of different effects on a person's body and mind. Some signs of prolonged stress include:
•Anxiety
•Decreased sex drive
•Difficulty concentrating
•Disorganized thoughts
•Eating too much or too little
There are a number of situations that can lead to prolonged stress. Sometimes it might be caused by one serious, long-lasting problem, but people may experience several of these things all at once. Possible causes include:
•Chronic health problems: Long-term health conditions can be a significant source of prolonged stress.
•Difficult relationships: Challenging relationships with family members, partners, co-workers, or others can also create stress that lasts for a very long time.
•Financial problems: Debt, sudden expenses, or changes in a person’s financial situation can create a significant amount of stress.
•Job-related stress: A high-pressure job, difficult work environment, or even employment uncertainty can all be a source of prolonged stress.
•Traumatic stressors: This would include things such as exposure to physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, interpersonal violence, combat exposure, or exposure to other types of extreme violence.
The COVID-19 pandemic is an example of a traumatic event that has created significant prolonged stress for people from all walks of life.
In addition to worrying about the possibility of getting sick or having a loved one contract the virus, people have also faced stressful challenges and mental health consequences such as job loss, decreased income, stay at home orders, virtual schooling, loneliness, and conflicts with others over how to respond to the event or whether or not to get vaccinated.
A report from the American Psychological Association found that some of the sources of stress caused by COVID-19 included disrupted routines, concerns about illness, worry over the government's response, self-isolation, and concerns about fulfilling basic needs.
The protests that emerged in response to the murder of George Floyd have also highlighted the prolonged stress that racism and discrimination have on individuals and communities.
Conditions Linked to Prolonged Stress
Anxiety disorders Autoimmune diseases Decreased immunity Depression Diabetes Heart disease High blood pressure Insomnia Obesity Post-traumatic stress disorder Respiratory infections Skin irritation Schizophrenia Prolonged stress affects the entire body. This means it can have a direct or indirect impact on several areas and systems.
Mental Health
Prolonged stress can take a serious toll on an individual's mental health. Chronic, ongoing stress has been linked to conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, substance use problems, sleep difficulties, and personality disorders. Long-lasting stress can also have an effect on a person’s memory, self-esteem, concentration, as well as other aspects of learning and cognition. Research has also found that prolonged stress can actually result in changes in brain structure, including volume reductions in certain areas of the brain. These structural brain changes have the potential to lead to behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dysfunction and ultimately increase a person's vulnerability to mental illness.
Cardiovascular System
Acute stress causes the cardiovascular system to go into high gear—the heart rate increases, blood vessels dilate, and blood pressure goes up to pump oxygenated blood to areas throughout the body. Normally, the body returns to its resting state once the stress has passed, but prolonged stress exposes the cardiovascular system to higher levels of stress hormones that can take a toll over time. Chronic, lasting stress can increase a person's risk for problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke.
If you think that you are being affected by prolonged stress, there are things that you can do to help find relief. Establishing effective stress management practices is important for maintaining good physical and mental health.
Even if you cannot always control the sources of your ongoing stress, you can manage the ways that you respond and cope. Some strategies that might help are listed below.
If prolonged stress is affecting your physical and mental health, talk to your doctor about your concerns. A doctor can help rule out any other medical or mental health conditions that might be contributing to your symptoms and recommend treatments—such as psychotherapy or medications—that can help.
Your doctor may prescribe medications to help with some of the immediate symptoms of stress. This might include antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, antacids, or sleeping medications. They may also recommend psychotherapy or lifestyle modifications that will help you cope with stress in the long-term.
While you may not be able to completely eliminate different types of prolonged stress, learning how to manage it effectively can help protect both your physical and mental well-being.
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Oct 27, 2022 · The mental effects of long-term stress can include mood changes, anxiety, and depression. Physically, stress affects every bodily system, and when left untreated, it can cause issues like heart...
- Kaitlin Vogel
How we manage stress can make a big difference to our mental wellbeing, and the first step to managing it is to know how it affects us and why. Find out about common symptoms of stress and possible causes. Plus get advice on stress relief, and a personalised plan of self-care tips.
Dec 1, 2014 · Ultimately, a prolonged or exaggerated stress response may perpetuate cortisol dysfunction, widespread inflammation, and pain. Stress may be unavoidable in life, and challenges are inherent to success; however, humans have the capability to modify what they perceive as stressful and how they respond to it.
Jul 19, 2023 · Stress management: key to enhanced mental health. Stress management is not about eradicating all stress from our lives – that would be an unrealistic goal. It’s about developing coping mechanisms and strategies to handle stress effectively, preventing it from becoming chronic and overwhelming.
