Some Little Known Dangers of Stress

Woman suffering from stress

There are so many things to be stressed about in your life. That’s true no matter who you are, where you live, or what you do at work. From tough bosses to crying babies, from financial struggles to challenging final exams, life comes with stress.

A certain amount of stress is normal, even inevitable, but you shouldn’t get too used to thinking that it’s fine for you to be stressed to the max all the time. The stress specialists at Nugent Family Counseling Center can help you understand more about the way your out-of-control stress may be contributing to other problems in your life, health, and wellness.

Dr. Geoff Nugent and his team provide stress management services and support for new and existing patients at our locations in San Jose, California, Los Gatos, California, and Reno, Nevada. Here are some of the lesser-known risks of stress.

Stress and your physical health

When you experience stress, your body responds at a chemical level. Your “fight or flight” response activates hormones like cortisol that can help you react rapidly to danger. Even if you’re not in physical danger at that moment, your body becomes ready to handle life-threatening situations.

The biological state of arousal that comes with stress can leave a lasting mark on your physical health and wellness. It’s not just in your head – stress affects you at a bodily level. You might develop headaches or experience nausea or digestive problems when you’re stressed.

Prolonged or severe stress increases your risk of many health conditions and complications. These include high blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease, insomnia, and a weakened immune system that leaves you vulnerable to every cold and flu that’s going around. Stress can even be related to complex conditions like chronic pain.

If you’re experiencing physical health problems, it might be worth evaluating the role that stress may be playing in your condition. More effective stress management techniques could improve your sense of well-being and be beneficial to health outcomes now and in the long term.

Stress, your emotions, and your behaviors

The emotional and behavioral effects of stress can also be a risk to your long-term well-being. When you’re overly stressed, you may not be at your best when interacting with people who are important to you, or in situations that matter for your personal or career goals.

Stress can also cause you to engage in unhealthy behaviors. You may self-medicate with alcohol or drugs, make risky decisions, or become self-destructive as a result of extreme stress. Or, maybe you just withdraw from the important connections and hobbies that are most important to you, leaving you at risk for depression.

Reducing your stress and rebalancing your life

Stress comes from many potential sources, including personal changes, professional complications, and even concerns about world events. If you’re concerned that your stress levels might be too high, and may be adversely affecting your health and well-being, get in touch with the team at Nugent Family Counseling Center today.

We can help you put together a personalized treatment plan to help you cope with stress, protecting you from damaging long-term effects. With changes to your daily life and underlying mindset, you can reduce your stress back down to healthy levels, and get back to the things that mean most to you.

To learn more about stress management, contact Nugent Family Counseling Center over the phone or online, and schedule your appointment today!