Stress and Health in Recovery

Keep an eye on stress levels What are the long-term effects of stress? The stress response of the body is meant to protect and support us. When faced with a threat, whether it be to our physical safety or emotional equilibrium, the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a process known as the “fight or flight” response. The sympathetic nervous system pumps out adrenaline, preparing us for emergency action. Our heart rate and blood flow to the large muscles increase, the blood vessels under the skin constrict to prevent blood loss in case of injury, the pupils dilate so we can see better, and our blood sugar ramps up, giving us an energy boost. Modern Stress is Mostly Psychological The stress response is what helped our stone age ancestors survive, enhancing their ability to fight or flee from danger. But in the modern world, most stressors are psychological, rather than physical. Caring for a chronically-ill child or getting audited by the IRS qualify as stressful situations, but neither calls for either fight or flight. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t make this distinction. Like a caveman confronting a sabertooth tiger, we go into automatic overdrive, releasing the same hormones that enabled prehistoric humans to move and think faster, hit harder, see better, hear more acutely, and jump higher than they could only seconds earlier. Repeated Stress Takes Heavy Toll The problem with the stress response is that the more it is activated, the harder it is to sh...
Source: Recovery Is Sexy.com - Category: Addiction Authors: Tags: Addictions Alcoholism Codependency Disease effects of stress fight or flight psychological stress and health Source Type: blogs