STRESS AND DISTRESS …How Our Body Responds – Jeanne Griffith, M.D- July 1998. In losing someone to suicide,
we are likely to have some awareness of the emotional impact of the Stress is a fact of life. Stress can be a positive force which increases our feeling of control, our creativity, and our energy level – or – it can produce the opposite effect; physical, mental, and emotional distress. The scientist, Hans Selye, is best known for describing these polar responses. He defined stress as the ”nonspecific response of the body to any demands made on it.” He spoke of eustress as a normal response and distress as the abnormal response. Distress may manifest itself as physical symptoms, by mental fatigue, and/or by the loss of emotional control. What happens in the body when it is stressed to the point of alarm or distress? Physical changes occur through a complex hormonal system directed by the pituitary gland located at the base of the brain. Hormones act through endocrine organs such as the adrenal glands and also affect the autonomic nervous system which controls the internal organs of the body. The hormonal and nervous system stimuli which result from severe stressors result in an increased heart rate, rising blood pressure, increased blood volume, decreased urine production, and decreased blood flow to abdominal organs. Muscle strength and mental activity increase. Coronary arteries, the bronchial tubes, and the pupils of the eyes dilate. These actions increase the body’s ability to deliver and use oxygen and metabolize nutrients more rapidly to respond to the stress and return the body to normal or eustress. Dr. Selye also described the “fight or flight syndrome.” The body reacts to an alarming situation with an increase in muscle tension, increased heart rate, dry mouth, and sweating palms. A survivor of suicide will
recognize that severe distress accompanies the alarming news of a death
of a family member, a loved one, or a friend. The effects of the more
subtle ongoing stress or distress may be less obvious. More streptococcal infections were found in families with acute stress. College students who were socially isolated or failing had an increased number of upper respiratory infections. “Unhappy” nursing students known to be infected with the Herpes simplex virus had an increased number of cold sores. Infectious mononucleosis was more common in unusually stressed West Point cadets. People who witness severely distressing, catastrophic events where lives are threatened or lost may develop Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. In such individuals, the increased blood pressure and heart rate which occurred immediately may persist over time. Death from coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death in older adults, can be precipitated by acute distress. In such incidents, the stressor is probably interacting with other pre existing risk factors for heart disease. Stress also may cause a rise in certain blood lipids which are a risk factor for coronary artery disease. One classic medical textbook states there is “abundant evidence” that asthma, a very common chronic illness, can be made worse by psychological stressors. As survivors of a tragic loss we need to think about the connection between mind and body. If there is good news in this litany of stressors and their undesirable effects, it is that individuals can exercise some control in the prevention of long term distress. Social support is an important buffering factor. The size and quality of a social network is significant. A healthy body is another
modifier, as are good health habits – a good diet, adequate rest,
and exercise. References: 1. Wellness. Concepts and
Applications. Anspaugh et al. St. Louis: Mosby. 2nd ed. 1994
SOS Newsletter Article, Mental Health Center of Dane County, Inc.
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