How Chronic Stress Is Destroying Your Health And Strategies To Combat It

Chronic stress can have a long-term negative impact on people’s physical, emotional, and mental health. It can be combated through professional therapy and other recommendations.

Stress, in general, is a physiological response triggered when the body perceives certain situations as threatening or challenging. “It’s characterized as a reaction to irrational beliefs in which we perceive events as catastrophic or uncontrollable, which triggers dysfunctional emotions and behaviors,” explains María Raquel Quiñonez, a clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety.

When stress lasts longer than normal and has a much more prolonged and drastic impact on people, it becomes chronic stress. Quiñónez maintains that stress is a temporary and normal reaction we have to an event or situation that poses a challenge, but once it is resolved, it disappears. Therefore, it has no serious long-term consequences, since once the stress is eliminated, the body and mind return to their normal state.

However, when it comes to chronic stress, it lasts for a long time, persisting for weeks, months, or even years. “It doesn’t go away after the event or challenge that’s stressing us out. If we don’t manage it properly, it can have a long-term negative impact on our physical, emotional, and mental health,” warns the specialist.

It also has repercussions in everyday life, as it makes it difficult for people to relax and disconnect from the issues that are troubling them. This makes it difficult to deal with everyday problems and situations in a healthy way.

This type of stress can affect people of all ages, but its impact and prevalence vary depending on age, circumstances, and lifestyle factors. Young and middle-aged adults may experience more chronic stress if they experience significant family, social, and work pressure. Adolescents may also be more prone to experiencing it due to hormonal changes and social pressure. Older adults may also experience more health and financial problems and tend to be more isolated.

Consequences of stress

The consequences of stress can be physical, emotional, and social. Quiñonez explains it this way:

Physical impact: Stress can increase blood pressure and heart rate, as well as cortisol and adrenaline levels, which can lead to muscle tension and digestive problems. It can also impact the immune system, making us more vulnerable to illness. Sleep is also affected; we may have more difficulty falling asleep and therefore feel more tired.

Chronic stress can cause insomnia, even when the person is very tired. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Emotional impact: It can cause anxiety because we perceive threats or feel we can’t handle certain situations we’re experiencing. We can also experience depression, as chronic stress can lead us to feel hopeless or like we can’t handle whatever is happening to us. We may feel irritated, angry, or frustrated by the stress we’re experiencing.

Social impact: People who experience a lot of stress may experience more difficulties in their interpersonal relationships, as they feel irritable, lack patience, or place high demands on others. They may also become more isolated, feeling they are unable to meet social expectations, for example, seeking validation from others. This leads to avoiding relationships with others, which can make them feel lonelier and sadder.

How to combat stress

The first step is to identify the causes of stress, as well as the thoughts that accompany it. It’s important to work on changing destructive thoughts to more positive ones. For example, not seeing situations as impossible to manage, but rather as challenges to be faced step by step.

“Learn to accept what you can’t change and practice relaxation techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing. And if you feel like this is already significantly affecting all areas of your life, seek professional help,” Quiñonez recommends.

Seeking professional help in these cases is important to ensure a proper diagnosis in a safe space where emotions and the difficulties being experienced are validated, providing emotional support.

It’s also important to rule out medical conditions and treat the underlying causes of stress, as well as learn strategies for coping more healthily. A professional can help develop skills for managing anxiety and depression, reduce emotional burden, and provide support to improve overall well-being. All of this can help prevent long-term consequences for mental, physical, and emotional health.