Depending on the situation, stress can either be good or bad, yet it is often an aspect that is overlooked in association with physical health problems. The pessimistic view of stress is very common, however avoided in today's society and despite a few cases where stress is positive, this causes many health issues. In the article "The Mess That is Stress" by Nathan Seppa, it is proven that research shows that chronic stress precipitates long-term health problems including heart disease, strokes, weakened immune system, inflammation, and decline in "fight or flight" receptors that make us aware of dangerous situations. Factors such as isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder, socioeconomic problems, and others …show more content…
Both chronic and low-grade stress contribute greatly to progressive physical illnesses. Although stress has always had a bad reputation, researches have just recently been able to convince others of how harmful it truly is. The first study that really allowed stress research to gain popularity was the Whitehall Study, where British researchers illustrated the detriments of stressed workers. Scientists discovered that a stressed brain sets off hormone release, resulting in imbalanced immunity and a toll on one’s physical health. Researchers began to tap into a national health registry and work records to obtain information on thousands of British civil servants, discovering that men in lowest-level jobs had an increase risk of death due to heart problems in comparison to men in more profitable positions. Research shows that even with the removal of extra factors such as high blood pressure, amount of exercise, and time for leisure activity, men in the lowest level jobs were more than three times as likely to die due to heart problems. When women were added to the Whitehall Study, it was …show more content…
Between the increased rate of heart disease, excess stress hormones, and weakened immune systems, chronic stress damages long term health. There are a variety of factors that play vital role’s in the amount of stress induced health issues including socioeconomic problems, quality of life, support from friends and family during stressful situations, isolation, and many more. Nonetheless, coping strategies including yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mediation can decrease stress and improve health