Effects of Stress on Human Brain

“Stress generally refers to two things: the psychological perception of pressure, on the one hand, and the body's response to it, on the other, which involves multiple systems, from metabolism to muscles to memory” (Psychology Today 2018). Stress is something everyone has experienced or will experience within their lifetime. This essay will cover some of the main characteristics that define stress and ways individuals can help lessen stress in their daily lives. Being someone who deals with a lot of stress myself, I do believe stressors can be anything and everything. There are many stressors that can trigger mechanics in the brain and at the same time there are many ways to cope with each stressor a person has. Almost everyone is familiar with stress and or anxiety due to its surprising up rise in our everyday life.

There is no one particular cause to stress. “Stress is your body's reaction to the demands of the world. Stressors are events or conditions in your surroundings that may trigger stress. Your body responds to stressors differently depending on whether the stressor is new or short term — acute stress — or whether the stressor has been around for a longer time — chronic stress” (Mayo Clinic Staff 2016). Stress can stem from beliefs, fears, lack of control over a situation, life changes, your job and even your friends and family. Acute stress is the most common, among the main types of stress, the other being chorionic stress. Acute stress is something that happens suddenly in your life (e.g. car wreck, taking a test, going on a trip). Chronic stress is an ongoing and continuous conflict (e.g. financial problems, health problems, family). (Mayo Clinic Staff 2016).

Stress is a normal part of life. “Some stress helps you to live a rich, full, and meaningful life” (Hayes 2018). Having stress in our lives can teach us valuable lessons, with learning from them, and what and how to deal with stressors the next time they come around. Stress can be good, sounds crazy I know, just hear me out. Learning to value your discomfort can benefit you in the long run. It gives you the opportunity to learn from experiences you may not have ever been able to undergo or open your eyes up to. “A small amount of stress can be good, motivating you to perform well. But multiple challenges daily, such as sitting in traffic, meeting deadlines and paying bills, can push you beyond your ability to cope” (Mayo Clinic Staff 2016). The human brain takes certain tasks as a threat and places your body into a panic mode. It can turn your daily tasks into a new challenging aspect to deal with. Although stress can be dangerous to our bodies physically and mentally, a small amount of stress can give us the drive to push ourselves to perform the task at hand to our best ability.

“We allow the small burdens from our careers, our romances, and our social lives all affect us mentally and physically. It then reaches a point where we’re waking up every morning with the thoughts of hating our lives” (Gregory 2017). As humans we all allow one small thing turn into something bigger due to the snowball effect. Stress can lead to much more severe health problems if you do not address it. You don’t have to have a doctor’s diagnosis to say you have a stress disorder but to further your diagnosis a doctor’s input is advised. “Researchers found that chronic stress made stem cells in the hippocampus mature into another type of glial cell called an oligodendrocyte, which produces the myelin that sheaths nerve cells” (Bergland 2014). The hippocampus is located in the temporal lobe and is linked to memory. Stress causes trouble in the brain leading it to not function at full capacity. Leading to other disorders of your brain and body.

No one wants to be controlled. Dealing with stressors is like being controlled. You cannot control when it comes on and how long it lasts or when it will go away. Learning how to deal with your stressors allow each individual to grow and find solutions or ways to cope, like eating healthy, exercising, finding a time to hangout and relax with friends, etc. Some people have to turn to professional help such as counseling and medication. As well, stress can be a good thing and help you live a meaningful life and not so set in a daily routine of comfort leading you to be ready for change.     

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