Why it's Important to Reduce Stress

"Stress is people's natural reaction to excessive pressure it isn't a disease, but if stress is excessive and goes on for some time, it can lead to mental and physical ill health (eg depression . . . heart disease." (Health and Safety Executive)

The role of stress in illness is a complex one. Research has indicated that chronic, unmanaged stress can be one factor in the development and/or exacerbation of a wide range of physical and psychological health problems. Disease, however is rarely ever caused by one single factor alone, but is brought about by a matrix of interacting factors such as genetic predisposition, lack of exercise, unmanaged stress, etc., add to this our negative coping strategies, such as smoking, excess alcohol, a junk food diet, high in fat, refined sugars, salt, low in fibre, fruits and vegetables, its a combination that increases our disease risk.

Stress is not like a physical disease agent, for example a flu virus. If you exposed 100 people to a flu virus those that develop flu would have very similar symptom patterns, however if you subject 100 people to chronic unmanaged stress they may not all develop the same stress related disease. One person may develop migraines in response to stress because that is their biological and genetic pre-disposition, another person exposed to the same chronic, unmanaged stress may develop back pain. Stress seems to have an effect on the individuals genetically related disease vulnerability.

Some Conditions Linked to Unmanaged Stress

·        Acne

·       Crohn's Disease

·       Ulcerative Colitis

·       Stomach Ulcers

·        Back Pain

·        Arthritis

·        Infertility

·        PMS

·        Asthma

·        Diabetes

·       Drug Addiction

·        Herpes

·        Headaches

·        Migraine

·        Epilepsy

·        ADHD

·        Pain

·        Stroke

·       Heart Disease

·        High Blood Pressure

·       Angina Pectoris

·       Increased Colds/Flu

·        Gambling

·       Irritable Bowel Syndrome

·        Smoking

·        Eczema

·        Slow Wound Healing

·        Psoriasis

·       Bipolar Depression

·        Insomnia

·        Anxiety

·        Depression

·        Alcohol Addiction

·        Fibromyalgia

That's the bad news. But the good news is, research studies have shown that learning Stress Management techniques can lower our stress levels and reduce our susceptibility to developing a wide range of physiological and psychological stress related health problems.

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