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Long-Term Effects of Stress

 

            Stress is the body's "response to any demand for change" (Marieb). It is crucial to survival; when a human comes in contact with danger, the body releases hormones that help us quickly prepare the person for the oncoming danger (Marieb). Things like the death of a loved one, money problems, or even something as simple as a person's morning commute. Stress has obvious effects on a person's emotion, but is it possible that stress can have a physical effect? Stress can affect every part of the body, ranging from the skeletal system to the reproductive system and everything in between.
             The human body has adapted well to small amounts of stress, like the stress a body would go through to get out of harms way. When it comes to the stresses in every day life, the body has little time to recuperate. With little time to recuperate, the body cannot properly heal, which causes problems both mentally and physically. Stress can cause a range of psychological problems. The cognitive effects of stress can range from confusion, forgetfulness, and anxiety (psyccentral.com). Stress can also affect a person's emotional state and also cause changes in their behavior. Stress causes an affect on a person's psychological function because it activates the cortisol system (Marieb). What is cortisol? Cortisol is an adrenal hormone that is essential to the maintenance of homeostasis (Marieb). High levels of cortisol are associated with chronic stress and can have many negative effects. Brain cells that are constantly under stress tend to shrink and can even cut connections with other brain cells (News in Health). When a brain cell changes shape, it effects how a person "coordinates their thoughts, emotions, and reactions" (News in Health). If the brain is under enough stress for a long period of time parts of it can either grow or shrink, causing things like memory loss, decreased focus, and frustration (News in Health).


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