Hoang 1

An Hoang

Professor Rhonda Jackson Joseph

ENGL 1302-GDH3

24 Mar 2017
Argument: Why Stress Management is Important

Stress is known to have a negative connotation. It is undoubtedly unavoidable. Even the

slightest amount of stress is inevitable. Stress is an individuals response to a demand that is

difficult to meet, whether physically, psychologically, or emotionally. It is like the feeling of

being overwhelmed or having a heavy burden weighing on the shoulders. No one wants to have

that uncomfortable and unstable feeling within them. Either way, stress is common, especially on

a daily basis. Every individual will experience it at least once in their lifetime. In fact, there are

various factors that contribute to stress. For instance, work-related issues, family and relationship

problems, financial trouble, or even traumatic circumstances can trigger a long-term stress.

Taking this into consideration, stress has significant negative effects such as internal health

disturbances, physical fatigue and pain, and neurological complications, therefore stress

management plays an essential role in reducing and preventing these problems.

Depending on the individual, if stress is not managed properly, health problems can

possibly arise. For the body to protect itself against pain and injury, internal muscles tense up as

a reaction to stress. If muscle tension is present for long periods of time, stress-related disorders

and other reactions of the body can be ignited. When encountered with stress, those with asthma

or respiratory problems can have difficulties with oxygen intake, for example, they can

experience rapid breathing or hyperventilation.

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Stress can also contribute to the inflammation of the circulatory system. Acute stress that

is short-term can cause heart rate to increase. When individuals are faced with sudden stress,

stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline acts as messengers and causes the

heart muscle to have strong contractions. Likewise, blood vessels could dilate and increase the

amount of blood pumped into the heart and muscles. This can cause blood pressure to elevate.

Acute stress is momentary, once it is overcome, the body will return to its original state. On the

contrary, chronic stress that is experienced over a long-period of time, will cause an ongoing and

consistent increase in heart rate and blood pressure. As a result, there is a higher risk for a heart

attack, stroke, or hypertension. By doing breathing exercises and doing meditation or yoga, the

tension of the muscles caused by stress can effectively be reduced.

Experiencing stress can cause the body to be physically exhausted and pained. It can

physically wear out and tear down the body. Having little to no sleep will dreadfully increase the

effects of stress and can lead to insomnia. Additionally, energy can greatly be depleted and so

doing tasks during the day would be challenging. Therefore, it is important to have an adequate

amount of sleep since sleeping is imperative to reducing stress. For people with chronic stress,

they occasionally come across painful migraines and headaches due to pressure and anxiety.

Given that prolonged stress stimulates muscular tension, aches can spread widely

throughout the body such as the neck, shoulder, and the back. Jane Collingwood, a psychologist,

says that it is thought to aggravate underlying painful conditions such as herniated discs,

fibromyalgia and repetitive strain injury (RSI) (PsychCentral). In other words, stress can cause

various harmful pain to the body. Distress also results in chest pains from rapid heartbeats and

upset stomachs, which includes diarrhea, constipation and nausea. Besides, chronic pain can also

hinder normal functioning as well as debilitate movement. By managing stress through expert
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consultation, practicing and learning relaxation techniques, massage therapy, or exercising as

well as dieting can help to prevent painful aches from occurring.

Extreme distress can ultimately lead to neurological complications and emotional as well

as behavioral problems. If stress, especially chronic stress, is left untreated, mental problems can

form because of the increase in stress hormone affecting the brain and its functions. In fact, stress

can kill brain cells by having cortisol create a surplus amount of glutamate to attack the brain

cells. People with ongoing stress can be put at risk for mood disorders and mental issues. It can

create a vicious cycle of anxiety and fear since stress increases the size of brain activity level and

the number of neural connections inside the brain. Not only that, but poor coping of stress

depletes critical brain chemicals and as a result can cause depression. "Stress, or being stressed

out, leads to behaviors and patterns that in turn can lead to a chronic stress burden and increase

the risk of major depression," says Bruce McEwen (The End of Stress as We know it). In

actuality, stress can be overwhelming and can wear down a person.

If chronic stress is not handled properly, individuals may frequently be in a bad mood

which would in turn lead to a decrease in productivity and disturb a persons normal daily

routine. Those who are continually in distress often neglect a healthy health style and go on a

poor diet, which would cause them to be at risk for obesity. Some individuals would resort to bad

behavioral activities such as smoking or alcohol consumption. Taking the time to schedule some

downtime for a hobby can help to keep people from being distressed by giving them occupied in

something they enjoy and in the end, can help stress individuals from resorting to unhealthy

behavioral symptoms.

It is suggested that having moderate-level of stress is actually good for the mind as well

as the body. According to John Whyte, a former chief medical expert at Discovery Channel,
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having stress is sometimes beneficial to the mind because it sharpens and improves memory,

however too much stress can put too much pressure on the brain and as a result can cause the

mind to be unclear and make it difficult for individuals to recall the basics things. Furthermore,

being distressed causes headaches and intolerable migraines that are not easy to cope with.

Moreover, individuals who experience chronic stress are more vulnerable to illnesses. If there is

no identifiable method to manage stress, it eventually can lead to a heightened sense of

dysfunction, as stated by Steve Bressert from the American Psychiatric Association, which

would lead to physiological and psychological conditions like anxiety and depression. Therefore,

stress is nonbeneficial and causes more harm than good.

In conclusion, stress can be overwhelming and maybe too much for some individuals to

handle. Too much stress is bad for the body and the mind. In extreme cases, stress can lead to a

risk in endangering health illnesses, psychological problems, as well as emotional distress. Stress

cannot be avoided because it is natural to encounter situations that are above and beyond difficult

for some to carry to the end. Although it is unavoidable, the effects of stress can reduce and may

be even prevented through stress management. Therefore, in order to have a happy, healthy

lifestyle, it is crucial to take care of stress.

Works Cited

"The Connections Between Emotional Stress, Trauma and Physical Pain." Psychology Today.

N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2017. <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/somatic-

psychology/201004/the-connections-between-emotional-stress-trauma-and-physical-

pain>.

Pardon Our Interruption. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.

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<http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress.aspx>.

"Stress Symptoms." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.

<http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-

on-the-body#2>.

Alban, Deane. "12 Effects of Chronic Stress on Your Brain." Be Brain Fit. N.p., 07 Mar. 2017.

Web. 22 Mar. 2017. <https://bebrainfit.com/effects-chronic-stress-brain/>.

Aldwin, Carolyn M. and Loriena A. Yancura. "Effects of Stress on Health and Aging: Two

Paradoxes." California Agriculture, vol. 64, no. 4, Oct-Dec2010, pp. 183-188.

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