Hoang 1

An Hoang

Professor Rhonda Jackson Joseph

ENGL 1302-GDH3

26 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 a persons response to a demand that is difficult

to meet, whether physically, psychologically, or emotionally. Base on Merriam-Webster, stress

is a force exerted when one body or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to

compress or twist another body or body part (Merriam-Webster). In other words, it is the state

of being overwhelmed or having a sudden burden weighing on the shoulders. It is undeniable

that no one wants to have an uncomfortable and an unstable feeling kept within themselves.

Either way, stress is common, especially on a daily basis. Every individual experiences 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, neurological

complications, emotional distress, and dramatic changes in behavior, therefore stress

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

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

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
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or respiratory problems further have difficulties with oxygen intake. For example, they

experience rapid breathing or hyperventilation, and the ones who are prone to panic attacks are

caused to have an attack. On the other hand, stress can also contribute to the inflammation of the

circulatory system. Acute stress that is short-term can cause heart rate to momentarily increase.

When individuals are faced with sudden stress, stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and

noradrenaline acts as messengers and cause the heart muscle to have strong contractions

(American Psychological Association). Likewise, blood vessels could dilate and increase the

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

Nevertheless, acute stress is brief, once it is overcome, the body will return to its original state.

On the contrary, chronic stress that is experienced over long-periods of time, will cause an

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

for heart attacks, strokes, or hypertensions. By doing breathing exercises and participating in

tranquil activities such as 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

substantially wear out and tear down the body. It is important to have an adequate amount of

sleep since sleeping is imperative to reducing stress. Having little to no sleep will dreadfully

increase the effects of stress and can lead to insomnia, which is the inability to sleep. Energy can

greatly be depleted and so carrying tasks during the day would be challenging. People with

chronic stress will occasionally come across painful migraines and headaches due to pressure

and anxiety. Given that prolonged stress stimulates muscular tension, excruciating aches can

spread widely throughout the body, neck, shoulder, and back. Jane Collingwood, a psychologist,

says that it is thought to aggravate underlying painful conditions such as herniated discs,
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fibromyalgia and repetitive strain injury (RSI) (PsychCentral). All in all, stress can cause

various harmful pains to the body. Being distress can also result in chest pains from rapid

heartbeats and upset stomachs, including diarrhea, constipation and nausea. Chronic pain can

also hinder normal functioning as well as debilitate movement. By managing stress through

expert consultation, learning and practicing relaxation techniques, or partaking in massage

therapy, aches from stress can be relieved.

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. Stress

can create a vicious cycle of anxiety and fear because it increases the size of the brain activity

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

stress diminishes 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 (EBSCO). If chronic stress is not

handled properly or right away, 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 because of the

individuals tendency to be grumpy when stressed out. According to a study from Taylor &

Francis Ltd, a company that publishes books and academic journals, obesity is a chronic disease

that has been associated with chronic stress and hypercaloric diet (HD) consumption. Increased

ingestion of food containing sugar and fat ingredients (comfort food) is proposed to

compensate chronic stress effects (EBSCO). Those who continually are in distress often
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neglect a healthy lifestyle and go on a poor diet, causing them to be at a high risk for obesity and

multiple eating disorders. Some individuals would even resort to bad behavioral activities such

as smoking or alcohol consumption. Along with exercising and dieting, taking the time to

schedule some downtime for a hobby distracts people from being distressed. This allows them to

be occupied in something they enjoy, and in return, can prevent stressed individuals from

resorting to unhealthy behavioral symptoms.

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

body. It can be used as a motivation factor and can enhance cognitively. Small doses of stress

helps people accomplish tasks efficiently and is beneficial to the mind because it sharpens and

improves memory. Even so, 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 basic

things and cause them to make mistakes. 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 (PsychCentral). Although stress has its advantages, it

causes more harmful impacts than good effects.

In conclusion, stress can be overwhelming and maybe even 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 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 out. Although it is unavoidable, the effects of stress can
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be reduced through stress management. Therefore, in order to have a healthy and happy lifestyle,

it is crucial that stress is taken care of as soon as possible.

Works Cited

Stress. Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stress.

Accessed 24 Mar. 2017.

Stress Effects on the Body. Stress Effects on the Body, www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-

body.aspx. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

The Impact of Stress. Psych Central, 17 July 2016, psychcentral.com/lib/the-impact-of-stress/.

Accessed 22 Mar. 2017.

The Physical Effects of Long-Term Stress. Psych Central, 17 July 2016,

psychcentral.com/lib/the-physical-effects-of-long-term-stress/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2017.

Mcewen, Bruce S, et al. Mechanisms of Stress in the Brain. Nature Neuroscience, vol. 18, no.

10, Oct. 2015, pp. 13531363. Academic Search Complete, doi:10.1038/nn.4086.

Accessed 26 Mar. 2017.

Oliveira, Carla De, et al. Hypercaloric Diet Modulates Effects of Chronic Stress: a Behavioral

and Biometric Study on Rats. Stress: The International Journal on the Biology of Stress,

vol. 18, no. 5, Sept. 2015, pp. 514523. Academic Search Complete,

doi:10.3109/10253890.2015.1079616. Accessed 26 Mar. 2017.