Stress

Written by Dr Laila Kaikavoosi

Stress is not always bad. It has helped our ancestors survive dangerous and fatal situations in the past!

Nowadays most of us can relate to comments like “I’m under stress” or “I feel stressed” but what is stress? It is simply a physical response to a situation.

The never ending “to do” list, the fast-approaching deadlines, the financial difficulties, the social pressures and …cause a complex of hormones to be released.

Cortisol, norepinephrine and adrenalines are released so we can “fight” or “escape” the situation.

This is the best thing which could happen if you’re faced with a wild animal. All you need is maximum blood supply to the main muscle groups and the shut-down of “unnecessary” systems like digestion so you can run as fast as possible but what happens when instead of a wild animal you are faced with a situation which doesn’t end…..well then the stress hormones which were only meant to be around for a short period of time stay in your blood stream for a long time and cause many psychological and physical symptoms. Anything from palpitations, chest pain, poor digestion, bloating, dizziness and numbness as well as low mood, anxiety and social seclusion.

By recognising the signs and symptoms of stress as well as what triggers it, we can help combat it.