What’s the difference between regular stress & something more?

These days, we have more access to information and research about mental health than ever before. With an excess of information available to us, I think it’s important to begin this series by focusing on some definitions and establish the difference between acute stress, chronic stress, everyday anxiety, and anxiety disorder.

What is stress?

Stress is the normal response our bodies have to any change—positive or negative. Early humans developed a stress response as a way to protect themselves from danger and stay on high alert. Nowadays, we’re stuck with that same stress response with WAY less to be scared of!

If you’re like most women living in a digital and fast-paced world, it’s likely that you’ve experienced feeling stressed-out. You might get headaches, sweaty palms, a racing heart, general aches and pains, insomnia, changes in appetite, digestive issues, or pain in your jaw from clenching or grinding your teeth. These symptoms are commonly found in people who experience any level of stress.

Acute stress usually surrounds a specific event or upcoming change that you have less control over. Typically, once the stressful event (like a presentation, first date, or traffic jam) passes, symptoms will likely subside.

Chronic stress occurs when you are exposed to stress or trauma for a prolonged period of time. Chronic stress is more severe than typical stress in that it creates a more uncomfortable biological environment for the body. It can overwhelm the nervous system to the point where physical issues, such as heart disease and high blood pressure, can start to develop.

What is anxiety?

Everyday anxiety is a normal response to situations that would cause any person to be fearful, worried, or embarrassed. The difference between anxiety and anxiety disorder is the degree to which unsubstantiated or irrational worry creates meaningful stress in your life.

If your worries are causing you to avoid your loved ones, cancel plans, lose focus, or make you uncomfortable to a degree in which you’re forced to take time off from school or work, it’s wise to seek professional help.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety or believe that you could be living with a mental health disorder, the information I’ll be sharing will provide you with tools you can use to cope with stresses that cause pain and frustration in your life. Please keep in mind that the information I’m sharing is for informational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and is not a substitute for medical advice.

Get to Know Your Nervous System

The fight-flight-freeze (FFF) response is your body’s natural reaction to danger. Our ancient ancestors developed this response as a tactic to keep them safe from perceived threats, and thousands of years later, we’re still living with it.

Let’s explore this phenomenon on a more cellular level.

After the amygdala (the part of your brain responsible for perceived fear) sends a distress signal, the sympathetic nervous system is activated and responds by sending signals to the adrenal glands, which sit right above your kidneys. The adrenal glands pump out the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, into the bloodstream, which sets off a series of physiological changes that allow our bodies to act quickly.

Specifically, our heart rate gets faster, oxygen flows to major muscle groups (often making our hands and feet cold), our pain perception drops, hearing sharpens, pupils dilate to allow more light in and help you see better, and your skin produces more sweat.

After this initial surge of adrenaline, the brain activates a second stress response system, regulated by the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands (aka HPA axis). These three parts of your body work together to keep you on high alert, releasing cortisol until the danger has passed, and the parasympathetic nervous system can kick in to relieve the HPA axis of its duties.

Chronic stress occurs when the brain cannot find a way to relieve the HPA axis and put the brakes on the stress response. When the HPA axis is activated for too long, too often, your body pays the price.

High levels of constant adrenaline can damage blood vessels and arteries, increasing blood pressure and raising risk of heart attack or stroke. Elevated cortisol levels deplete energy stores, which can inadvertently contribute to fat tissue buildup and lead to increased appetite.

Unfortunately, the body can overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening—like traffic jams, work pressure, family difficulties, or a looming deadline—and the nervous system responds the same way it would if a lion were running toward you.

Fortunately, there are ways to counter that stress, which we’ll be getting to in the next issue! In the meantime, please share any thoughts that may have come up as you read this article.