this post was submitted on 31 Jul 2023
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Does stress itself cause poor health, or does stress cause high blood pressure and unhealthy habits, which cause poor health? (monyet.cc)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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title. I feel like you always hear stuff to the liking of "high stress leads to poor health," but I am kind of wondering exactly why this occurs.

For instance, it's said that stress can cause:

  • Aches and pains.
  • Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing.
  • Exhaustion or trouble sleeping.
  • Headaches, dizziness or shaking.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Muscle tension or jaw clenching.
  • Stomach or digestive problems.
  • Trouble having sex.
  • Weak immune system.

Imagine, hypothetically, that I were to have a high stress life, but still had good sleep, low blood pressure, and a slow heart rate, while also staying away from unhealthy habits like drinking or addiction.

Would my health still be worse than a person who lives an equivalent, but less stressful life than me?

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[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

So, the negative effects of stress don't come from stress itself, but from the fight-or-flight response it elicits. Could you not just switch to having a different response to stress?

For instance, from "The Upside of Stress" by Kelly McGonigal, it says there can be more stress responses than fight-or-flight. Would this then indicate as long as you don't show symptoms of the fight-or-flight response (poor immune system, digestive system, etc), your stress doesn't necessarily have to be harmful to you? :)

edit: Found a cool TedTalk from Kelly McGonigal as well