Stress and the Neuroendocrine Response
Acute Versus Chronic Stress
Stress occurs when people face a threat to their mental, spiritual, physical, or emotional well-being. Stress can be acute and chronic. Acute stress, also known as short-term stress, is quite intense, but its symptoms disappear quickly, which allows the human body to function normally again. The body’s reaction to acute stress is called the “fight-or-flight” response. This mechanism enables people to act immediately in dangerous situations in order to survive. Therefore, they can either fight and defend themselves from a threat or try to avoid it. For example, when a person notices that he/she has lost his/her car key, acute stress tends to arise. However, it disappears when the problem is resolved.
Unlike acute stress, chronic stress is not intense, but it lasts for a long period. Prolonged stress hinders the human body from properly functioning and may negatively affect human health. Chronic stress, for example, may emerge because of the job that a person cannot tolerate or because of the illness of a family member.
How the Brain Perceives Stress
The human eyes and ears send the information regarding danger to the amygdala, a region of the brain responsible for emotional processing. It interprets the stimulus as threatening and transmits the distress signal to the hypothalamus immediately. The hypothalamus can send commands to different parts of the human body via the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system are the components of the autonomic nervous system. While the sympathetic nervous system provides a person with the necessary energy that helps activate the fight-or-flight response, the parasympathetic nervous system soothes the human body after the danger has disappeared.
Hormones and the Stress Response
Hormones are the chemicals produced by the endocrine glands. They serve to control the main bodily functions. Hormones also engage in the body’s reaction to stress. After the hypothalamus receives the distress signal from the amygdala, it sends the signals to the adrenal glands via the autonomic nerves. As a result, the adrenal glands begin to release the hormone epinephrine, or the so-called adrenaline, into the bloodstream. As soon as epinephrine enters the blood, it leads to various physiological changes. Epinephrine increases pulse rate and blood pleasure, induces rapid breathing, sharpens human senses, and causes the release of glucose and fats into the bloodstream. If the danger does not pass quickly, other hormones, such as corticotropin-releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and cortisol are released.
HPA and its Role in the Stress Response
The HPA axis represents the second stage of the stress response that the hypothalamus activates after the initial release of epinephrine decreases. The hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands are the components of the HPA axis. They keep the sympathetic nervous system active due to the series of hormonal signals. Therefore, the human body continues to remain in the state of alert until the danger passes completely.
How Counter Stress Effectively
Many people cannot overcome stress; therefore, they develop stress-related health disorders. In order to protect the body from stress, individuals can use various techniques. The relaxation response is an effective technique that helps counter the stress response. This technique includes practicing yoga, meditation, and deep breathing. In addition, physical activity may help to prevent stress-related disorders as well. Having a walk immediately after a stressful situation relieves muscle tension and deepens breathing. Movement therapies, such as qi gong or tai chi, contribute to the calming of the human body. Lastly, social support may help a person establish emotional stability.
Molly Lowrens is editor at https://essayswriters.com/essays/Exploratory/child-behavior-is-worse-today.html. This company has years of experience writing original papers.They have the people to produce what you need no matter what kind of assignment you need. She started her career writing blogposts.