How Stress Impacts Our Mental & Physical Health

Today we’re gonna talk about how stress impacts our mental and physical health.

I’m Angela Howard and my passion is to break the stigma of mental health issues among fellow Christians. If you’re new to my channel please subscribe and don’t forget to click on that notifications bell so you don’t miss out on any of the new content.

Last week we debunked some myths surrounding stress and today we’re going to get into the details of how stress affects us both mind and body. According the latest research done by the American Psychological Association “66 percent of people regularly experience physical symptoms of stress, and 63 percent experience psychological symptoms.”

There’s a big connection between stress and declining mental health. We know that people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have physical differences in their brains than those without PTSD. One of those differences is the amount of white vs. grey matter.

UC Berkley conducted a study and found that those who experience chronic stress have more white matter in some parts of the brain. Other studies reveal that there’s an impact on brain connectivity and stress.

You and I will probably never see these kinds of changes happening inside our brains, but we will notice some common effects on our bodies…

  1. Muscle tension or pain.
  2. Headaches.
  3. Stomach upset.
  4. Fatigue.
  5. Sleep issues.
  6. Chest pain.

We will also notice common effects on our behavior…

  1. Lashing out in anger.
  2. Have substance use issues.
  3. Eating too much or not enough.
  4. Withdrawal from social support.

And we can’t forget the impact on our mood…

  1. Difficulty concentrating or focusing.
  2. Symptoms of depression or anxiety.
  3. Restlessness or irritability.

There’s no question that stress is a major contributor to our overall health. So what can we do about? Don’t miss next week’s video to find out. And remember what it says in Psalm 46:10…

Scripture

Cease striving and know that I am God… Psalm 46:10 (NASB)

Question:

What are your best tips in preparing for crisis? I’d love to hear from you today, comment below.

No more confusion or wondering how you’ll face the roller coaster of life with mental illness. Mental Health Academy is here to take the mystery away, and give you the knowledge and the tools you need to have relationships that last! The time is NOW to get our first course: Trauma.

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