This is a word that has become embedded in our vocabulary. Almost everyone can relate to feeling stressed at some time, and as such stress is part of everyday life. Everyone differs in what is stressful or potentially stressful to them. What for one person might seem to be a catastrophic event may be a minor setback for another.
Stressors (triggers of stress) can take many forms and are basically any experiences or situation that produce feelings of being overwhelmed, in conflict, uncertain and out of control. For example, pressures of work, personal misfortunes, relationship difficulties, financial pressures, the list is endless. Change in itself is stressful, this can include change in your daily routine and change in your health, both are likely to be experienced with a hepatitis C diagnosis.
At the most basic level stress provokes a survival response. To prepare us for fight or flight the autonomic nervous system produces a whole range of reactions including the production of adrenalin and cortisol and the release of extra glucose. These increase your heart and breathing rate, raise blood pressure and provide you with extra energy that enables you to think quicker, move quicker, react faster. This is of course essential in genuine fight or flight situations, but it is designed to be a short term response.
The body is designed so that the action taken to cope with the stressful situation such as running away, burns up the extra hormones and chemicals. The body then needs to relax to complete a return to a state of hormonal balance. The body is not designed however to cope with prolonged periods of stress without corresponding periods of action and proper relaxation. In simple terms it is unhealthy to feel primed for a 100 metre sprint when we are trapped on an overcrowded bus. In particular, high levels of cortisol impair the immune system and its production of both T-cells and interferon that are a key part of the bodies natural defence mechanism against the hepatitis C virus.
There is also some evidence that high levels of cortisol affect the brain, damaging those areas dealing with memory. Prolonged or chronic stress has other impacts too, negatively impacting both your emotional stability and your energy levels. This can be distressing and so cause yet more stress, setting up a vicious circle. It is so important therefore to try to reduce stress as much as possible by learning to cope with it.
Acute stress is the most common form and comes from immediate pressure. It can be exhilarating and motivating and is the burst of energy you experience when you try to finish cleaning the house before your friends turn up for the party! Sexual desire has been described as a form of acute stress. The point about acute stress is that it is short lived and typically involves a period of relaxation afterwards. The pressures of modern life generate frequent periods of acute stress sometimes referred to as episodic acute stress. These are fine provided they are interrupted by proper relaxation. Unfortunately what often happens is that these episodes link themselves together without breaks into continuous chronic stress. Because this is a continuous state, it comes to seem natural.
As a result although you would think that you are bound to know whether you are stressed or not, this isn't always the case. Added to this many of the symptoms of hepatitis C are very similar to those of stress and one can enhance the other. You may experience symptoms of stress and attribute these to disease progression, which is likely to alarm you and further increase your stress levels. Stress manifests itself in many ways and sometimes you can only recognise it by its effects. It can therefore be very helpful to look at the symptoms.
Symptoms of stress
The following is a list of the most common symptoms of stress. T his may help you to determine whether you are stressed, Identifying that you are stressed is the first step towards doing something about it.
Physical Symptoms
- headaches
- back ache and/or neck ache
- shoulder tension
- fatigue
- teeth grinding
- insomnia
- restlessness
- increased alcohol, drug or tobacco consumption
- digestive upsets
- palpitations
- sweating
- nausea
- dry mouth
- tight chest
- breathing difficultly
Mental symptoms
- forgetfulness
- confusion
- dull senses
- lethargy
- poor concentration
- no new ideas
- low productivity
- boredom
- negative attitude
Emotional
- anxiety
- irritability
- the blues
- depression
- mood swings
- short temper
- crying spells
- easily discouraged
Social
- isolation
- lowered sex drive
- resentment
- nagging
- loneliness
- fewer contacts with friends
- lashing out
- clamming up
