How much can stress really affect you physically?

Question

I have a few personal things dangling over my head forgivingly. I find it harder to fall asleep and i think about them almost every waking moment, except when i am busy...and i try to keep busy. I don't need advise on how to solve these stress problems i am just wondering how much it can really affect you specifically when i am training. (running, working out, ect)
Some days i find myself just totally lazy and unable to perform how i want to. For example i usually can get on the treadmill and run 5 miles without a whole lot of trouble but today i got on and could barely do 2, i wasn't sore or anything before, but i just got really tired with camps in my gut. Can this all be blamed on stress....i like to believe i have strong will power, but obviously its not strong enough....
I would rate my stress about 9/10 and not being exaggerated
anyone know?

Answer 1

believe me, stress is a killer..it can affect your health worse than anything can..walking is great, casual, by the water, listening to music as you walk,..or I listen to Bible stories, myself, and words of compassion and courage to be able to survive..it can drain you, depress you, have an affect on your weight, your heart, your hair, your libido, you name it, it can attack and destroy...take gooood care of yourself, and be sure to find something that you like to take you away from the stress,...even if it is for a day...God Bless through Jesus and good luck xx

Answer 2

oh yeah stress will get you down.. i can barely clean my house some days. and i haven't been able to eat more then 3 or 4 bites of food at a time for the last 2 weeks for all the stress i am under.

Answer 3

Anxiety and stress come under the same bracket, here is my answer, i hope it helps:

What is Anxiety?

- Anxiety and panic feelings are very common.
- Anxiety is a normal, healthy and necessary reaction.
- Moderate amounts of anxiety actually improves our performance.
- Anxiety becomes a problem when it interferes with our performance or everyday lives.
- Anxiety cannot be banished completely but we can learn ways to control it.
- Anxiety can be a problem for several reasons:
- some of us are born with a tendency to be anxious in certain circumstances;
- we can learn to be anxious from parents or others during our early years;
- a traumatic incident or several stressful events or problems can increase the likelihood of anxiety occuring.

Anxiety is kept going by avoidance, the beliefs we hold, the"wrong kind of help" and our own unhelpful behaviour.

Anxiety does not harm us. We are not "going crazy", we will not faint (ad by me thats crap cause i have fainted 5 times now), or have a heart attack. The symptoms will pass.

Long-term anxiety can lead to: anger, bitterness, loss of confidence, depression, loss of interest in aspects of life and problems in relationship and at work.

ANXIETY SYMPTOMS.

Physical symptoms:
palpitations
dizziness
blurred vision
dry mouth
aches and pains
overbreathing
chest pains
tingling sensations
indigestation
nausea, vomiting
frequent urination and diarrhoea
sweating
tremor, shaking
blushing
"butterflies" in the stomach
difficulty swallowing
fatigue
feeling faint
numbness

Behaviour:
avoidance
isolation
try to escape
drink alcohol
take drugs
rapid speech
fidgeting
pacing
smoking more
over-eating or not eating

Thinking:
"What if i loose control"?
"I won't be able to cope"
"something awful might happen"
"I'm having a heart attack"
"everyone is looking at me"
"I'm making a fool of myself"

THE FIGHT-FLIGHT RESPONSE

- We are "programmed" to respond to danger/threat.
- Our bodies prepare to fight or flee.
- This response creates changes in the bodythat cause the physical symptoms of anxiety.
- Our mind perceives some danger.
- The brain sends a message which results in adrenalin and noradrenalin to be released.
- Breathing becomes faster and shallower, supplying more oxygen to muscles.
- Heart pumps faster to carry oxygen around the body.
- Liver releases stored sugar to provide fuel for quick energy.
- Digestion slows down or ceases as blood is diverted away from the stomach.
- Bowel and bladder muscles relax
- Pupils dilate.
- Mouth becomes dry.
- Muscles tense, ready for action.
- The body cools itself by sweating and flushing.

Once the danger is past the body quickly returns to normal.

THE ROLE OF THOUGHTS

- Our thoughts play a major part in increasing or decreasing our anxiety.
- Negative thinking reduces our ability to cope.
- By identifying what we are thinking when tense or anxious, we can try to change these thoughts.
- Being aware of "worrying thought patterns" can be help be helpful:
- all or nothing
- Overgeneralisation
- Catastrophising
- Disqualifying the positive
- Jumping to conclusions
- Should statements
- Emotional reasoning
- Personalisation.

- There are 3 main ways to reduce the effects of negative thoughts:

Mental relaxation;
Distraction;
Positive thinking.

Have a chat with the doc if this is how you are feeling. There are good meds to help anxiety.

Source(s):

NHS Psychologist UK

Answer 4

a lot, stress can make you very very sick and in steady high amounts can kill you

Answer 5

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheOpenDoorForsupport/