Does extreme or prolonged stress cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or ME?
Some common causes of Stress
Recently I asked a group of nine people two questions. “What causes your stress” and “How does stress affect you personally”
The results were both interesting and funny!
There were 68 different answers, here are a few…
- Arguments, disputes
- Arrogance
- Bills – financial difficulties
- Boss, workload, colleagues, enjoyment of job, work- environment
- Car problems
- Childhood trauma, pain and memories caused by abusive, angry situations
- Corporate bull-s**t
- Depression
- Disrespect
- Family arguments
- Feeling inadequate
- Feeling out of control
- Filing for a divorce
- Getting married
- Gossip
- Growing-up
- Health issues (negative)
- Heartache
- Holding on to past trauma
- Liars
- Making decisions
- Men (!)
- Women (!)
- Money
- Mother, Father, Son, Daughter, Partner, Spouse
- Relationships
Stress and muscular pain
In your body, stress initially presents as a physical contraction (tension) which shortens the muscle. In the short term, we feel a little tired, although nothing that a soak in the bath and good night’s sleep won’t cure. However, the longer that stress continues, the deeper, more expansive the effect of the physical tension on your body.
The physical impact of stress will swiftly escalate if stress develops from acute healthy pace, high intensity, short lived, positively competitive to chronic; long term, exhausting, uncomfortable situations.
Physical and emotional tension go hand in hand… you may be suffering with frequent or reoccurring headaches, stiff shoulders, neck and lower back pain.
What stress does to the rest of your body…
Organs of the body |
Natural ‘Default’ Setting |
What happens when under short term ‘acute’ Stress |
What happens when under long term Stress |
Brain |
Calm |
Improved memory & concentration faster reflexes |
Headaches, migraines, tremor, confusion, anxiety & depression. |
Mood & Emotions |
Happy & content |
Focussed and serious |
Fearful, no sense of humour, strained & tense. |
Heart |
Normal pulse & BP |
Faster pulse, higher BP |
High BP & chest pain |
Lungs |
Quiet breathing |
More oxygen transported to bloodstream |
Asthma, over-breathing, feeling of suffocation & breathlessness |
Skin |
Clear, normal |
Blanched, cool, sweaty |
Dryness, rashes, psoriasis, eczema |
Muscles |
Normal function |
Faster, more powerful contractions |
Muscle tension and strain |
Intestine |
Normal activity |
Reduced blood supply, slow digestion |
Indigestion, heartburn, ulcers, bloating, wind, diarrhoea, IBS. |
Bladder |
Functions without conscious thought |
Frequent urination |
Frequent urination & conscious discomfort |
Sexual Organs |
Normal |
Impotence in men, disturbed periods in women |
Impotence, period disturbances, loss of libido, anorgasmia |
How it works…From Stress to Fatigue.
We all know how stress makes us feel, but how do you know when long term/ extreme stress is having an effect on your physical health and well-being?
In 1936, psychologist and ‘Grandfather of stress’ Hans Seyle described the body’s response to stress stating that there are three stages:
1. The alarm reaction – preparation for fight or flight.
2. The resistance stage – the body strives to create balance within vital functions. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, eczema, colds/flu, high blood pressure, etc.
3. Exhaustion – CFS ME BURNOUT
Seyle also suggests that long-term stress (long-term elevation of the stress ‘cortical’ hormones) impacts on the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections and putting a strain on the internal organs.
