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Essay The Long Term Effects of Stress

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The Long Term Effects of Stress

The long term effects of stress on the human body are generally negative. Stress can be a positive, as it enables us to respond to danger quickly, but continued stress places stress on the body causing diseases such as cardio-vascular problems, ulcers, problems with digestion and illness.

The most common problem caused by stress is heart disease, more specifically cardiovascular problems. One very common effect when you develop cardiovascular problems is high blood pressure. You can also develop coronary heart disease which involves a narrowing of the hearts arteries. There have been very few studies into this area of stress as the effects can be life …show more content…

The human body develops problems with digestion because when under stress we use energy, lowering out blood sugar level. Therefore the stomach tells your body that you need more sugar. When placed under stress however, your appetite disappears. So the stomach creates more hydrochloric acid, which is not being used up. This acid wears down the walls in your stomach, causing ulcers. This is all controlled by the SAM.

There has only been one major study into ulcers, by Brady (1958). He performed an experiment on two monkeys. Many people believed for a long time that this was this study was definitive proof that stress caused ulcers. It was backed up by Weiner et al in 1957. He used army recruits under stressful training conditions. At the end of the study fourteen percent of the recruits had developed ulcers. Marshall et al (1985) disagreed however. He believed that it was actually a bacterium called 'helicobacter pylori'. He was so convinced that he infected himself with it, and developed stomach ulcers.

Another effect of prolonged stress to the body is mental stress, because you are getting less oxygen to your brain. People who experience a high level of stress for a long time-and who cope poorly with this stress-may become irritable, socially withdrawn, and emotionally unstable. They may also have difficulty concentrating and solving problems. Some

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