Two Ways Stress Makes You Sick 🤒
1. Direct Route (Body Changes) 🫀
- Stress → Body releases stress hormones! 💉
- Heart beats faster, blood pressure goes up! ⬆️💓
- Immune system gets weaker! 🛡️⬇️
- Over time → Heart disease, high blood pressure! 💔
2. Indirect Route (Behavior Changes) 🍺🚬
- Stressed people drink more alcohol! 🍷
- Smoke more cigarettes! 🚬
- Have more accidents! 🚗💥
- Bad parenting during family stress! 👨👩👧😔
Key Terms 📚
- Allostatic Load 😫: Wear and tear on body from repeated stress!
- Psychoneuroimmunology 🧠🛡️: Study of how mind affects immune system!
- Atherosclerosis 🩸: Fatty stuff blocking arteries!
What Happens Inside Your Body 🔬
- Cardiovascular System 💓: Blood vessels get damaged over time!
- Endocrine System 💉: Releases catecholamines & cortisol (stress hormones)!
- Immune System 🛡️: T cells & B cells (fighter cells) decrease!
The Feedback Loop 🔄
- Brain 🧠 → Nervous System 🔌 → Hormones 💉 → Immune System 🛡️
- They all talk to each other!
- Stress affects ALL of them! 😰➡️🤒
Key Takeaways 🔑
- Stress hurts you TWO ways: body & behavior! 🫀🍺
- Long-term stress = wear and tear! 😫
- Stress weakens your immune system! 🛡️⬇️
- Mind and body are connected! 🧠❤️