THE IMPACT OF STRESS
By Jean LeStourgeon

Stress is an often overlooked, yet significant contributor to illness and disease. In this month's Wisdom Watch Column I will address some of the components of stress based on an article published in the summer 1996 issue of Christian Counseling Today by Warren S. Brown, Ph.D.

WHAT IS STRESS?
According to Warren S. Brown, Ph.D., stress is a bio-psycho-social event. In the social sphere, stress results from those life circumstances that tax our abilities to cope. When our ability to cope is taxed then we have a response in the psychological and physiological spheres. Whether a circumstance will instigate a significant stress response is largely dependent upon the individual's perception of the circumstance and the amount of control over the situation he or she perceives to have. Any situation can cause stress in an individual, but examples of things that are likely to cause stress in most people are an illness or death in the family, a hostile boss or a new job. In the general sense, a perception of lack of control or the ability to exert power in a threatening situation would cause a stress response. Psychological responses to stress include worry, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and inattention just to name a few. Physiological responses to stress include a racing heartbeat, increased respiration, sweating, muscle tension etc.

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO STRESS
Simply put, whenever we are in a stressful situation, that is, whenever we perceive a social, psychological or physical threat, our bodies prepare for action. Hormones are released into our systems that provide for an increase in energy and behavioral responsiveness that is necessary to cope with the perceived danger. Most people have experienced the rush of adrenaline when they have come close to being in some sort of accident; the heart starts racing, the palms become sweaty etc. The body responds this way to help us focus all our energy and attention onto dealing with the threat at hand.

WHEN DOES STRESS BECOME UNHEALTHY?
These responses to stress are normal and necessary to the health and safety of our body. It is when these stress responses continue over long periods of time that stress becomes unhealthy and can actually result in illness and disease. The prolonged exposure of our organs to stress related hormones can result in reduced sexual desire and response, increased blood pressure, inhibition of the immune system and inflammatory responses, as well as infertility. Continuous stress related responses put people at risk for cardiovascular disease, memory loss, and other diseases, which might otherwise be overcome by a strong and healthy immune system. In conducting a therapy group recently, I observed that seven out of the seven members had experienced continual, severe stress reactions for long periods of time and all seven had serious somatic complaints requiring various types of medical treatment including surgery.

STRESS DOES NOT EFFECT EVERYONE THE SAME
The same situations will impact different people differently. Whether a situation is stressful or not is largely determined by a person's perception of that situation and their ability to cope with it. When a person perceives that they have little power or influence over a circumstance that they find threatening in some way, the result is a bio-psycho-social stress reaction. In addition to the impact that perception has on stress, research has shown that there is also a relationship between personality types and stress-related diseases. The most critical personality characteristic correlated to stress related disease is hostility. Ephesians 4:31 says to "get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger..." and for good reason. Not only are these things an offense to God and others, but these characteristics also make us sick and keep us from experiencing the peace of God.

DEALING WITH STRESS
Therefore in order to successfully regulate stress in our lives it is important to address our perceptions, which are grounded in our core beliefs and values. Then we must adjust our life and our priorities accordingly. Also, we must examine our lives for the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), which are gained through abiding in Christ (John 15). Experiencing less stress in our lives will require us to decide to make choices that are consistent with God's word regarding our perceptions, our time, our energy, and our resources.

Finally, understanding the character of God, and in particular the sovereignty of God, is crucial to viewing our circumstances from a healthy, godly perspective. Matthew 6:25 states "do not worry about your life..." That may be easy to say, but putting it into action requires a deep trust in God. A deep trust in God comes from knowing God personally- His character and His promises. Knowing God personally requires a dedication to reading and hearing the scriptures and spending time in prayer. God provided all of these things in order to renew our perceptions by transforming our minds with His word and Spirit (Romans 12:2). Christians, above all other people, have the promise of peace in their lives. And since Jesus is our Peace, it is through Jesus that we will experience peace and therefore freedom from excessive worry and stress in our lives.

Copyright © 2001 Jean and Alan LeStourgeon