Toxic stress can increase a person's risk of developing high blood pressure, elevating levels of inflammation that can damage the arteries. These conditions can lead to heart disease, stroke and other serious health issues later in life.
Additional physical and mental health conditions related to toxic stress include chronic fatigue, diabetes, obesity, depression and immune disorders. Children are even more vulnerable to the damaging effects of toxic stress, especially when they are without the support of a caring adult to help buffer the stress.
Physical pain, such as headaches and gastrointestinal distress — prolonged stress has been linked to chronic migraine and/or ulcers. Sleep disturbances and nightmares — can lead to problems with attention and focus as well as anxiety. Social withdrawal. Impulsive and risky behavior.
We may feel toxic stress when we face strong, frequent, or prolonged challenges. These can include abuse, neglect, violence, or substance use in the home. These experiences can trigger our body's stress response. This response floods our body with "fight or flight" chemicals.
Examples of toxic stress include abuse, neglect, extreme poverty, violence, household dysfunction, and food scarcity.
There are three categories of stress: positive, tolerable, and toxic.
These changes are individualized, but some of the more commonly reported signs of toxic stress include: Physical pain or discomfort like headaches, muscle aches, Gastrointestinal upset. Increased heart rate, blood pressure or respiration. Sleep disturbances or nightmares.
Toxic stress decreases the size and impairs the functioning of the regions of the brain responsible for learning, memory, executive functioning (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus). As a result, the child is placed at risk for having learning and behavior problems.
Chronic stress — stress that occurs consistently over a long period of time — can have a negative impact on a person's immune system and physical health. If you are constantly under stress, you may experience physical symptoms such as chest pain, headaches, an upset stomach, trouble sleeping or high blood pressure.
Can stress cause illness? Yes, when stress is ongoing and chronic, it can lead to stress-related illness. This has to do with the ongoing “fight-flight-freeze” response during stress. This leads to changes in hormones as well as changes in the brain.
Chronicfatigue, tiredness, and lack of energy.
"When the body cannot handle emotional overload, it simply begins to shut down. And that is often manifested by a sense of extreme tiredness and fatigue," says Kalayjian.
The good news is that parents and caregivers may be able to prevent or even reverse the damaging effects of toxic stress. Research shows that reducing a child's exposure to severe stress or providing responsive and supportive care under stressful conditions can make a difference.
Chronic stress- The APA defines chronic stress as stress that is constant and persists over an extended period of time. It is the most harmful type of stress to our overall health.
Chronic stress is the most harmful type of stress. If chronic stress is left untreated over a long period of time, it can significantly and often irreversibly damage your physical health and deteriorate your mental health.
Psychological stress is reported to be a risk factor for autoimmune diseases, including Graves' disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Different types of stress and the length of time that stress is present might also affect the presentation of inflammatory autoimmune disease.
The consistent and ongoing increase in heart rate, and the elevated levels of stress hormones and of blood pressure, can take a toll on the body. This long-term ongoing stress can increase the risk for hypertension, heart attack, or stroke.
Stress also alters the acid concentration in the stomach, which can lead to peptic ulcers, stress ulcers or ulcerative colitis. Chronic stress can also lead to plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis), especially if combined with a high-fat diet and sedentary living.
Chronic stress and high stress levels can cause illness or flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cold, nausea, and body aches. Managing stress may help resolve these symptoms. A person may speak with a doctor if the symptoms persist.
According to a report by the American Psychological Association, long-term stress weakens the responses of your immune system. "That's because stress decreases the body's lymphocytes, the white blood cells that help fight off infection.