What Percentage of Illness is Caused by Stress?
You might have scoffed at some who said that they are sick because they are stressed, when in fact the question "What percentage of illness is caused by stress?" is a very real one in today's society. Stress can actually cause a person to get sick.
While stress is a major factor in quite a number of illnesses, it is not typically the only factor involved. Stress is certainly a causing agent, but there is usually some other element that causes the person to become sick as well. However, a study by the American Medical Association found that stress is a factor in 75 percent of all illnesses and diseases that people suffer from today.
Of course, we must remember with all statistics that we are just looking at a sample population. In big cities where live is fast paced, you might find that the percentage of illness caused by stress is higher than that 75 percent. In places where life does not seem to move so quickly, you might find that the statistics are lower.
Diseases Caused by Stress
We are not going to be able to provide an entirely comprehensive list, because studies are still being conducted between stress and disease and illness. Yet we can provide you with some diseases, disorders, and illnesses that have absolutely been linked to stress:
- Sleep deprivation
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Hair loss
- Heart disease
- Weakened immune system
- Hyperthyroidism
- Obesity
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Anxiety disorder
- Sexual dysfunction
- Tooth disease
- Ulcers
- Cancer
- Gum disease
These are not just little scrapes on the knee that we are talking about here! Stress plays a major role in some really serious and potentially fatal problems.
How Stress Affects the Body
We have looked at the major diseases that stress plays a causing role in, but now let us look at how stress affects the body and causes illness and disease on a regular basis. There are little and big changes that occur in your body because of stresses that take a negative toll on one or more aspects of your health.
- Often, when you are stressed, you stay up at night thinking about all of the tasks that you have to complete or all of the reasons why you are stressed. If you do not get enough sleep, other serious health problems can occur. For example, your immune system will begin to weaken.
- Whether due to lack of sleep or other factors, stress has an adverse effect on your immune system. When your immune system weakens, not only are you less able to fight off diseases, but you are more prone to contract them in the first place. Your body allows them in and then it cannot fight them off.
- Serious heart and blood flow problems occur when you are stressed out. In fact, blood flow to your brain and muscles can increase up to 400 percent. Yes, of course, you want your blood to be circulating, but if it increases that much, you are putting yourself at risk for some very serious health problems.
- Digestion problems arise when you are stressed out. Your digestion system slows down or even stops entirely, forcing your entire system to become backed up.
- Stress causes your blood pressure to rise which can be related to heart attacks and strokes.
- stress can cause you to engage in other behaviors that are detrimental to your health. For example, if you are constantly stressed you might start smoking, binge drinking, or using drugs to make the stress-induced feelings go away.
You can control and manage your own stress. If you need help, consider participating in a stress management program to help you identify the causes of your stress and alleviate the stress.