Chronic Stress

Chronic stress, in contrast to acute stress, is a consistent sense of feeling pressured and overwhelmed over a long period of time. It could be caused by poverty, a dysfunctional marriage, a deeply dissatisfying job, or chronic illness. Accumulated stressful situations without end can slowly drain a person’s psychological resources and damage their brains and bodies. People experiencing long-term chronic stress might feel incapable of changing their situations, leading to maladaptive behaviors, like self-harm, violence, substance abuse, or even suicide. Research shows chronic stress contributes to an overall decline in fitness or immune health, hypertension, neurodegenerative brain disease linked to HPA-axis dysregulation, and brain changes that promote anxiety, depression, addiction, and obesity.