George Kulik, D.V.M., Ph.D, assistant professor of cancer biology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, and his team exposed cancer cells in mice to a stress hormone, adrenaline. “We found the cancer cells became more resistant,” Kulik says. That resistance could make treatment of a stressed cancer sufferer less effective.
Finally, stress affects our mental health. “Over time, stress can increase our risk of clinical depression, anxiety, and panic attacks,” Furst says.
The wear and tear of stress
“Heart attack, stroke, and diabetes are all hormonal wear and tear disorders,” says Salvatore Maddi, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and social behavior at the University of California, Irvine.
Take diabetes. “During stress, released hormones elevate blood sugar. Diabetes worsens if you are already diabetic, or your risk of developing it increases if you aren’t. It can be a vicious cycle; you become upset so your sugar rises, the rising sugar makes you more upset,” ays Narinder Duggal, M.D., medical director for Liberty Bay Internal Medicine in Washington state.
And stress continues its destructiveness after the initial crisis has passed. “The data is very clear that if someone has stress they will do less well recovering from a heart attack or stroke,” Duggal says.
Looking at stress realistically
“The things in life we call ‘stressors’ are not really the problem. It’s how we react to these stressors,” says Steven M. Sultanoff, Ph.D., adjunct professor in psychology at Pepperdine University in California.
Sultanoff points to the person who withers away after a loved one’s death versus the person who goes on and even enjoys life. “Some people say, ‘I still have my life, I have other things to do, and life can still be good and wonderful,” he says. “Other people say, ‘I have nothing left to live for.’ That isn’t true.
There is always something to live for, whether it’s your grandkids or the next hot fudge sundae.”
“Even a well-planned, eagerly anticipated retirement can bring stress. You are gaining something—personal freedoms, a chance to relax—but you are also losing things like a career or specific role,” Furst says.
Making stress less destructive
So attitude is half the battle. Maddi has a name for the right attitude: hardiness. “It isn’t optimism— hat is often just naïve complacency,” he says. Instead, people who exhibit hardiness combine three factors to turn stressful situations into opportunities. “They show commitment, determined to stay involved no matter how bad things get; they take control, refusing to feel powerless; and they are willing to rise to challenges, seeing them as just a normal part of living and something to help them grow,” Maddi says.
Facing the stressors
Preventing stress and its side effects requires strong doctor-patient interaction. “The primary care doctor almost has to be a psychiatrist. It’s easier when doctors have time to know their patients.
They get to know the family, the person’s living conditions, and pick up on certain stressors,” McEwen says.
A good network is critical. “We see that in continuing care all the time. At places like Erickson communities, the social aspect is a big part of keeping people well. They have a safety net to help them absorb the shocks of life,” Morris says.
“Drug companies and even sometimes doctors often point us to medical solutions to fighting stress. Medications are important tools, but we tend to underestimate the preventive benefits of fighting stress through social and psychological solutions,” McEwen says. “Prevention is always better than medication.”