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The Impact of Stress on Health

Work stress is a major risk factor in the development of disease. However, the biggest myth about stress is that by itself it is a cause of disease. People who are exposed to the same amount and type of stress frequently develop different problems in response. There are even some people who tend not to develop any problems at all. Considerable research now shows that rather than stress itself, it is the way we respond to stress that causes health problems to flare. It has now been established that attitudinal (personality) characteristics are a major determining factor in how we respond to stress both behaviourally and physiologically.

In 1948, a psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Barbara Betz studied the stress-response profiles of students and followed their development for 30 years. These students we grouped into three different profiles.

The first group was comprised of students who were steady, cautious and self-reliant. The second group were easy going, cheerful and spontaneous, and the third group were moody, quick to anger, and demanding. At the conclusion of the 30-year period, she found that: 25% of the first group (steady, cautious and self-reliant) had developed severe mental or physical illness. 26.7% of the second group (easy going, cheerful and spontaneous) had also developed serious illness. The most startling discovery, however, was that 77.3% of the third group (moody, quick to anger, and demanding) had developed severe mental or physical illness. This seminal work served as a launching pad for more contemporary and well-popularised research concerning the A-Type personality.

When negative emotions become a dominant part of our lives, our bodies produce a chemical response. Our brain is in constant communication with our bodies via neural peptides. These protein messengers influence the secretion of neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin and dopamine which are associated with our mood) and hormones in our bodies (e.g., DHEA and Cortisol which either enhance health and well being or promote the development of weight gain, aging, and disease, respectively). If work and stress consume much of your thoughts, even if you are not aware of what you are thinking, it is now known that there is a tangible health consequence. Personality does not only help determine how our health is affected by stress, but also influences the type of illness we are likely to develop.

Two of the worlds most respected personality researchers (Grossarth-Maticek & Eysenck) conducted a number of major prospective studies, following thousands of participants’ stress-response styles over a period of 15-20 years. It was found that 2 different personality types accurately predicted death from Coronary heart disease and Cancer with 81% accuracy. To put this into predictive, these personality characteristics are six times more predictive of disease morbidity and mortality than cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and cholesterol level. Yet these same studies have also revealed that individuals who exercise autonomy in the face of challenging circumstances experience significantly greater health and longevity. In this regard, how we think, behave, and feel has tangible implications for our immune system. While at times we may not be able to control our changing environment, we can always manage our reactions to change by adopting early intervention and preventative strategies. The key principles of these strategies are discussed in relation to promoting health in stressful environments.

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