Stress takes energy away from the immune system, inhibiting the activities of its B and T lymphocytes, macrophages, and natural killer (NK) cells. This leaves us more vulnerable to illness and disease.
Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of these mind-body interactions. Although stress does not cause diseases such as AIDS and cancer, it may make us more vulnerable to them and influence their progression.
How does stress increase coronary heart disease risk? Stress is directly connected to coronary heart disease, the United States’ leading cause of death. Heart disease has been linked with the competitive, hard-driving, impatient, and (especially) angerprone Type A personality.
Type A people secrete more stress hormones. Chronic stress contributes to persistent inflammation, which is associated with heart and other health problems, including depression.
Type B personalities are more relaxed and easygoing and less likely to experience heart disease. The fight-or-flight stress reaction may divert blood from the liver to the muscles, leaving excess cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream. Stress can also trigger altered heart rhythms.
So, does stress cause illness? Stress may not directly cause illness, but it does make us more vulnerable, by influencing our behaviors and our physiology.
Source-Psychology in everyday life
The Sacred Shift | Intuitive Guidance With Suzette Lindo 