Today, the strain of 'STRESS' spares no one. Competitive lifestyle makes most people deny its existence while only a few learn how to cope with it. Prolonged and unwarranted stress not only affects working and social life, but also more importantly the health of a person.

The WHO defines health as – 'a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity'. Stress leads to a poor state of mental and social well-being and is an important element that is apparently responsible for an estimated 75% of all illnesses.

Stress can be of different forms - emotional, physical or mental. Researchers have associated stress to have an adverse effect on the body’s immune system. Stress has been known to trigger a variety of illnesses such as constipation, headaches, frequent colds, skin diseases such as psoriasis, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Some psychologists in India are of the opinion that about 70-90% of the patients seek primary health care for stress-related illnesses.

'Psychosomatic illnesses' are physical illnesses that are aggravated by psychological factors. It is more common than what is anticipated or realized. It is common knowledge that there is a direct correlation between the functions of our body and our mind. Psychological factors may cause a medical condition or may stop a medical treatment from being effective, thereby increasing the health risk of the individual. The pain or symptoms caused is real, although doctors may be unable to find any physical evidence to support it e.g., organic dysfunction.

Psychosomatic illnesses usually stem from a very negative belief that is deep rooted in an individual and from the emotional aura that is generated in response to this belief. Therefore to address these illnesses, it is imperative to tackle the underlying causes that are buried in the subconscious mind. When managed effectively the disease regresses and enters a quiescent period and the patient experiences immense relief.

Understanding the condition

The evolution of psychosomatic illnesses is considered a mystery. Psychosomatic illnesses can be triggered by social, genetic, hereditary or even environmental factors or a combination of it all. Some children learn to hide feelings or emotions from their family members and carry it to their adult life as well. Bereavement, change of place and stress from job or home are examples for triggers.

Organs that function involuntarily are sensitive to a person’s emotional state. For example heart rate increases with anxiety. Blushing, sweating and pupil constriction are also involuntary responses to emotions. The autonomic nervous system, responsible for these involuntary responses, is controlled by the hypothalamus of the brain; a region of the brain that is highly sensitive to emotional changes. The nerves at this level may respond to severe and constant stress by causing a pathological reaction.

The autonomic nervous system supplies the endocrine glands that produce insulin, cortisone, insulin, adrenaline and thyroxin hormones. Since these glands are also controlled by the hypothalamus, emotional changes indirectly influence and affect the hormones.

Since there is a close connection between the mind and the body, people often react physically to an emotionally stressful event. Anxiety has been known to worsen irritable bowel syndrome, cause overactive bladder and mimic heart attack like symptoms.