The Most Common Stress-Related Illnesses

Heart Disease

Heart disease has many forms ranging from high blood pressure, cardiac arrest, and arrhythmia. Patients may have heart failure, peripheral artery disease, and congenital heart disease. Cardiovascular disease can also present in many ways, some of which aren't stereotypical of what you may think. These can include sweating, nausea, persistent heartburn, indigestion, and jaw and neck pain. In relation to stress, more research is necessary for determining how stress contributes to heart disease, but it is known stress can affect an individual's behaviors and certain factors increase the risk of heart disease, such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, smoking, physical inactivity, and overeating. Unfortunately, some individuals may choose to drink alcohol excessively or smoke as a way to manage their chronic stress, which are both main causes of heart disease and can damage artery walls within the heart.

In a perfect world, living stress-free can prevent many diseases. However, learning how to manage stress appropriately also reduces the ill-effects stress can cause. Knowing when to seek assistance is the first step to warding off potentially life-threatening diseases.