Last Updated on January 9, 2024 by Cathy
Feeling stressed and sick? It’s not just in your head; it can genuinely make you feel sick, affecting both your mental and physical well-being. It’s crucial to recognize the impact of stress on our well-being and take steps to manage it for a healthier mind and body. Stress comes in many forms through traffic jams, deadlines, or over-exercising. However, chronic stress can lead to many health issues such as heart disease and depression. It can also trigger multiple sclerosis (MS) or cause symptoms to worsen.
Daily chronic stress is the worst. It damages muscle tissue, suppresses the immune system, and causes you to make bad decisions. It is what caused me to have a huge setback in my health which affected my walking. Chronic stress can lead to brain fog, depression, digestive issues, and disease.
Triggers to MS:
- Poor Diet
- Infections (bacteria, parasites, viruses, and yeast overgrowth)
- Environmental toxins (heavy metals, mold, pesticides, etc.)
- Chronic stress
- Hormones (adrenaline, cortisol, etc.)
Stress involves your endocrine system which releases hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Stress hormones are beneficial for short-term exposure. Like when a dog charges at you, your body sets off a “fight or flight” response giving you more energy to respond.
Don’t let stress make you sick!
In normal circumstances, once the threat passes your hormone levels go back to normal. But, when you’re constantly under stress your fight or flight response is always turned on. Long-term exposure to stress is what causes damage to your body because your body is always on high alert.
I used to work in the newspaper business with daily high stress, I used to thrive on the stress. I would get an “adrenaline rush” hitting multiple daily deadlines. But when the newspaper started declining and laying people off. My stress turned into a financial worry which stressed me out even in my sleep. That’s when I realized my job was making my MS worse, I loved the newspaper industry but my health was more important.
Learn to Manage Your Stress
It’s impossible to avoid stress, stress is just a fact of life. It’s how you manage stress that has an impact on you and your health. You don’t need to quit your job, that may cause financial stress. But, you need to identify what is causing you the most stress and learn to handle it.
It could be your job, finances, politics, or people in your life stressing you out. It could be your kids or school causing the stress. All this negativity is not good for us, our bodies and brains aren’t designed to handle this overload.
If it’s a family member or friend stressing you out, you may need to set some boundaries. Negative people are contagious. Next thing you know – you are negative and griping about everything. Explain to them you’re trying to heal. Including emotional and spiritual healing and you’re avoiding everything negative. This includes negative conversations.
Procrastination also causes stress. When you have unresolved issues it sits in the back of your mind not allowing you to relax. The TV is another stressor, especially the news or dramatic shows. Spend an evening without turning on the TV and notice how much calmer you’ll feel. And those notifications on your smartphone are little stressors. Turn the notifications OFF, especially social media.
A stressful day at work, yelling at the kids, bills, all these little stressors add up. You begin not exercising or are unable to sleep then comes a big stressor like a job loss which causes a flare.
Write down your stressors and get rid of them. Clean up your cluttered house or get your family to do it. Get financial help if needed. Learn to say “no” so you’re not overwhelmed. Problems pile up and wear you down, facing problems reduces stress.
Simplify Your Life
Stress from balancing family responsibilities and a demanding job can sometimes make us feel sick, reminding us of the importance of self-care. When you simplify your life you have fewer problems to worry about. I know this is easier said than done but start small. Life isn’t fair, it’s not fair that you got MS but your negative thoughts are holding you back.
Don’t compare yourself with other people who are healing quickly. Like they say in Hollywood “an overnight success took 10 years.” Not that it will take you 10 years to heal but everyone is different. It may take one person 3 months while it takes another person 3 years. Learn to think positively and believe you can heal.
Letting Go of Anger and Fear
Getting diagnosed with MS is like getting punched in the stomach. Doctors, co-workers, and friends all love to start telling you about horror stories. Don’t listen to them it will stress you out and you will begin to believe them.
If you feel anger or fear, stress can make you feel worse. Anger and fear are both powerful emotions that are hard to control. It is very important to get through these feelings. Either through meditation, choosing not to be afraid, or by help from a professional or spiritual counselor.
I fell and shattered my elbow several years ago. The whole ordeal of sitting in the waiting room for three hours. Laying on my sofa for one week while I waited for my surgery date was very traumatic for me. I was in so my pain I couldn’t move, even an inch, without severe pain shooting through my arm.
For years I suffered from that fear, my son told me I probably had post-traumatic stress syndrome. I would be in a store when all of a sudden that fear would overwhelm me to where I froze and couldn’t take a step. It was thanks to exercising through The MS Gym that I built up my confidence without that fear hitting me.
Stress management strategies:
- Deep breathing
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising
- Get plenty of sleep
- Laughter
- Massage
- Meditation
- Read a book
- Seek professional counseling
- Soak in a tub
- Think positive thoughts
When Stress Leaves You Feeling Sick
Chronic stress can manifest in many ways, from headaches to stomachaches leaving you feeling sick. Your body, your emotions, your mind, and your spirit all play a role in your healing. Staying around positive people will help create a better environment for you. Focus on the positive things no matter how small they are. Stop negatively talking to yourself. Take a deep breath and start talking positively about yourself. – You are worth it!
The Ultimate Guide to Surviving & Thriving with MS
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How Stress Can Make You Sick
