Stress severely affects our health. Physical and psychological problems, accompanied by premature aging, are some of the consequences for people suffering from stress.
Recent scientific research indicates that shy, fearful or anxious people are the best candidates for stress at all times, leading them to live shorter lives than extroverted and happy people.
- The functions that our body performs are controlled by the brain.
- The central nervous system and our mood.
- The mind and body form an inseparable bond.
- Factors such as metabolic processes that affect proteins.
- Heart rate and blood pressure depend on our nervous system.
When we cause prolonged psychological stress in our minds, countless physical problems occur in our body and the greatest damage occurs in our immune system.
Our body responds to stress with a defense mechanism called a “fight-or-flight response. “This response is vital to overcome situations that present a danger or threat. Our senses are intensified by the nervous system, changing heart rate and breathing, increasing muscle activity. , blood sugar and decreased response from our immune system.
The protagonists at the moment are the hormones (glucocorticoids and adrenaline) produced by the adrenal glands, responsible for providing the necessary energy to the body.
When this combat or flight response remains active for more than two minutes even in the absence of danger, it is maintained by factors that influence our emotional state (such as family problems, at work, illness). The level of hormones, which initially benefits us, begins to damage our body constantly, due to the decrease of our defenses.
Studies published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Alcancemy of Sciences) show that stress hormones can be released in large numbers in situations such as shyness or irrational fear of new situations (such as meeting strangers, talking to people, being afraid of objects and places). , even when they do not pose a threat). This irrational fear of the new is called neophobia.
The groups most affected are children and young people, who maintain these kinds of behaviors while reaching maturity, if we let the rhythm of society shake us, release hormones continuously, the aging process will accelerate and we will get sicker.
If these new situations are confronted with fear and shyness, and this continues for the rest of our lives, the level of hormones will always increase, which could reduce life expectancy by about 10 years, so ideally lead a quiet and peaceful life. life, but also determined, brave and fearless of the new.