Stress : The effect of stress in the body and how to overcome it

Stress has a deleterious effect on social relationships.  It diminishes satisfaction and attachment and promotes defiance of social norms.  The effects of stress are felt in the short term but may take years to manifest themselves in a clinically significant way. 

Here I will review contributions from the social neuroscience literature on the effects of stress on social relationships and how this knowledge can be used to improve social relationships and reduce the impact of stress on our well-being. 

Stress has a profound effect on social relationships. When we feel stressed we are less likely to be cooperative, compassionate, and trust with others. Stress also tends to make us act impulsively and irrationally, which is never a good combination for building good relationships. 

Most people are aware that stress increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. But there are also some interesting effects of chronic stress on memory function, immune system functioning, and neuroendocrine activity. 

So what can you do to reduce the negative health effects of stress?

Stress has a way of changing how we behave—and the people we surround ourselves with. 
Scientists now understand that there are neurobiological mechanisms that can influence how we feel and each other's moods. 

 Stress affects our physical health as well as our psychological well-being. Social relationships are often affected by stressors in varying degrees.  The effects of chronic stress on social relationships can have diverse effects on an individual's well-being, including reduced motivation, poorer cognitive functioning, and physiological, Stress has a negative effect on social relationships. 

People with high levels of stress are less likely to be friendly, interact well with others, and trust them. 
They may become hostile toward others and view them as inferior.  This condition, called social withdrawal, is believed to affect a majority of people in industrialized nations.

 Stress has a significant effect on social relationships.  It leads people to see others in a negative light and this can reduce people's willingness to help others and engage with friends and colleagues. 
It also makes people less productive. 

Scientists have found that when under stress, people tend to make mistakes that are easy to see and hear but which have little effect on them personally.  Psychologists call such errors false positives and they can have dire consequences for health.  Stress also makes us more prone to experience negative emotions such as anxiety and depression which affect how we work and interact with others. Stress has profound effects on our social relationships.  Studies show that the relationship between a partner and their child is 30% more likely to break down if the partner is stressed. 

This may hit home with those who feel they have too much on their plate at work or who feel underappreciated at their workplace.  We need to find ways to manage our workload and level of stress in order to maintain healthy relationships at work, at home, and elsewhere. Stress has a negative impact on social relationships and well-being, This is true for people who are suffering from chronic pain, stress-related disorders, or those who have experienced a life-changing event. 

 Effects of chronic stress can cause serious health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, depression, and anxiety disorders. It can even lead to premature death. 

So what can you do to manage stress and maintain a positive social relationship?

Stress can have serious effects on our social relationships.  There's mounting evidence that closely bonded relationships are more resilient to the effects of stress than more autonomous relationships. 
The effects of chronic stress on social life are in part caused by our psychological tendency to interpret negative interactions as proof that the other person really doesn't like us. 

When this happens in a relationship, it can harden attitudes and make it harder to work with someone else.  However, there is hope - by learning how to identify the signs of stress in your relationships you can cut down the damage before it's too late. Stress has been identified as one of the major factors causing broken social relationships and a lack of fulfillment in life. 

This is a major contributor to many health problems including cardiovascular disease and depression. Stress also negatively affects your relationship with your family and friends.  Social support is key to overcoming stress. There are many possible connections between physical health and social relationships. Well-being, in general, appears to increase when people feel secure.  Stressed individuals feel worried and generally engage in less social interaction. 

Scientists have developed several stress-reducing techniques — breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, and eating habits changes — which can be effective even when one is not experiencing physical symptoms of stress.  Some of these techniques are scientifically proven; others have been suggested by the great Gandhi.