Stress is a common, often unavoidable part of life. Our responses to stress can be beneficial and are designed to help us function well and survive in a changing and unpredictable world. However, stress can also become maladaptive and have negative impacts on our mental and physical health. The psychological and physiological aspects of stress are tightly interwoven, so to understand our experience of stress and its impact, we must look at both.

The Psychology of Stress: What Happens in the Mind

Psychologically, stress begins with perception. Our brain interprets certain situations as threatening or overwhelming—even if they aren’t dangerous in a physical sense. This can be triggered by a looming deadline, a difficult conversation, or financial worries.

Key psychological aspects include:

  • Cognitive Appraisal: How we evaluate a situation determines our stress response. Two people can face the same challenge but experience different levels of stress based on how they interpret it ¹.
  • Emotional Response: Stress often triggers feelings of anxiety, irritability, fear, sadness, or frustration. These emotions can affect concentration, memory, and decision-making².
  • Behavioral Changes: Chronic stress may lead to unhealthy coping strategies such as avoidance, overeating, social withdrawal, or increased substance use³.

Over time, unchecked psychological stress can lead to burnout, depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health conditions⁴.

The Physiology of Stress: What Happens in the Body

While the mind processes the stressor, the body reacts physically—often without us even realizing it. This is primarily managed by the autonomic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Here’s what happens in the body during stress:

  • The Fight-or-Flight Response: When a stressor is detected, the brain signals the release of adrenaline and cortisol. Heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, and muscles tense—all preparing the body to react quickly⁵.
  • Cortisol Production: Often called the “stress hormone,” cortisol helps mobilize energy and suppress non-essential functions (like digestion or immunity) to prioritize immediate survival⁶.
  • Chronic Stress Effects: When stress becomes ongoing, it can dysregulate bodily systems. Chronic exposure to cortisol can lead to:
    • Weakened immune response
    • Sleep disturbances
    • Digestive issues
    • Headaches and muscle pain
    • Increased risk for cardiovascular disease
    • Hormonal imbalances⁷

The Mind-Body Connection

Stress triggers deeply interconnected physical and mental responses. These responses can also impact one another in a feedback back loop, such as mental stressors triggering physical responses and physical symptoms intensifying emotional distress. Unfortunately, when stress is on-going or these responses and feedback loops are not properly regulated, they can go on to have damaging long term effects on the body and mind⁸.

How Therapy Can Help

Therapy offers a safe and structured space to explore the root causes of stress and learn healthier ways to respond. Therapy helps break the cycle of chronic stress by building resilience, improving self-awareness, and supporting long-term well-being⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ .

Understanding stress as both a mental and physical phenomenon empowers us to take a more holistic approach to health. By learning to listen to both your thoughts and your body—and responding with compassionate, evidence-based care—you can start to reduce the burden of stress and restore balance to your life.

References

  1. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Springer.

  2. American Psychological Association. (2023). Stress: The different kinds of stress. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress
  3. Schneiderman, N., Ironson, G., & Siegel, S. D. (2005). Stress and health: Psychological, behavioral, and biological determinants. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 607–628.
  4. Kalia, M. (2002). Assessing the economic impact of stress—The modern day hidden epidemic. Metabolism, 51(6 Suppl 1), 49–53.
  5. McEwen, B. S. (1998). Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators. New England Journal of Medicine, 338(3), 171–179.
  6. Sapolsky, R. M., Romero, L. M., & Munck, A. U. (2000). How do glucocorticoids influence stress responses? Endocrine Reviews, 21(1), 55–89.
  7. Juster, R. P., McEwen, B. S., & Lupien, S. J. (2010). Allostatic load biomarkers of chronic stress and impact on health and cognition. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 35(1), 2–16.
  8. Cohen, S., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Miller, G. E. (2007). Psychological stress and disease. JAMA, 298(14), 1685–1687.
  9. Hofmann, S. G., et al. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440.
  10. Chiesa, A., & Serretti, A. (2009). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for stress management: A review. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15(5), 593–600.
  11. van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking

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