Does chronic stress cause cancer?

does chronic stress cause cancer

Healing of mind and body are equal as they work symbiotically and needs equal attention for the well-being of individuals. It can often affect in ways one would not expect.

People experience stress and is related to the mind, but as it sustains for a long period of time it turns into “chronic stress” and has a severe impact. 

Similarly, Cancer affects the body causing the rapid growth of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries. It is common too and is a  leading cause of death worldwide.

Now is there a connection between chronic stress and cancer? 

Chronic stress

Medical science defines chronic stress as the physiological or psychological response induced by a long-term internal or external stressor. 

The stress factor could be either physically present or recollected.

Some probable causes of chronic stress include:

  • High-pressure jobs
  • Financial difficulties
  • Challenging relationships

Problems in the workplace, unemployment, or financial problems; an injury that impacts a person’s daily life; emotional, physical, or sexual abuse; parental divorce, and homelessness are examples of intense chronic stress.

chronic_stress

When stress turns CHRONIC

Stress is a very common term everybody hears in their life at one point in time or the other. Most people, irrespective of age and gender, go through this “I’m stressed” phase. 

To sarcastically point out it is outshining as Henry Kissinger says, 

“There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full.”

Sometimes stress can be positive as it causes the body to release adrenaline, which enhances the performance and problem-solving ability to accomplish the tasks. 

However, stress continued for a more extended period leading to chronic stress. 

It affects the physical and psychological well-being simultaneously by causing: 

  • Anxiety 
  • Insomnia 
  • Muscle pain
  • High blood pressure
  • A weakened immune system

Even though the consequences of chronic stress are severe: individuals fail to make necessary lifestyle changes to prevent it.

Cancer – Life in FEAR

Hearing Cancer provokes stress and frightens.  

Generally known, cancer is a group of more than a hundred variants of diseases and can develop almost anywhere in the body.

It forms when the body undergoes genetic modifications. Cells that grow and divide in the body begin to grow uncontrollably and may form masses called tumors. 

A tumor can be cancerous; that is, it can grow and spread to other parts of the body, or benign (the tumor expands, but won’t spread).

Some types of cancer do not form a tumor, for example, leukemias.

While diagnosing, its stage is determined, the more increased the number, the more cancer has spread.

Causes

Many reasons cause cancer; an unhealthy lifestyle is among them. Other reasons include a toxic environment, radiation exposure, hormone therapy, etc.

cancer fear

Is there a connection between chronic stress and cancer?

While the answer is unclear, some pieces of evidence confirm a YES!

When diagnosed with cancer, people develop stress, but studies show that chronic stress triggers it more and can speed up its spread faster. 

The scientific reason behind this is when the body is stressed, neurotransmitters that carry chemical signals from neurons in the cell are released, which boosts cancer cells.

Learn to cope

Whether or not chronic stress puts one at the risk of developing cancer is unclear; it speeds up the spread of cancer or could be just one of many factors contributing to cancer.

Building appropriate lifestyle management turns out to be “The Solution.” Personalized diet, fitness, yoga, and meditation based on a Geno-metabolic analysis is the way to go.

Start your EPLIMO right away!

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