The Physical Toll of Mental Stress And Job Loss

The Physical Toll of Mental Stress And Job Loss (Added: July 22, 2009)

The stress of losing a job, or worries about paying the bills, can really take a toll on your body. Stress doesn't just affect you mentally...so how do you cope? WJBF News Channel 6's Paige Tucke ... (more)

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The Physical Toll of Mental Stress And Job Loss

By WJBF Staff
Published: July 21, 2009

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Augusta, GA -- They say stress can age you, kill you, make you sick and fat. "All those things are true," says Dr. Jeremy Hertza, a Neuropsychologist at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital.

When you experience stressful situations, your body expresses stress, usually in a negative way. "Stomach aches, headaches, pain in the back of the neck kind of running up the back of the head."

Dr. Hertza says recognizing when those headaches become routine and identifying what may be causing them can help you fix the problem and learn to cope with stress. "Massages, diaphragmatic breathing, deep belly breathing, which actually allows for more oxygen in the bloodstream."

And exercise. Dr. Hertza says it's important to get or stay moving, even when you feel like pulling the covers over your head. "When you recognize, 'Hey, I'm spending a lot of time on the couch, feeling depressed. That's when you say, I really need to do something.' Routine is really important."

Letting current stress wreak havoc on your body is not only a pain in your neck now but can cause major problems down the road. "High blood pressure on your whole system, your whole system is activated all the time, and it can't go on like that forever. That kind of constant state absolutely takes a wear and tear on you, physically and emotionally," says Hertza.