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It Has Nothing To Do With Age provides self-help principles. The inspirational stories give concrete illustrations of overcoming many of life's challenges. Difficulties pertaining to depression, grief, divorce, and death are presented and worked through by the participants. Physical impairments, injuries, overcoming issues with weight, alcohol, and nicotine are also dealt with and resolved by the athletes.

This book provides a model on how to overcome some of the difficulties that confront all of us . Further, this read sheds a beacon of light on preventive measures for good physical and mental health. Research demonstrates that exercise is an important component in treating such ailments and debilitating illness such as depression, stroke, heart disease, brain or cognitive malfunction,and Alzheimer's disease.

I suggest that proper exercise can be used as a preventive measure for psychological, cognitive, and physical health as well. Follow my prescription and lead a better, more fulfilling, and healthier life.

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Stress and Distress

 


77 million voting citizens  contributed to  increased stress, frustration,conflict and anxiety because Trump took office on January 20, 2025 . With Trump ,we  now have a fascist takeover of the government. The implementation of their policies have increased toxic levels of stress . And as  Freud stated, social conditions are one of the factors contributing to mental health dysfunction. This disquisition addresses  the consequences of stress associated with Trump’s policies .


Physiologically, cortisol is a hormone produced by stress and associated with numerous degenerative diseases. .Stress is associated with the disturbance of sensory input.  It's being composed of afferent stimulus from either internal or external sources.  This concept fits within the idea of homeostasis within a functioning body . In other words, a disequilibrium occurs with the occurrence of tension or anxiety .The  new disequilibrium level  upsets the homeostasis level resulting in   problems until accommodation occurs.. 


 Stress  produces a force or strain on the body and its conditions. .There are a multitude of stressor agents like heat, cold ,infections, intoxicants , hemorrhage, exercise, drugs, hormones, injury, shock ,trauma and so forth. In addition, anxiety, frustration, conflict are also stressors  .Any stimulus can serve as a stressor, and the type , degree and intensity of the stress is also related to previous factors such as anticipation of pain, uncertainty, apprehension and so forth.  


Frustration  is a stressor that  occurs as a result of tension , a disturbance of homeostasis, its adaptability, a deprivation , delay in reinforcement  relief  as well as an  emotional, behavioral reactions ,such as anger, aggression, withdrawal, and regression. Once again it’s  interference or a  threat that affects one's  perceived goal or need gratification.Loss of  economic security is one major example.


With that being said Dr. Hans Selye found that stress is  a mind-body condition . He theorized that distress is actually the  problem . He defined distress as prolonged emotional stress or simply  not dealing well with the stress agent.  Four bodily stages were identified  by Dr.Selye. First stage is an alarm reaction.  This was followed by a stage of resistance, resulting in flight or flight and a cortisol release. If strategies in dealing with stress don't disappear, a stage of exhaustion follows . Then, the last stage is organ failure, fatigue, disease, or even death


Also, there are positive examples of stress that include falling in love,making a terrific golf shot, shooting the winning basket, scoring a touchdown and being keyed up to play in  that important game.  In other words, it could be a pep talk by the coach prior to the game or during a timeout.  So arousal can be positive. However, when the athlete chokes, it is an example of too much  stress. 


On a  more serious note, negative stress results from a prolonged or  ineffective action that does not resolve or effectively alleviate the situation.  When this occurs, distress is followed by anxiety, headache, stomachache, negatively affecting the immune system,, anger, aggression, and so forth.


More serious ailments related to stress include mental frustration, anxiety, depression, allergies, ulcers, and heart disease.  In other words, stress also wears down the immune system which leads to other serious diseases. Physiologically speaking, stress increases  productions of free radicals followed by the hypothalamus, releasing neuropeptide which keeps the body in a perpetual state of excitement and this is followed by the pituitary, stimulating the adrenal glands which produces the stress hormones, cortisol , epinephrine and norepinephrine.


High levels of cortisol are associated with many degenerative diseases that are also associated with aging, such as hypertension, ulcers, myocardial infarction, diabetes, infections, arthritis, cerebrovascular accidents, psychosis, cirrhosis, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's.  Studies also show high levels of cortisol  inhibits muscle growth..Further , a recent study at the Harvard Medical School  that included 623 heart attack victims . These patients were evaluated four days after their attack.  The researchers found angry responses doubled the risk of a heart attack which occurred some  two hours after the outburst.


We know that economics in a capitalistic system is a stressor . Being fired , retirement ,health insurance  are  some  of the changes that affect an individual and are significant elements of stress.  On one external stress index, there were 35 life events stated and each had a weighted numerical value associated with it . Of the 35 life events listed,10 had economic , or work implications suggesting that stress is a major consequence  contributing to negative  health and well being outcomes.


A few words about Musk's team that is dismantling the federal government.  First, he might take a look at Tesla as these cars are being recalled for a number of malfunctions.  If he's so good at being knowledgeable about cutting fraud and waste., he should look at this  company as well as  his other company failures . So what if it’s money, He has received billions from the government. Second, who wants  a young kid evaluating work efficiency for the multitudes of government workers.  Do you want some kid evaluating the doctor of medicine, a  PhD in biology ;and would you go to this kid about whether or not to receive a vaccination?  These kids have no documented expertise, credibility, or experience in evaluating someone in a job other than their ignorant  opinion.  Third, there is no criteria or definition regarding who should stay and who should leave.  Just because someone's on probation has nothing to do with expertise, job qualifications or performance, but only with the amount of time on the job.  Letting probationary employees go  is sadistic, irresponsible and stupid.


Dismantling the federal government and tariff’s  not only affects the person but his or her family, community, city and state as well.  Trump said he won't rule out a  recession.  Of course not ,a recession is not a consequence for him.  So what if it affects millions of others. A recession will wind up causing stress for many more.  Remember, stress affects the aged population significantly which tended to vote for him. This fact is another example of the irrationality of man that votes against his own interest.  Even if the court saves some from losing their jobs, the  damage to health has been done.  Mental and physical health of federal workers and others should be studied in order to evaluate the harm.  But, Trump is interested in profit ,power  and not in the welfare of the country. His policies are  major causes of stress that affects the welfare of our Republic.


Reference


Klatz, Ronald, Goldman, Robert.  Stopping the Clock.


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