How Stress Makes Us Sick?
Harsh living conditions, the immune system, and psychosomatic illnesses
Difficult conditions, a tough life, feelings of being trapped, and problems… These are important factors that many of our patients often don't realize but play a role in the development of many illnesses. We examine a patient who comes to the polyclinic; all routine tests, laboratory analyses, and ultrasounds are performed, but no significant somatic finding is found to explain their complaints. Nothing tangible is felt during the examination either.
Yet, there is a problem. Because the patient is uneasy, uncomfortable; simple colitis, simple digestive issues, constantly recurring depressive states, sleep disorders, and physical complaints can come together to create numerous clinical pictures.
These distresses lead to the secretion of cortisol and adrenaline through the pituitary gland. Although these hormones initially seem to protect us, they can suppress the immune system over time. In the process we call "oxidative stress," which occurs during oxygen consumption in cells, increased free oxygen species can cause cells to age faster. Thus, psychological fears, tensions, and the burden of life's struggles can, after a while, pave the way for many concrete, tangible illnesses.
Therefore, for many ailments, you must pay close attention to your relationship with life. For instance, it is striking that many patients with stomach ulcers are accompanied by significant psychological distress. These patients are often advised to get away from their environment, go on a short trip, or change their location; sometimes, this change alone can alleviate the pain and complaints in a short period. Of course, the necessary medication support should not be neglected.
For this reason, it is important to approach psychological problems with a seriousness that should not be underestimated and not to neglect seeking help from your doctor. Because such psychological strains can alter the way hormones are secreted, function, and maintain balance, affecting first the immune system and then the functioning of the organs.
This mechanism underlies many psychosomatic illnesses. From rheumatic diseases to lupus, from skin rashes to psoriasis, from stomach ulcers to colitis, many ailments are shadowed by psychiatric and psychological problems. Conditions like rheumatism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis can also be counted among diseases with a psychosomatic component in this context.
When the balance of the immune system is disrupted, the body's defense cells may start to perceive normal cells as foreign. The immune system, which attacks its own tissues by saying, "Where did these come from, I don't recognize them," can pave the way for serious conditions like edema and pain in the joints, Hashimoto's thyroiditis in the thyroid tissue, and lupus in the skin and systemically.
The "body inflammation" we are referring to here does not always have to be microbial inflammation. The disruption of hormonal balance due to experienced problems, especially prolonged high cortisol levels, can expose a person to a wide spectrum of risks ranging from diabetes to rheumatism, from Hashimoto's to lupus. In this process, oxygen utilization in cells is also impaired; the remaining reactive oxygen species lead to an accumulation of oxidative damage, which can be likened to the rusting and decay of cells. When organs start to function poorly, this deterioration further worsens the mood, triggering new anxieties and new depressive cycles. Thus, a vicious cycle is formed.
Ultimately, persistent and difficult-to-resolve clinical conditions can emerge. Therefore, when experiencing any problem, feeling trapped, pressure, or intense stress—which is almost impossible to avoid in today's society—not hesitating to seek medical support and obtaining professional help when necessary can be an important step in preventing the immune system from turning against your own cells. This support can include medical treatment when necessary; all of these should be evaluated under the responsibility and supervision of your doctor.
On the other hand, constantly trying to "strengthen" the immune system with various supplements may not always be the right approach. The immune system is innate and consists of different cell types such as lymphocytes, T cells, macrophages, and beta cells. They work together to create defense against germs, produce antibodies, and protect the body. In a healthy individual, constant stimulation of this system with supplements when there is no illness; continuous provocation through zinc, copper, selenium, various vitamins, and supplements, when combined with psychosomatic processes, can further complicate immune balance.
Therefore, when evaluating both your mental and physical health, taking the impact of stress on your hormones and immune system seriously, and avoiding unnecessary supplements as much as unnecessary anxieties, is an important step towards awareness for a balanced life.