Why stress is so dangerous
§1 In November 2017, two eye surgeons from a hospital ∈Beirut reported an intriguing case of
visual loss ∈a colleague. A specialist ∈ the retina, the colleague had suddenly developed
a patch of blurry vision ∈ one eye just a day or two after an intensely stressful day ∈ the
operating room. This was not the first time it had happened. The surgeon had experienced
four such episodes ∈ just a year, each preceded by a stressful day of operating. The retinal
surgeon was diagnosed with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). A small amount of fluid
had collected beneath a tiny region of the surgeon's retina, causing it to temporarily detach.
The condition resolved after a few weeks, and a strict stress-management plan prevented
another episode from happening again.
§2 Reflecting on what had made their colleague vulnerable to stress, the surgeons noted new
surgical techniques made possible with better technology had stretched the physical limits
of what a surgeon is able to do. While this progress had expanded the scope of surgery,
operating at these limits placed immense mental strain on the surgeon.
§3 In 1959, management pundit Peter Drucker had predicted a dramatic transition ∈ the nature of
work would take place 50 years later. He coined a term for this new kind of work, “knowledge
work” and anticipated the change would involve a move from physical to mental effort. He
later wrote the center of gravity of work would shift to “the man who puts to work what he has
between his ears rather than the skill of his hands”. The evolution of eye surgery has validated
some of Drucker’s predictions. As technology improves, it transmutes the physical skill of the
surgeon’s hands into the mental skills of analysis and concentration. The evolving nature of
work demands less from the body and more from the mind – meaning the mind is becoming
a greater victim of occupational hazards.
§4 According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of the United Kingdom, stress, depression
or anxiety accounted for 57% of all “sick days” ∈2017/2018. The mind’s rising leverage over
productivity is prompting interest ∈ what might be impeding its performance. The focus has
fallen on stress.
§5 Researches have revealed an acute stress reaction is built upon a rich tapestry of processes.
We know today that bungee jumpers become insulin resistant immediately following a bungee
jump, and the stress of lecturing 200 students raises markers of inflammation ∈ college
professors. These processes offer a survival advantage under threat. The temporary insulin
resistance, for instance, ensures sugar reaches a brain under duress, while inflammation
holds a protective shield against unwelcome visitors entering through battle wounds.
§6 The effects of a healthy, acute stress reaction are mostly temporary, ceasing when a stressful
experience is over, and any lasting effects can sometimes leave us better than we were before.
Studies on rats, for instance, found that the stress from being restrained for a few hours may
increase the number of “newborn” brain cells ∈a part of the rat’s brain, which can correspond
to better performance ∈ certain kinds of memory tests.
§7 Stress that is too frequent, too intense or constantly present, however, puts us under prolonged
strain. Many of the players ∈ the stress response have so-called “non-linear dose-dependent
actions” meaning their effects change course with prolonged activity. As a result, chronic
stress induces a gradual, persistent shift ∈ psychological and physiological parameters that
tips the scales towards disorder along different pathways.
§8 The sympathetic and parasympathetic arms of the autonomic nervous system – a nerve
network controlling involuntary processes such as blood pressure, breathing and digestion
– play a pivotal role ∈ orchestrating the acute stress response. During times of fear or
anger, sympathetic activity (responsible for the “fight-or-flight” response) temporarily rises
and parasympathetic activity (underlining “rest-and-digest” responses) falls. If this pattern of
activity persists ∈ the absence of stress, however, it can tilt us towards hypertension and
other illnesses. Similarly, while temporary emotional reactivity ∈ acute stress helps us predict
danger, a sustained change ∈ the dynamics of emotion regulation can tilt us towards mood
disorders.
§9 Mental strain is a performance-limiting factor ∈ an age where physical load is increasingly
converted into mental load. As we transition further into the information age, it is time for the
enigma of chronic stress to finally move into the spotlight.
By Mithu Storoni.
13th August 2019. (Adapted from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190813-burnout-anxiety-stress-proof-relief).
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