Autism Parents: Stess Hormones in our Bodies can be Counteracted

To learn other ways you can reduce your stress levels and prepare you better for parenting loved ones with autism throughout the lifespan, go to www.myarchway.org

This article deals with the many triggers or events we experience each and every day that cause stress reactions in all of us. It is not possible to really understand stress, without understanding the physical responses caused by "fight or flight", a process that creates a chain reaction in our body chemistry. Following this article, I will soon be submitting an article that will discuss the many actions and activities we can undertake each day that will counteract the stress hormones and provide antidotes when done on a regular basis. So stay tuned for Antidotes to Stress.

From: MIND\BODY EDUCATION CENTER (excellent articles on fight or flight)

Fight or Flight is the fundamental physiologic response that forms the foundation of modern day stress medicine; It is our body’s primitive, automatic, in-born response that prepares the body to “fight or “flee” from perceived attack, harm, or threat to our survival (or when a demand is placed upon us);

Discovered by Harvard Physiologist Walter Cannon, this response is hard-wired into our brains and represents a genetic wisdom designed to protect us from bodily harm;

Once a threat is perceived, an alarm goes off in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which-when-stimulated, initiates a sequence of nerve cell firing and chemical releases that prepares our body for running or fighting;

This alarm sends a message to our adrenal glands and chemicals like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol are released into our bloodstream. Within seconds, we can run faster, hit harder, see better, hear more acutely, think faster, and jump higher;

These nerve cell firing and chemical release cause our bodies to undergo a series of dramatic changes:

-Our heart rate increases 2 to 3 times the normal speed;

-Blood is shunted away from the digestive tract and directed into muscles and limbs

-Blood is drawn away from extremities and concentrates in deep muscle groups (which require extra fuel for running and fighting);

-Tiny blood vessels under the surface of our skin close down (so we can sustain surface wounds and not bleed to death)...sending blood pressure soaring;

-Pupils dilate; our awareness intensifies, our sight sharpens, our impulse quickens;-Jaw clenches;

-Muscle tension increases;-Adrenaline, sugar, and fat pour into the bloodstream (just in case we need extra fuel)

-Breathing shifts from slow, deep, diaphragmatic breathing to shallow chest breathing;

-Our perception of pain diminishes;

-When we become “hyper-vigilant and release a powerful chemical called cortisol: blood pressure rises slowly and steadily; we begin to retain vital chemicals such as sodium; metabolism drops; if necessary, excess waste is eliminated to make us lighter; gastric acid increases to maximize the calories we get from food; blood clotting agents are released in our bloodstream; energy is diverted from the immune system-white blood cells are lowered and our immune system decreases it’s effectiveness;

-Non-essentials such as sex hormones are suppressed.

On a daily basis, toxic stress hormones flow through our bodies for events that pose no threat to our survival; Unnecessary activation of the fight or flight response will wear the body out, and if you activate this response over and over...you will begin to experience symptoms;

CHRONIC STRESS = CHRONIC VIGILANCE: The body prepares for the long-term challenge.

In our early ancestors, this was in response to climatic catastrophe, depletion of vital resources, long-term struggle, displacement (or trying not to get eaten by a saber-toothed tiger);

For most of us, real physical danger or environmental catastrophes are rare events, never-the-less, “hot reactors” code our every day life stresses, as if we were under threat of starvation or as if we were dinosaur bait.

1001 small stressors each day set off our alarms for the fight or flight response to occur. This happens whether we like it or not. It is automatic.

-We have to sit in traffic and just “deal with it”;

-We have to wait until the bank opens to “handle” a bounced check;

-We have to wait for a chronically late school bus, first thing each morning;

-We worry and anticipate future events that never materialize;

-Six categories of stressors: environmental, social, institutional, self-imposed, daily hassles, and life changes/events;

-Dealing with the kids;

-Friendly competition in sports and leisure activities such as martial arts;

-Completing a work assignment on schedule;

All these stressors can trigger astronomical blood pressure levels because or the hard-wired fight or flight response. There is overwhelming evidence that there is a cumulative buildup of stress hormones. If not properly metabolized over time, excessive stress can lead to disorders of our autonomic nervous system (causing headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure) and disorders of our hormonal and immune systems (creating susceptibility to infection, chronic fatigue, depression, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and allergies).

To protect ourselves, we must pay attention to signals telling us whether we are in fight or flight: tension in our muscles, headaches, upset stomach, racing heartbeat, deep sighing, shallow breathing, anxiety, poor concentration, eye twitching, teeth grinding; and depression, frustration, anger, sadness, and fear.

Here is one of the many remedies that counteract the hormones related to stress: 20 minutes of undivided, intensive exercise that makes you perspire.
Posted by Karen Kaye Beall