Portrait of Stress as A Killer: Painful Memories Can Intensify Depression

Despite many television documentaries and research studies, as presented in the film, stress is commonly the hidden and dark dirty little secret in many people's lives. The researchers work in the film in documenting the baboons' blood, makes it clear that stress is physically bad for all mammals including humans. Stress can masquerade under a false façade that everything is okay in a person's life, or that everything should be okay. With the over-abundance of entertainment, amusements, products that promise to make one happy and beautiful you might think that stress would have been conquered by now. The fact of the matter is, is that difficult daily situations do place a great deal of emotional agitation upon people's feelings and behaviors. The effect of too much pressure of raising a problem child, being in an unhappy or abusive marriage, or depression due to excessive weight gain can cause some to become so disturbed as to commit suicide. 

The film points out that stress as a physical killer has actual measurable qualities. One interesting aspect researcher Robert Sapolsky points out is how social standing and status can have a negative impact upon the level of stress one experiences. One friend who is really hurting to make it financially recently experienced a bad breakup with her fiancé, just three days before the wedding. On top of being on a lowered social status, lack of professional choices and financial pressure to make ends meet and pay bills, added to her being blindsided. This episode resulted in a severe emotional devastation. For sure she most likely had sustained a real, measurable biological reaction although there was no reporting of her blood levels. 

The friend realized how damaging it could be not to get help. It is very important to receive help in this kind of situation by recognition of how vulnerable you might become. Suicide is not an answer, but if left unattended overwhelming emotions and feelings of helplessness can be further triggered by high levels of stress. Stress has long term implications for people over their entire life terms. The example in the film about the Dutch hunger babies, now experiencing poorer health in their sixties as a result from earlier stress trauma, is good proof to try and control stress as early as possible. Also, in the personal experience of this writer, after getting sick and not being able to finish a university course, there was so much stress that a fainting episode could be physically felt! Actual heartbeats could clearly be felt as irregular rhythms. This is very dangerous. Biofeedback and stress survey responses are based upon linking stress to physical reactions. There is something to this, and it must be true. 

In moments of panic in any situation it is important not to focus upon how terrible and frightening the situation is. The point is that stress as a killer connects to adversely destroying your cellular activity, blood flow, heart rate, and even contributes to immune deficiency. The body cannot fight off infections as well when under stress. The mind and blood flow to the brain is also impaired. To top it off people who are under daily stress many times turn to drugs, cigarettes, gambling or excessive indulging in alcohol. None of these substitutes for peace and tranquility are a real answer to stress.      

It would not be surprising that excess stress triggers certain cravings for sweets, or other starchy foods that are processed and fatty in substance. This is probably why many women who are under lots of stress over-indulge in eating the wrong foods, in enormous quantities. This explains the reason why a percentage of the female population in America are so overweight. Stress as a physical killer traps you in a cycle of unhealthy habits and tears down the body. As corny and elementary as it may sound one of the best ways to combat stress is to eat right. Eating right does not mean that your food has to be unappetizing. Doctors or scientists may call it brain food, low-fat, or healing foods but the point is that there are healthy patterns of food that fight stress. For another thing sodium can measurably lead to high blood pressure.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that whatever you experience in terms of intensely negative or sad emotions, do not allow stress to take its toll on your body. Sometimes people cannot handle the pressure of everything that happens in their lives. It is vital to get help. Seeing a counselor can alleviate some of the detrimental attacks of depression, or high stress. Dwelling upon painful memories does not boost the healing process. As the film has shown, baboons in sociological situations experience stress, just as we humans. It is also believed that a puppy, or other pet or talking to a friend or trusted relative can help lessen bad feelings and make one feel valued and appreciated. In this way it becomes easier to function in society and accomplish positive goals.    

Work Cited

“Stress, Portrait of a Killer – Full Documentary (2008).” YouTube. LTPTENSIDR. 16 Oct. 2011. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYG0ZuTv5rs