Stress and Autoimmune Disease
To say that stress directly causes disease would be stretching the hard evidence at this point. Then again, check out the bulletin boards relating to autoimmune disease. There you will find a great deal of coincidental evidence. While there is no link for some, many with Graves' can point to a traumatic event that occurred prior to their diagnosis. An auto accident, a death in the family, a runaway teenager, job loss, divorce, all of the major stresses of life could be included. Another indirect impact of stress on the disease process is misdiagnosis. Signs of stress include sleeplessness, nervousness, depression, joint or muscle pain, headaches, digestive problems, changes in appetite and anxiety. These are also signs of many autoimmune diseases. The symptoms of autoimmune diseases often begin as a vague feeling of illness called malaise in the medical community. They include fatigue and often a low-grade fever, symptoms so common as to make them nearly impossible to diagnose without other evidence. As a result, many medical practitioners around the world are quick to label the person as simply "stressed."
What can one do to limit the effects of stress?
Stress has been described as the loss of control. Using that description, the first thing to do is to find a way of taking control. Define what is causing your stress and do something about it. Gaining a sense of control can help you to cope with illness. Take an active role in your plan of care. Do your own research. Ask questions.
Seek out social occasions. Interact with friends and family in positive situations. Remember that we humans are also spiritual. Feed that spiritual need through study and prayer; find a place of worship. Get back to the basics with proper diet, exercise and sleep. You know - all the things that your mother told you were important. She was right.
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