flickr photo credit: kelsey_lovefusionphoto

Many have pondered the answer to this question as they’ve physically felt like they were dying right after an emotional (or physical) situation.  Loss of a loved one, loss of a job, financial hardship, break-up/divorce are just a few major life events that have been known to cause a great deal of stress.  Some of us know couples where a significant other/spouse died, and the other died shortly after that.  In the absence of any preexisting medical conditions, one could intuitively come to the conclusion that stress could trigger a heart malfunction.

But, is there any science or a medical diagnosis that can quantitatively back this up?

In the early 1990s, Japanese doctors were the first to accurately describe what happens during a stress-induced episode.  It was initially named “Takotsubo cardiomyopathy” due to the similarities between the abnormal shape of a stress affected heart and a Japanese octopus trap.  In 2005, doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore confirmed what Japanese researchers discovered and published their findings in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Referred to as stress-induced cardiomyopathy these days, this condition presents itself with all the symptoms of a heart attack.  But, that’s where the similarities end.  There is no blockage present in any of the arteries and there is little to no damage of the heart muscle tissue.   It usually affects older, post-menopausal women.  The cause is typically traced to some traumatic event (emotional or physical) which causes a sudden rush of stress chemicals such as adrenaline and epinephrine.  This leads to the characteristic abnormal shape of the heart and the symptoms that mimic an actual heart attack.  Fortunately, the vast majority of patients fully recover from broken heart syndrome with no adverse long term effects.

I firmly believe that there is a direct connection between how our body handles stress and its many physical manifestations.  This type of research that measures the biochemical effects of stress is finally starting to lend some credibility to this theory.  The old adage “an ounce of prevention…” is applicable to stress management as well.  A recent MSNBC article profiled a study that was published in the European Heart Journal. Researchers used a “happiness scale” to gauge future heart risk.  According to the study, “For every point on the happiness scale, people were 22 percent less likely to have a heart problem.”

Things will always happen to test our mettle, but the key is how we react to it.  Finding an effective coping mechanism is paramount to maintaining that good health you’ve worked so hard to attain.  The take home message is something that Bobby McFerrin might say - ”Don’t worry, be happy.”

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• Living in the present - Stop worrying about what is out of your control.
• Laugh - Studies continue to espouse the positive benefits of smiling and laughing.  So, go ahead and laugh until your face hurts…it’s good for you.
• Smell the roses - Newsflash: life is hectic.  This forces us to sometimes rush through life, missing out on simple pleasures.  Your child’s laugh, planting  a garden, listening to the birds on a perfect sunny day…find a place a of peace.  And visit, often.
• Get off your butt - Like laughing, research is continuously finding evidence that endorphins released during physically activity have a positive effect on mood.  So, what are you waiting for?  Get moving.

Source: CNN.com

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In central Florida, a man reportedly shot and killed his wife, their 7 year old child and 5 month old infant!  The couple’s 13 year old son was able to escape, but the father apparently shot at him before turning the gun on himself.  As a husband and father who has admittedly seen some stressful days, I cannot fathom any situation being dire enough to murder my family, or anyone else for that matter.  It’s just unconscionable.

You may ask, what is a tragedy like this doing on a wellness blog?  Well, this “What The ?” section is dedicated to any topic directly or indirectly related to total wellness, but does not fit in any of the main catgeories.  And in that vein, this particualr story reeks of stress management.

I’m noticing an alarming trend over the last couple of months where men have reached their wits’ end where they feel the only way out is to murder their whole family.  A similar trend briefly took hold after the Virginia Tech massacre of 2007.

Life these days is very hectic and pressure comes in too many forms to count.  Mentally and spiritually, we all have our breaking point.  After all, we’re human.  But murder is an unacceptable coping strategy.  When it comes to wellness, good nutrition and exercise are often the ‘elephants in the room.’  However, stress management is often overlooked and largely ignored as part of the big picture.  Recent studies have linked mental health to actual physical ailments.  So there is an undeniable synergistic relationship between the body and mind.

The reality is that stress is a part of life, the key is how you react to it.  We all need some outlet to channel that negative energy.  Some (like yours truly) choose activities like exercise, reading, writing, watching your favorite movie, going for a walk, etc.  Others choose something cathartic like talking to a friends, family or a licensed professional.  Everyone’s different, so you have to find something that personally soothes you.  The worst course of action is doing something destructive like emotional eating, using illicit drugs, or acting out any violent inclinations.

Do yourself and your family a favor…please find a productive outlet for your stress.

Source CNN.com

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