The Immune System and Stress

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer introduces, discusses and analyzes the topic of the immune system. Specifically, the writer discusses how negative emotions such as anger, depression, sadness, over-thinking and anxiety can affect the immune system. The writer points out that almost all forms of stress, such as anger, depression, sadness, and anxiety can negatively affect the immune system. Studies show this can lead to many other ailments and diseases, including cancer. The writer maintains that stress is a powerful force and it can cause powerful reactions in our bodies. Too much stress can also lead to permanent damage, as several medical studies indicate. The writer concludes that managing stress and anxiety is good for a healthy existence, and as these studies show, it can also help to reduce instances of serious diseases such as cancer.

From the Paper:

"This build up of the immune system to chronic stress can also lead to many other conditions, such as tolerance and dependency on many types of drugs. For example, a person under chronic stress who relies on aspirin or other pain relievers may develop a tolerance to the drugs, requiring more drugs to gain the same affect as fewer drug dosages before. Thus, the immune system in high gear can build up tolerances to drugs and other medications in its continued effort to protect the body and fight stress and anxiety. This is also dangerous, because the patient must take more drugs to gain the same result, and some drugs may simply become useless, leading the patient to need new drugs, or perhaps to a situation where no drugs will work against the problem. Continued stress, then, can lead to a wide variety of health problems, all concerning how the immune system reacts and what it does to manage the body in times of stress."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Brown, Doris. "Stress & Immune System." Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 2007. 3 Dec. 2007. <http://www.hhmi.org/cgi-bin/askascientist/highlight.pl?kw=&file=answers%2Fimmunology%2Fans_011.html>
• "Counseling Improves Immune System." USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) Feb. 2005: 7.
• "Social Stress May Cause Severe Damage." USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) Oct. 2002: 9.

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