Final answer:
Ongoing stress can disturb physiological and psychological health and impair the immune system, leading to increased vulnerability to infections and various health issues such as headaches, digestive problems, and mental health challenges. Chronic stress can result in psychophysiological disorders, like cardiovascular disease, due to the prolonged secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ongoing stress can disturb both physiological and psychological processes, and it can significantly weaken the body's ability to fight infections.
Stress redirects energy away from functions like digestion, the immune system, and growth. Over time, this can lead to various health issues, like headaches, digestive problems, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety.
The immune response diminishes, making the body more susceptible to illnesses and hindering recovery from physical and emotional challenges.
The field of psychoneuroimmunology explores these intricate connections between emotional states like stress and immune system functioning.
Long-term or chronic stress triggers a complex physiological response that can lead to psychophysiological disorders such as cardiovascular disease and asthma.
These are mediated by the hormones of the adrenal cortex, especially cortisol. Stress not only affects the immune response but can also lead to severe fatigue, mental health issues such as major depressive disorder, and even fatal incidents like heart attacks.