Stress is Physiological, Not Psychiatric

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash

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“Stress is physiological, not psychiatric”

I encountered the above phrase in a medical textbook a while back, which struck me with a rare clarity. Stress is not just a mental or emotional state — it is a real, physiological phenomenon that disrupts the normal functioning of your body.

Often, doctors ask patients, “What are you/have you been thinking about?” Such questions can imply that stress is purely a matter of mindset or mental weakness. But stress isn’t just a feeling. It’s not simply “being overwhelmed” or “too emotional.” It’s a full-body experience — an attack on the homeostasis of your physiology.

Stress Is a Bodily Response

Stress triggers a cascade of biological changes — “a slow response mediated by the HPA axis and a fast response mediated by the SAM axis.” Your body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline in response to a perceived physical, emotional, or environmental threat. These hormones prepare your body for a “fight or flight” response. This is a survival mechanism, but it wreaks havoc when it becomes chronic and repetitive.

Let’s walk through the physiological consequences of stress:

1. Stress Affects Your Heart

When stress hits, adrenaline increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, chronic stress contributes to hypertension, arrhythmias, and even atherosclerosis. A study published in The Lancet (2017) linked heightened amygdala activity — a stress response center in the brain — to increased cardiovascular risk.

2. Stress Affects Your Immune System

Cortisol suppresses immune function, which might be helpful in acute scenarios to reduce inflammation, but is harmful when prolonged. Chronic stress reduces your body’s ability to fight infections, delays wound healing, and can even flare up autoimmune conditions. Research from the American Psychological Association (APA) shows that chronic stress is linked to greater susceptibility to the common cold, flu, and severe infections.

3. Stress Affects Your Gut

Ever heard of the gut-brain axis? It’s real. Stress can disrupt digestion by reducing blood flow to the stomach, slowing peristalsis, and increasing acid production. This leads to indigestion, bloating, and in severe cases, erosion of the gut lining, contributing to ulcers and inflammatory bowel diseases. According to a 2015 article in Frontiers in Immunology, stress alters the microbiome, affecting mood and immune regulation.

4. Stress Affects Your Brain

Ironically, the brain suffers immensely from what people often dismiss as “just in your head.” Chronic stress can shrink the hippocampus, impair memory, increase anxiety, and worsen depression. Prolonged high cortisol levels are neurotoxic. They damage neurons and affect sleep, learning, and emotional regulation. MRI studies show that individuals under chronic stress display functional changes in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system.

Stress Is Not Imaginary — So Stop Treating It Like It Is — Take physical actions.

The next time someone tells you to “just stop thinking about it,” remind them that stress changes your body, not just your thoughts. Mental techniques like prayer, affirmations, and reframing are helpful, but physical actions are just as crucial.

Here are research-supported ways to help your body recover from stress:

• Remove the stressor if possible (a toxic environment, unmanageable workload, poor relationships).

• Practice mindfulness and meditation — they lower cortisol and improve emotional resilience.

• Exercise regularly — it boosts endorphins and reverses some physiological effects of stress.

• Prioritize sleep — deep, restorative sleep is one of your body’s best healing tools.

• Eat nutrient-rich foods — vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fermented foods, and healthy fats.

• Limit artificial sugars and processed foods — these increase inflammation and worsen mood swings.

• Stay connected — substantial social ties buffer against the adverse effects of stress.

• Turn passion into purpose.

And yes — get up and move. If you’re feeling stressed, walk, stretch, or run. Let your body shake off the buildup of stress hormones.

Stress isn’t a character flaw. It’s not “weakness” or “negativity.” It’s a biological event, like high blood sugar or elevated blood pressure. Recognizing stress as physiological allows us to treat it more seriously and compassionately.

So next time you feel overwhelmed, remember: it’s not all in your head. But you do have the power to heal, starting with your body.