Day 36 - Part 5 Stress series

Dear Reader

Christopher Lord here and I will conclude the 5 part series on stress to educate you and to assist you in your faith journey.  In the previous blog entries, I introduced the father of modern stress research, Dr. Hans Selye, who discovered the physiological underpinning of the human stress response- the “HPA Axis” which stands for the Hypothalamic- Pituitary- Adrenal Axis that also includes the chemical messengers between these structures, chief among them are the stress hormones, with cortisol being the big player I will focus on.

It was also stated that the “HPA Axis” or the stress response wasn’t necessarily a bad thing but rather a helpful/adaptive strategy to temporarily deal with the demands of increased stress.  The problem came when the need to deal with stress wasn’t temporary after all, but constant/near constant demands that lead to a nasty collection of symptoms that could be built into a syndrome called Cushing’s Syndrome which is associated with weight gain/obesity, musculoskeletal and skin problems as well as sex hormone dysfunction and an overall rough time in life.  I did not go into the mental health effects but I plan to now in this final blog entry.

We have long known in my field that there is a link between depression (“Big D” or Major Depression) and dysfunctional HPA Axis (as well as thyroid gland) but our search for a “chemical test” has remained elusive and unfulfilled because the association between HPA Axis/thyroid dysfunction is strong, it is not across the board and therefore not a good medical test.

So what do we know? We know that HPA Axis dysfunction (in most cases related to cortisol levels) is associated with Mood Disorders (which includes things like Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder) as well as Anxiety  Disorders (what matters with these is the rate of change in cortisol levels rather than just a high level). Additionally, there is HPA Axis dysfunction associated with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in which the cortisol response is abnormal, especially in those children who present primarily as hyperactive. HPA dysfunction is also associated with psychotic mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and Major Depression with Psychosis. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (which is technically an Anxiety Disorder) is unsurprisingly associated with abnormalities of cortisol functioning (cortisol levels are actually low- we think that with that population the system actually wears out and other changes happen too). HPA Axis dysfunction is also associated with disruptive behavior in general in young people. Also, and very importantly, HPA Axis dysfunction is also associated with brain damage!

Specifically, chronic stress (in the study I read it was very severe stress) was associated with the loss of brain cells in a part of our brain called the hippocampus, which is associated with learning, verbal memory, as well as memory storage and retrieval, so much so that people were actually cognitively impaired on neuropsychological testing.

There you have it. By no means have I told you the whole story in terms of the deficits associated with long-term, chronic stress and its impact on your mind and body, there are other chemical messengers and systems involved with other deleterious effects.

Re-reading this material and writing these blog entries has reminded me to work harder at relaxing, and trying where I may to take better care of myself and to thank God

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
-Psalm 139:13-14
 
God’s peace and thank you for the opportunity to be of service

Christopher Lord

----------------
The Purpose Driven Life - Finding Your Purpose


CHAPTER 36 - MADE FOR A MISSION


You were made for a mission.
God is at work in the world, and he wants you to join him. This assignment is called you mission. God wants you to have both a ministry in the Body of Christ and a mission in the world.

Your life mission is both shared and specific. One part of it is a responsibility you share with every other Christian, and the other part is an assignment that is unique to you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR MISSION

• Your mission is a continuation of Jesus' mission on earth. 
• Your mission is a wonderful privilege 
• Telling others how they can have eternal life is the greatest thing you can do for them
• Your mission has eternal significance
• Your mission give your life meaning
• God's timetable for history's conclusion is connected to the completion of our commission. 

Point to Ponder: I was made for a mission

Verse to Remember: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Question to Consider: What fears have kept me from fulfilling the mission God made me to accomplish? What keeps me from telling others the Good News?