Stress and Autoimmune Disease
By The Numbers
Last year, a survey conducted annually by the American Psychological Association indicated that stress levels in the US are at an all-time high and that the majority of adults (59%) consider this the lowest point in the nation’s history that they can remember.
At the same time, autoimmune illness, or disease, is recognized as a major health crisis in the United States. According to NIH estimates, 24 million Americans suffer from autoimmune diseases, and the numbers are rising. Thirty years ago, only one in 400 people developed an autoimmune disease. Today, one in 12 Americans—one in nine women—have an autoimmune disease.
Stress is defined as is an experience that causes tension. Whether physical, psychological, or emotional, especially if it sets off the fight or flight response.
The general term used to reference autoimmune illnesses is “disease.” I prefer the term “dis-ease,” because that’s what it is: a dis-ease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissue.
How are the two linked?
First of all, there is a difference between stress, chronic stress and a stress-related “disorder” such as PTSD, in which a particular, well-defined condition or disease develops following a specific and intensely stressful event.
In a recent study published by the Harvard Medical School just last week, researchers analyzed more than 100,000 people diagnosed with stress-related disorders and compared their tendency to develop the autoimmune disease at least one year later with 126,000 of their siblings, and another million people who did not have stress-related disorders.
The study found that people diagnosed with stress disorders were statistically more likely to be:
diagnosed with an autoimmune disease,
develop multiple autoimmune diseases,
and had a higher rate of autoimmune disease if younger.
The latter is consistent with what I see in my practice.
What happens when chronic stress and stress-related disorders lead to autoimmune illnesses?
There is a perceived threat, which could be anything from on-going financial stress to full-blown PTSD.
There is a system in the body called the HPA axis that precipitates the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands. Cortisol release inhibits immune function to facilitate the fight or flight response and activation of the sympathetic nervous system, or SNS.
There is a feedback loop that ordinarily inhibits the release of cortisol when the perceived threat is over to bring the nervous system back into balance.
In chronic stress and stress-related disorders, the feedback loop goes haywire and immune function is suppressed over time, leading to potential autoimmune diseases. Cortisol is continually being released in response to perceived threat.
Traditional western medical approaches generally treat the organ involved and not the whole person. Examples would be going to a gastroenterologist for celiac or IBS, or a rheumatologist for rheumatoid arthritis, or a dermatologist for psoriasis. In conventional western medicine, the belief is that once you have an autoimmune disease, there is nothing you can do to reverse it, only manage the symptoms. Managing symptoms typically involve harsh medications that are aimed at surpassing the immune system
Holistic, homeopathic, naturopathic and functional medicine approaches work on the principle that the health of one system impacts the health and function of others. The focus is on strengthening and supporting the immune system by getting to the root of why the immune system is not functioning properly.
Approaches to treating autoimmune diseases holistically include working with diet, exercise, sleep, and supplements to support immune function. My approach is to help my clients develop methods in meditation, deep relaxation, and mindfulness, including working with the breath, to re-establish the resting nervous system balance. I use several specific evidence-based methods of working with complex trauma and PTSD to resolve trauma at the root and bring long-term healing to the stress-related disorder.
After several decades as a biochemist, psychotherapist, and serious yoga practitioner, I still love my work. I am committed to helping my clients live to their fullest potential.
I hope you found this article insightful and useful. To learn more, please content me via email or phone to schedule a consultation today.
With Gratitude,
Linda
If you’re dealing with chronic illness or would like to know more about chronic illness therapy, contact me today.