Guide To The Symptoms Of Stress

Anxiety And Depression

In cases involving both short-term and chronic stress, anxiety and depression are quite common symptoms. Oxidative stress is a condition where the body's ability to protect and repair itself is affected by an imbalance between antioxidants and molecules known as free radicals. New research suggests that psychological stress can lead to oxidative stress in the brain, which can trigger anxiety and depression. Brain tissue is quite susceptible to oxidative stress.

This sequence of events, which starts with psychological stress, can be explained by the fact that high cortisol contributes to oxidative stress. However, its effect on oxidative stress is not the only way that this hormone can lead to anxiousness and feeling down. Serotonin, the hormone most commonly linked with happiness, tends to decrease in the brain when cortisol levels are significantly increased. Low levels of serotonin are often blamed as the main contributing factor in both anxiety and depression.