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A Reflection on How Stress is Killing us

Hannah Desmond

University of Wisconsin Superior HHP

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How Stress is Killing Us, gave me insight to my previous and even present actions which

influence me to fall into stress dealing with me rather than me dealing with my stress. Daily

encounters in work, family, and school really do feel like I am up against a tiger in the wild

sometimes. Graduating high school while the pandemic was at its highest did influence self-

isolation, but even with the gradual pull to normal, I have begun to linger in isolation. I fear

judgment from others, but even more I fear the times when I am alone reflecting on my actions

that might have been noticed by others. This is not an issue I face alone; I know others feel the

same as me, but I have debilitated myself in reaching out to those who feel the same.

This way of avoiding judgment hurts me more as a human being, because we are social

and crave connections with others. The reliance on avoidance and substance use weakens the

fight or flight response, increasing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tenseness, and slows down

digestion. I do have a weakened immune system and tend to be sick often, my heart rate is very

high, daily I can hit 120 beats per minute while just sitting in class. I lie to myself by working out

or running but still restricting my nutrition intake contradicting the good physical activity has.

The stress I dwell on is a reaction to an unhealthy mind and body, the cliché mentioned does

have truth and I should be taking it seriously. When the body gets continuous seven to eight

hours of sleep, healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables, energy burning physical activity, and

regularly accruing time for self-reflection, one can learn to be a healthier version of themselves.
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Work Cited

TEDxTalks. (2018, November 15). How stress is killing us (and how you can stop it). | Thijs

Launspach | tedxuniversiteitvanamsterdam. YouTube. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyyPZJrDfkM