Factors of Modern Stress: Social and Biological Considerations

Stepping into any college library as final examinations approach will present anyone with basic examples of stress symptoms; sleepless, dreary-eyed students disobeying their bodies' commands to slam close their books and head to sleep. Upon closer inspection, their physiology would reveal aching muscles, migraine headaches and numerous other detrimental changes distinctly verifying the presence of stress beyond any reasonable doubt. The roots for this seemingly self-destructive behavior reach deep into our past, and appear throughout the animal kingdom. However, the higher frequency of this behavior in humans results from a complex interaction of social and biological factors based on an evolutionary significance, necessitating unique solutions.

Mere survival and reproduction may be a simple task for the modern man, but this hallmark came for good reasons. The world was harsh thousands of years ago when modern man began to emerge, and the sympathetic nervous system played a crucial role by forcing quick decisions in potentially fatal situations. Additionally, the system aided survival "during time of starvation and intense physical activity...stimulating cells in the liver to increase production of glucose", a predicament early man surely faced (Alberts, 422). Conservation of this mechanism between species further emphasizes its benefit to survival. However, with the minimal physical perils of contemporary living, this system now provides more harm than benefit in many individuals. Chronic invoking of this system leads to "allostatic load, when the systems designed for protection and adaptation become overwhelmed", and clear effects upon the body results (McEwen, 102). Such overload increases chances of infection as the immune system deteriorates, and elevated heart attack risk directly results from associated increase in blood pressure. Ironically, the mechanism that once augmented our survival now frequently impairs it. This overuse and its detrimental effects result largely from the heavily social lifestyle developed by humans.

The daily routine of human life only encourages socially overbearing circumstances. Human society regularly makes demands on its populace, whether giving eloquent public speeches or simply maintaining proper etiquette, all of which can lead to sympathetic stimulation at the slightest hint of failure. Excess activity of the sympathetic nervous system in humans results from this social anxiety, rather than responding to the perils of physical danger as originally intended. Social sources of stress do exist in some primate species as well; lab monkeys undergoing constant shuffling of social grouping suffer the same health risks humans would. Social distress certainly occurs more commonly than physical danger in most people's lives, but the sympathetic system evolved to protect us from danger rather than embarrassment. Due to this mis-directed activity, unnecessary anxiety results. Of all these social anxieties suffered on a daily basis, those occurring during upbringing of an individual hold the most weight; Sapolsky and McEwen downplay the importance of interpersonal interactions early on. Development of certain disorders (ie phobias) stem from early life hood experiences, and can increase incidents of perceived threat when little actually exists. In these individuals, excess byproducts of the sympathetic nervous system directly result, though due to misperceptions influenced by previous experiences and "abstract associations" of the mind rather than any real danger (Sapolsky, 89). The presence of individuals having extreme enough misconceptions to exhibit mental disorders must also be considered when determining overall occurrence of stress in a population, as ascertainment bias would result in overestimates if no distinguishing occurs between individuals with and without anxiety disorders. Without treatment, extreme anxiety brings about clinical depression in extreme instances. All such stress-related disorders have a biological basis correlating with the manifestation of its symptoms.

The common ground between the evolutionary and social aspects of stress sits atop a biological foundation. While not perfectly understood, many symptoms of stress correlate with irregular levels of certain neurotransmitters. Even in early development, the "amount of stress...during pregnancy influences the amount of glutocorticoids that cross the placenta and reach the fetus", altering brain structure and consequential physiology of the newborn (Sapolsky, 95). Catastrophically high levels of Glutocorticoids and other hormones, influenced by anxiety, wreak havoc on the limbic system and other areas of the brain regulating homeostasis. Any such irregularity affects the mind of the individual, making the emotional burden of stress even more painful to bear. Many current drugs for treating depression act to impede uptake of dopamine, cortisol, and other neurotransmitters in this area associated with anxiety. However, neurotransmitters often entail multiple functions, whether directly or through their interactions with others. Designing medication to affect one specific function of a neurotransmitter while not interfering with any others may be out of out reach at present. As a result, solely relying on drugs to treat biological imbalances of stress disorders falls short and alternate methods must be considered.

Inherited genetic factors also complicate matters. Some parents with hypertension bear offspring "genetically ill disposed to let go of a stressful situation" McEwen, 106). Stress affects other neurotransmitter types and leads to behavioral consequences; decreases in serotonin levels lead to irregular sleep patterns which only perpetuate the problem. Once again, prescription drugs provide only limited success in treating such individuals. Perhaps the failure of prescription treatment for depression lies in the observation that stress in humans results from a combination of both biological and social factors.

Neither the social or biological explanations alone yield a panacea to the stress of modern lifestyles, so a fusion of the two may help. A life devoid of stress can not realistically exist, but any tense situation "is exacerbated if there is no outlet for frustration, no sense of control, no social support and no impression that something better will follow" (Sapolsky, 88). So regardless of any genetic predisposition or chemical imbalance, a key factor in overcoming stress lies in having a reasonable means of venting. A mere piece of wood may provide relief for a rat in distress, but humans can choose from a wider range of physical and social outlets. Studies suggest a diverse social network alone can boost immune system activity brought down by stress, and "health practices including smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep quality, exercise and diet...also associate with susceptibility to illness" (NIH). However, a mere combination of social well-being and a healthy lifestyle oversimplifies the solution to a greater problem; being a member of society entails certain responsibilities which directly interfere with the ability to avoid unhealthy doses of stress.

Just being human seemingly sentences one to a variety of stressful and destructive forces. Few manage to travel through life while avoid employment or raising a family at some point. However, altogether avoiding stress could potentially cause as much harm as submerging oneself in it; underproduction of cortisol can harm an individual just as overproduction does. Overproduction of stress-related hormones leads to deficiency in the immune system, but "without cortisol's steadying hand, (the immune system) runs wild and reacts to things that do not really pose a threat to the body" (McEwen, 107). Such instances manifest themselves as allergies and rashes, which seem just as common among in the human population as anxiety and depression.

Rather than waiting for a miracle drug to do the job for us, any individual can regulate stress through social and biological considerations. Those individuals genetically doomed to experience a proclivity to stress and depression may alleviate symptoms through specifically manufactured drugs, though this alone often falls short. Others having stressful habits can always help themselves through simple changes in their social network or daily habits. Animals experience stress and depression from feeling frustrated and helpless to which they are powerless, but humans have the unique ability to recognize this problem and deal with it according to their individual situation and own good judgement.

References:

Alberts, Bruce et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 4^th ed New York: Garland Science, 2002.

McEwen, Bruce S. "Worried Sick." Cerebrum. 4 Nov. 2002: 99-110.Persons, Susan M. "Social Support, Stress, and the Common Cold, NIH Record. December 2, 1997.

http://stress.about.com/cs/immunesystem/a/cold.htm

Sapolsky, Robert. "Stress." Scientific American. Sept. 2003: 87-95.