How Fear Impacts Your Health

Weakens The Immune System

The cortisol hormone released during fight-or-flight mode and when we experience stress weakens the immune system by decreasing the volume of lymphocytes circulating in our body. Being stressed out all the time makes us more susceptible to infections and even cancer. The lymphocytes are partly composed of B-cells that release antibodies to terminate invading bacteria and viruses external to the cells. The T-cell type of lymphocytes target invaders that have entered into cells and begin destroying the virus or bacteria. Another aspect of living in long-term fear that can damage the health may be collateral. Individuals suffering from extreme stress or the fear of something may abuse substances to cope.

Keep going to learn about the next way fear impacts health now.

Impacts Memory

The body floods the amygdala region of our brains with hormones when we are afraid. This impacts memory by storing the moments when our perceptions became more acute in high-resolution. These memories will burn into our souls as thoughts that have paramount importance over any others and may haunt us. These may be perceived simply as red flags in our subconscious minds that make us feel a certain looming sense of dread regarding individuals associated with these fears. This reactive irrational fear-based thinking is the force behind PTSD and can lead to long-term memory formation problems and damage to the function of the hippocampus. The memories incurred from the mechanism dubbed the 'amygdala hijack' are always perceived as negative, as a warning to avoid similar situations in the future, and possibly explaining why first impressions are so important.

Learn more about the link between fear and health now.