ABSTRACT
Many studies in the scientific literature demonstrate the role of distress in illness. In fact, one recent report estimates that 85% of visits to a physician are for stress-related aliments and complaints (Cleveland Clinic, 2002). As you learned in Chapter 4, the person under constant distress is vulnerable to several illnesses. This seems to be due to the secretion of hormones different from the person not under this stress. The secretion of these hormones (e.g., cortisol) has been associated with physical disease (e.g., atherosclerosis). Distress also affects the immune system, resulting in fewer lymphocytes. The person under distress is more subject to infections than the person not under distress. Because distress seems to play a key role in health and illness, we devote this chapter to giving you an opportunity to increase your knowledge of the phenomenon of stress.
