Acute and Chronic Stress in first responders
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The biological function of stress in the human body is to enable the body to adapt to
challenging situations. This is usually done in cooperation with other hormones such as
cytokines and other neurotransmitters. Through allostasis, the body can sustain homeostasis
when changing. Allostasis helps separate the functions that are essential for life and those that
maintain an equilibrium in the body. The work environment of first responders such as
paramedics and firefighters is sometimes characterized by helpless situations. Under these
circumstances, a strong and negative emotional response may be exhibited in response to the
situation. The adrenal gland in the body then releases the stress hormones which increases
respiration in the body. At this point, the cardiac rhythm rises and so does the glucose level.
This is done so that the muscles of the body may enter into a fight or flight response mode.
Once, the stress hormones have been released, they are then broken down into epinephrine
and norepinephrine to facilitate the fight or flight mode.
As humans evolve, the body rarely needs to be in a fight or flight mode and this
response is therefore substituted for exhibition in our daily challenging situations. First
responders under emergency circumstances, therefore, find themselves in these stressful
situations compared to the rest of the population(McEwen, 2004). The problem arises when
the stress hormones are not turned off once the stressful situation has cleared out, the body
experiences wear and tear known as an allostatic overload. A good indication of the allostatic
load is depression. Depression usually affects the normal operation of the cardiovascular
system, the digestion and metabolic system, the immune and the operations of the brain. The
stress hormone known as cortisol is usually responsible for emotional and psychic upheaval.
Under stressful situations, adrenocortical hormones are then released into the brain which
causes a range of effects such as steroid psychosis. The prolonged presence of this hormone
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on the brain also causes an allostatic overload. The stressful circumstances that one
experiences are not usually similar which leads to the various classification of stress. Acute
stress is usually realized when someone encounters a sudden negative or difficult event like a
police person trying to respond to an unexpected shooting. Once the event has been
responded to, the stress fades away. Acute stress is usually associated with irritability,
depression migraines, and several other symptoms. Acute stress when repeated over again
can be episodic. A good illustration is when firefighters have to respond to several
emergencies in a given period. Acute stress sometimes triggers emotional and intellectual
progress which helps us achieve the task at hand. Chronic stress usually results from a
continuous negative circumstance, stagnation, or boredom. Under these circumstances, stress
leads to no individual growth. Situations such as long-term unemployment, racism, and
poverty can lead to chronic stress. Chronic stress causes depression, reduces self-esteem, and
a myriad of physical illnesses.
The different types of stress impact the body in different ways. For the immune
system, acute stress helps in the movement of the immune cells to fight pathogens at the area
of interest while chronic stress suppresses the response of the immune system(Rosenthat,
2002). Acute stress is responsible for the elevation of the cardiovascular system to meet the
various demands of the day. Chronic stress on the other hand results in sustained high blood
pressure which predisposes one to stroke and pulmonary malfunctions. Under normal
circumstances, glucocorticoids are released in the brain to increase appetite for food
consumption and make one physically active. This acts as a regulatory mechanism for energy
intake and uses in the body. Under chronic stress, the level of glucocorticoids rises which
encourages the appetite for food consumption. This excessive intake of food is associated
with increased body fat that is not healthy.
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First responders should be encouraged to incorporate meditation into their daily lives.
Meditation helps in calming the mind and subsequently reduces irritability when dealing with
a difficult situation. This should help in minimizing the cases of acute stress and promote an
objective response towards situations. First responders should also be encouraged to eat
healthily. Chronic stress promotes excessive consumption of food which may be harmful to
the body. When one incorporates a healthy diet in their meals, the episodic impact of chronic
stress is less.
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References
McEwen, B. S. (2004). Protection and damage from acute and chronic stress: Allostasis and
allostatic overload and relevance to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Annals
of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1032, 1–7.
https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1314.001
Rosenthat, S. (2002). 50 Ways to Prevent and Manage Stress (p. 161). McGraw-Hill
Education.
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