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The Common Cold & Psychological Stress

Scientists in the early 1990's broke new ground in research on stress and the immune system when they began recruiting participants to be given a concoction of cold virus into their noses after filling out questionnaires about their level of psychological stress. The findings were clear: subjects with higher levels of stress, including stressful life events, poor mood and fewer social supports, had a greater chance of developing cold symptoms than those who did not report feeling stressed.

  1. Definitions

    • The common cold is a common, mild viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system. Psychological stress occurs when a stressor in the environment exceeds the ability to cope or adapt. The biopsychosocial model provides for an understanding of how those two relate; it is a conceptual model that takes that takes into account how factors outside of bodily processes affect health and illness.

    The Mind-Body Connection

    • The form of medicine practiced in industrial countries today has traditionally treated the mind and body as two separate entities. However, several newer branches of medicine and psychology produce research and recommendations based on the idea that the mind and body are one whole thing, not two parts. The biopsychosocial model examines how a variety of factors outside of the human body, such as stress, social support, thinking processes, and culture affect health and illness.

    Stress and the Body

    • Psychological stress leads to illness by reducing the body's ability to fight off disease. Various cells and processes in our bodies react to stress in an effort to return the body to a normal state. When the stress continues and the body is unable to return to normal, biological messengers in the body, such as neuropeptide Y, tell our bodies to produce less of the cells we need to fight off infection. The effect of stress on the body varies from person to person.

    Significance

    • Handwashing, covering your cough, and avoiding close contact with people who have colds isn't all you need to do in order to prevent yourself from getting a cold. Finding ways to cope and adapt to difficult life situations, perceived stress, lack of social support and just all around feeling bad will also help you to stay healthy

    Prevention/Solution

    • While there's no cure for the common cold, you can try to prevent the stress that contributes to its development. Take the time to figure out what works for you to relieve stress. Gather more support by connecting more with friends and family, speaking with a professional, or going to a support group. Exercise helps relieve stress for many people, as does yoga and mindfulness meditation. Keep in mind that when you work to relieve your psychological stress, you are helping to keep your body healthy as well.

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