Grief and Inflammation: When Emotional Pain Becomes Physical

"Our brain interprets grief as stress. As a result, it activates our stress-response systems, especially the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system. These systems release stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which are meant to protect the body in short-term crises. In acute grief, these responses are adaptive. They help us cope with shock and disruption. If unresolved, however, the same systems can become dysregulated."

"Your neuroendocrine system can produce more substantial amounts of cortisol, which can, in turn, lead to inflammation and the development of chronic illness or even death. For example, long-term studies on stress report that up to 80 percent of patients with autoimmune disorders experienced excessive emotional stress before being diagnosed. How Stress Affects the Heart In December 2016, actress Carrie Fisher, of "Star Wars" fame, died four days after suffering a massive heart attack. Her mother, Debbie Reynolds, died of a stroke the following day."

Constant exposure to global conflict, economic uncertainty, and urban violence creates steady disruption that can affect people similarly to grief by rupturing safety and predictability. Grief acts as a biological stressor, activating the HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system and releasing cortisol and adrenaline. Acute grief responses are adaptive and help cope with shock, but unresolved grief can dysregulate neuroendocrine systems and produce sustained high cortisol levels that promote inflammation and chronic illness. Long-term emotional stress associates with autoimmune disorders, and bereavement can precipitate cardiac events and worsen preexisting medical conditions, contributing to higher morbidity and mortality.

Read at Psychology Today