Pilot Study
Emotional Stress Questionnare
"Prolonged and too much stress influences the adrenal glands which stimulates the production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol has an anti-inflammatory reaction and in the long term reduces the body’s immunity. It inhibits the body’s production of Fibroblasts (new connective tissue), which delays healing" (Segall & Davids, 2001:149).
"Stress has an emotional as well as physical impact on us but invariably both emotional and physical symptoms lead to illness" (Thomas, 2002:60:61).
HOST, utilizing massage and aromatherapy is indicated for this condition and has the following effects:
- It boosts and stimulates the immune system
- It helps a person to feel good about him/herself
- It creates a sense of pleasure and well-being
- It inhibits the sympathetic nervous system while promoting the parasympathetic nervous system, which restores the body into a harmonious state (Segall & Davids, 2001:149).
Emotional Question "d"
Graph 52
Question: Experiencing tension?
Control group: No change
Test group: Enormous improvement
Results rating: Absolute outstanding improvement
"Researchers once thought the immune system and the brain/nervous system were completely separate. Recently they've discovered that these two systems are in constant contact, sending signals back and forth. A direct physical pathway allows emotions to impact the immune system" (Schilling, 2007).
Now there is scientific evidence that links emotions to compromised immune system functioning.
Too much emotional tension can trigger the following responses in the body:
- Accelerate the onset and course of diabetes
- Damage memory
- Exacerbate plaque formation in arteries, leading to arteriosclerosis, blood clotting and heart attack
- Increase vulnerability to viral infections, including common colds and flu
- Lead to ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract
- Speed the metastasis of cancer
- Worsen or trigger an asthma attack (Schilling, 2007).
Emotioanl Question "i"
Graph 52
Question: Frequently crying or emotional?
Control group: Further improvement
Test group: Enormous improvement
Results rating: Significant improvement
Studies prove that people who are quick to get angry or who display recurrent hostility, a behaviour that is common to those under stress, have an increased risk of heart disease and crying fits (Mind/Body Health, 2004). The urge to laugh or cry at inappropriate times are symptomatic of the emotional impact of stress. From the above result we can see that there was a significant improvement in the Test group (56%) and can reason that this is yet more proof of the positive results HOST has as a stress management tool.
Continue reading: Phyisical Stress Questionnare