Stress :: Stress Hormones can predict Divorce

If relationship of a spouse with his fianc? is uneasy, both the partners may remain in stress, or prolonged anxiety or depression. It may be tinted with hatred, ego, jealousy, indignation, anger, vexation, grief, sadness, fear, apprehension, insomnia, worries etc. etc. these all disturb the personality to such an extent that the present one may entirely differ from the original individual.

These all changes are due to changes in hormones due to turmoil in our endocrine rhythm. Thus, unhealthy relationships sometimes result in high levels of some hormones called as stress hormones.

These hormones include epinephrine (better known as adrenalin), norepinephrine and ACTH.

High levels of stress hormones reduce the effectiveness of the body’s immune system, resulting in more illness. I a study by Ohio State University, elevated levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and ACTH were “consistently and significantly elevated” in couples who later divorced.

Stress hormone production was far greater among the women, the research showed. Experts say that could be because women notice hostility or conflicts more than men do. They also noted that the couples with high levels of stress hormones, early in the relationship, insisted that everything was just fine. The researchers say that’s because the couples were in a state of “bliss” about the relationship, and so were glossing over any problems. These were the couples who later divorced.

Not all stress is bad. To find out more about the difference between good stress and bad stress, you can read this article from ABC Online. To find out more about the Ohio State study, you can read this from the American Psychological Association.

Compiled by : Dr. Rajneesh Kumar Sharma