Chronic stress lasting over 100 minutes can suppress the immune system, leading to negative health outcomes including depression and immunosuppression. The document discusses the role of the HPA axis and cortisol in immune response, emphasizing how chronic stress can perpetuate a cycle of immune system compromise. Strategies to combat stress and enhance immune function include maintaining good physical and mental health, relaxation techniques, adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, and regular exercise.

1. PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY:
PRESENTED BY DRAKE TURNER
CHRONIC STRESS & THE IMMUNE SYSTEM :
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

2. THIS IS CHRONIC STRESS

3. STRESS LASTING MORE THAN 100 MINUTES IN
DURATION CAN SUPPRESS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.
INCLUDING THINGS LIKE:
- DEATH OF A LOVED ONE,
- UNIPOLAR DEPRESSION,
- PARALYSIS FROM A CAR ACCIDENT

4. THIS IS YOUR BODY’S IMMUNE SYSTEM
DEALING WITH CHRONIC STRESS.

5. THE IMMUNE SYSTEM’S ARMY
• SOLDIERS: WHITE BLOOD CELLS, AKA: LEUKOCYTES
PROTECT AGAINST FOREIGN PATHOGENS
• MESSENGERS: CYTOKINES
CHEMICAL MESSENGERS BETWEEN LEUKOCYTES TO MEDIATE INFLAMMATORY
& IMMUNE RESPONSES
TWO TYPES:
PRO-INFLAMMATORY
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

6. PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES
• ATTRACT LEUKOCYTES TO MINISTER TO THE HEALING PROCESS.
• ACTIVATE HPA AXIS
WHAT IS THE HPA AXIS YOU’RE ASKING? GOOD QUESTION!

7. HPA AXIS

8. CORTISOL INHIBITS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
• ACTIVATION OF THE HPA AXIS INVOLVES MESSAGES TRAVELING FROM
THE HYPOTHALAMUS GLAND TO THE PITUITARY GLAND. IN RESPONSE,
THE PITUITARY GLAND STIMULATES THE ADRENAL GLAND TO PRODUCE
CORTISOL. CORTISOL IN TURN, AMONG OTHER THINGS, SUPPRESSES
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND PROVIDES NEGATIVE FEEDBACK TO
DECREASE THE MESSAGES RELEASED FROM THE HPA AXIS WHICH IN
TURN ALSO REDUCES THE RELEASE OF CORTISOL. CHRONIC STRESS
HOWEVER CAN KEEP REACTIVATING THIS FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE

9. OR FLIGHT IMMUNE RESPONSE

10. • IMMUNE SUPPRESSION THROUGH CORTISOL
GIVES ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR A
FIGHT OR FLEE NOW, & HEAL THE BODY
LATER WHEN IT’S SAFE RESPONSE.
• THIS AGAIN BECOMES COMPOUNDED WITH
THE STRESS WE INTENTIONALLY PUT ON
OURSELVES THROUGH OUR ENVIRONMENT

11. UNHEALTHY THINGS WE PUT INTO OUR
BODIES

12. • THESE THINGS TAX THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO FIGHT HARDER
THAN IT SHOULD NEED TO AND PULLS ITS ATTENTION AWAY
FROM FOCUSING ON OTHER IMPORTANT THREATS.

13. THE SITUATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
WE PUT OURSELVES INTO

14. • CHRONICALLY STRESSFUL SOCIAL SITUATIONS WE GET INTO
OR STAY IN CAN BE POISONOUS TO OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
BY FURTHER SUPPRESSION THROUGH YET MORE STRESS.

15. EFFECTS OF STRESS

16. STRESS EFFECTS ON BODY
• ALL OF THESE STRESSORS CAN ALSO COMBINE TO CREATE
AND/OR EXACERBATE DEPRESSION WHICH FURTHER
SUPPRESSES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM .

17. PSYCHOSIS

18. • CHRONIC STRESS CAN CAUSE PSYCHOSIS LIKE A
PSYCHOTIC BREAK OR MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER
WHICH COULD AGAIN FURTHER THE STRESS INDUCED
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION ….
• ENOUGH SO EVEN ALL THE WAY TO ….

19. A LOOPING DOWNWARD SPIRAL
Immunosuppression
Disease &
Depression
Chronic Stress

20. • THIS CAN FORM A REPEATING CYCLE OF IMMUNO-
SUPPRESSION.
• THIS CYCLE IS A FAST TRACK TO ONE PLACE….

21. THE POINT OF NO RETURN

22. • ALL OF THESE CHRONIC STRESSORS CAN SUPPRESS AND
MODIFY THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO A POINT OF NOT BEING
ABLE TO FIGHT PATHOGENS AND/OR OUR OWN CELLS
THAT HAVE BECOME CANCEROUS!

23. DEATH

24. • BY INHIBITING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, CHRONIC STRESS CAN
EVEN CAUSE DEATH BY LETTING IN PATHOGENS THAT IT
WOULD HAVE NORMALLY KILLED UNDER BETTER
CIRCUMSTANCES.

25. GET TOUGH ON STRESS!

26. YOU CAN HELP BOLSTER THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF CHRONIC STRESS.
• KEEPING THE BODY IN GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL
CONDITION SEEMS TO HELP PROMOTE IMMUNE FUNCTION

27. RELAXATION

28. • MEDITATION, BIO-FEEDBACK, PROFESSIONAL THERAPY AND
YOGIC BREATHING TECHNIQUES CAN ALL AID IN
ACHIEVING A RELAXED STATE OF MIND TO PUT A BREAK IN
THE IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE CYCLE OF STRESS.

29. SLEEP

30. • YOUR BODY NEEDS REST FOR PROPER FUNCTION AND
REPAIR. YOU CAN ACTUALLY DIE FROM ENOUGH LACK OF
SLEEP. GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP HELPS TO INSURE THAT THE
BODY IS READY FOR A NEW DAY OF ACTIVITY.

31. BALANCED NUTRITION

32. • THE BODY NEEDS A WIDE RANGE OF NUTRIENTS FOR PEAK
PERFORMANCE. A WELL ROUNDED DIET OF VARIATION IN
MODERATION CAN PROVIDE WHAT THE BODY NEEDS.

33. MOVE YOUR BODY

34. • EXERCISE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO FIGHT DEPRESSION AND
EVEN BOLSTER THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

35. CIRCLE OF LIFE

36. • TO GET THE BEST RESULTS IN IMMUNE BOOST,
CONSISTENCY IN ALL OF THESE IS KEY!