Is going to have a lot of health issues if can't get stress under control...
In addition to its metabolic effects, cortisol suppresses the immune system by preventing the release of inflammatory substances, inhibiting T-cell proliferation, and shifting the immune response toward a Th2 dominance, which favors humoral immunity over cellular immunity. While this anti-inflammatory action is beneficial in the short term, chronic elevation can lead to immunosuppression, increased susceptibility to infections, and impaired wound healing.
Chronically elevated cortisol levels, known as hypercortisolism or Cushing’s syndrome, can result in a wide range of adverse effects. These include central obesity (increased abdominal fat), insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. It can also cause dyslipidemia (elevated triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, reduced HDL), hypertension, and cardiovascular complications such as heart disease and stroke. Musculoskeletal issues like muscle weakness and osteoporosis are common due to cortisol’s catabolic effects on muscle and bone tissue.
Neuropsychiatric effects include mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, irritability, cognitive impairment, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating, particularly due to cortisol’s impact on the hippocampus. Skin changes such as thinning, easy bruising, purple stretch marks (striae), acne, and hirsutism (excessive hair growth in women) are also characteristic of prolonged high cortisol levels. Reproductive issues like menstrual irregularities in women and erectile dysfunction in men may occur due to hormonal imbalances.
Other symptoms associated with high cortisol include fatigue, weight gain, insomnia, and changes in appetite. Prolonged stress-induced cortisol elevation can lead to a state of "chronic allostasis overload," contributing to conditions like major depressive disorder and metabolic syndrome. While cortisol is essential for normal physiological function, its excess is toxic and can affect nearly every system in the body.