fear (prolonged)

Moller then outlined the potential consequences of fear on overall, physical, emotional, environmental, and spiritual health. The potential effects of chronic fear on overall health include:

  • Immune system dysfunction

  • Endocrine system dysfunction

  • Autonomic nervous system alterations

  • Sleep/wake cycle disruption

  • Eating disorders

  • Alterations in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis

...the costs of risk misperception, especially from fear and anxiety, must be included in cost–benefit analyses of risk management options

The first of these practical steps should be that government and business adopt this new broader concept of risk as they formulate risk management policy. 

R.W. Sanders