Stress is a well known risk factor for heart disease.  A certain amount of stress is necessary, and it may not always be associated with unwelcome events.  For some people, even the response to pleasurable experiences can cause the cardiovascular system to be overloaded with substances that affect the heart.

Any extreme emotion must be handled with self-understanding if blood pressure and heart rates are to remain within reasonable limits.  When stressful events occur, adrenalin pours into the bloodstream.  This causes the cells of the heart muscle to burn up oxygen at a much higher rate, thereby quickly depleting its oxygen supply.  In susceptible people, the oxygen deficiency can lead to a heart attack.

An interesting example of the danger of increased stress is the large jump in heart attacks observed when England lost to Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.  The significant increase was discovered from an analysis of hospital admission rates in the days surrounding England's loss.  On the day of the game, and on the following two days, there was a 25% increase in heart attack admissions, compared with the previous and following years.  This increase in admissions for heart attacks confirms that they are triggered by any emotional upset - the pleasure of watching your favourite team and the pain of losing an important match.

So next time you get into an exciting or emotional situation, make sure it's not literally heart stopping action.

MOVING BEYOND MATTER
by William G. Hobbs

We truly are emotional beings.  How amazing it is to think that being a spectator could be life threatening.

In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the protagonist declares, "...there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so..."  Hamlet is referring to his impression of Denmark since his father's death.  Denmark itself is neither good nor bad, but Hamlet's mood makes it seem like a prison to him.  To paraphrase, to fit Dr. Humphreys' sports example, you could say, "it doesn't matter whether you win or lose (or even if you play), but it's how worked up you get about the game."

Of course, not all emotional experiences and stresses lead to a heart attack.  The theatre and other arts, like music, are said to have a cathartic effect on their audience.  A play like, Hamlet, can give the observer an emotional cleansing.  Although the play itself is sad the experience of watching it can be quite refreshing.

Similarly, it is known that laughter releases endorphins that boost the immune system.  And don't forget the placebo effect,  where people get better simply when told that an actually impotent pill will make them better.

Our brain is a powerful organ and the way we think can affect our entire body.  By simply remembering an event we can then re-experience the same feelings we had at the time.  Remembering good times can make us laugh.  Remembering painful moments can make us sad all over again.  Remembering times of anger can  make us even more angry then when the anger was first brought on.  Maybe that's why as a child I was told to "forgive and forget."

To truly deal with these types of feelings, forgetting may be easier said then done, but forgiving may be a good place to start.   Denying or suppressing your emotions just lets them fester until they surface later in another form - like a heart attack.