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| You are in>Health Channels>Mental Health
>Stress |
| Stress |
Life would be simple indeed
if one's biological and psychological needs were automatically gratified. |
| But there are many
obstacles, both environmental and personal, that may interfere. Such obstacles place adjustive
demands or STRESS on the individual. Be it in our personal lives or in the
wider public arena, how we cope with stress, to a great extent determines the quality of
our physical and psychological health. It is not a question of how to get rid of stress
rather how to harness it, exploit it, and control it. |
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| Frustrations |
| Frustration occurs when one's
strivings are thwarted, either by obstacles that block progress towards a desired goal or
by absence of an appropriate goal. A wide range of obstacles, both environmental and
internal, can lead to frustration. Inflation, group prejudice and discrimination, and
death of loved ones are common frustrations stemming from the environment. Physical
handicaps, lack of needed competencies and inadequate self-control are sources of
frustration that can result from our own personal limitations.
Often frustrations arise out of psychological barriers in the form of ethical or moral
restraints. The frustrations we face depend heavily on such factors as age and other
personal characteristics, our specific life situation, and the society we live in
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| Conflicts |
| In many instances stress results from
the necessity of choosing between two needs or goals. Usually the choice of one
alternative means frustration with regard to the other. An early marriage may mean
foregoing or shortening one's college education; choosing one job may mean turning down
another that seems equally desirable. However, the necessity of making a choice commonly
involves "cognitive strain". It is often difficult "to make up one's
mind", especially when each alternative offers values that the other does not, and
the choice is an important one.
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| Pressures |
| Stress may stem not only from
frustrations and conflicts, but also from pressure to achieve particular goals or to
behave in particular ways. Such pressures may originate from external or internal sources.
A college student may feel under severe pressure to make good grades because her parents
demand it, or she wants to gain admission to graduate school. In general, pressures
force a person to speed up, intensify, or change the direction of goal oriented behavior.
All of us encounter many different pressures in the course of everyday living, and often
it is possible to handle them without undue difficulty. In some instances, however,
pressures seriously tax our adjustive resources, and if they become excessive, they may
lead to a breakdown of organized behavior.
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| Avoid
or Fight |
| As human beings, individuals are
conditioned to respond to stress in a particular way. They either avoid the stressful
situation or face it boldly. All responses have a physiological reaction triggered in the
brain. The body cannot tell the difference between every day stressors and major
stressors. It responds in the same way by discharging hormones including adrenaline,
noradrenaline and cortisol. Throughout the body, muscles tense up and blood rushes to
the heart. This increases the heart rate. To provide energy, glucose is released. Blood
supply is diverted from the gut, skin, and extremities. This slows down the digestion. Due
to this, hands and feet go cold, discolored or sweaty, and start shaking. Saliva flow
stops and the mouth becomes dry. Breathing becomes faster as the air spaces in the lungs
dilate. The anal and bladder muscles relax and contract alternately creating the urge to
urinate or causing diarrhea.
In moments of great danger, the effects of adrenaline release are positive. It
mobilizes sugars and provides the body with much needed energy and stamina, which
individuals might need to run or fight harder.
Individuals recover as soon as the moment of danger has passed. Their body warms up,
the dry mouth disappears and body restores the equilibrium.
Some examples of stress inducing situations, which are harmless to individuals, include
public speaking, doing an exam or driving test.
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| Personality Types and Stress |
| There are several factors that
determine an individual's pre-disposition to stress. The individual's personality,
self-esteem, self-confidence, coping skills, physical stamina, social support, and overall
general health are a few to name. Individuals possessing robust personality, good skills
to cope up with stress, and who exercise and meditate are more resistant than who drive
themselves hard, drinking and smoking in order to cope. Self-esteem helps a person to
cope with stress. It influences attitude, which in turn affects reactions to stress. Low
self-esteem may lead to chronic stress that can upset endocrine balance. This release
cortisol, an immune system suppressing hormone, which in turn lowers resistance to
infection and illness.
A number of studies show that those who have negative, pessimistic, extreme or
unconfident outlooks, and who feel they have no control over their lives, fare worst. They
become what they think they are; what they expect to happen tends to happen. Those with
maximum control have a completely different and more positive outlook. They also become
what they think they are; what they expect to happen tends to happen. In overall health
terms, they fare best.
Basically there are two types of personality: Type A and Type B.
Type A personality people are very impatient, demanding,
aggressive, bossy, and ambitious. They feel they are not good at delegating, have no sense
of peace, and find it difficult to resolve conflicts and problems.
Type B personality people are able to let go of things, more
accepting of themselves, of others and of reality. They relate well with people, like
working with people, and are more forgiving of themselves for failure.
Depending on the situation, any one can manifest either type of behavior. Of the two,
the typically stressed individuals display more of Type A behavior. Healthier individuals
display Type B behaviour.
However, people are rarely exclusively either A or B. A combination of the two is
usual, with people switching from one behavior to the other, depending on the
circumstances and the levels of stress they experience.
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| Stress can be Treated ! |
| 'Stress' is not a condition for life.
It can be treated easily. Some medication and to a great extent changes in lifestyle is
required. There is a direct relation between the amount of stress individuals face and
their productivity. For example, approaching deadlines focus our attention, which
increases productivity. But beyond a certain level stress is not productive. It then
becomes distress. Distress related behaviour includes irritability and
irrationality, sleep disturbances, lethargy, aggression, anxiety, panic, and depression. |
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