Stress is the body's response to overstrain or emotional stress. During this period, a significant amount of adrenaline is produced, which contributes to the emergence of specific symptoms in the body. In this article you will learn everything about what stress is, the causes of its occurrence and the main signs, symptoms and treatment of this condition.
Causes of stress
The causes of stress can be any. External factors include worries about changing jobs, troubles, death of loved ones, etc. Internal reasons include characteristics of personal self-esteem, values and beliefs. Separately, it is necessary to highlight stresses resulting from military operations, natural disasters, etc.
The main traumatic factors that cause stress:
- disease;
- death;
- divorce or separation;
- deterioration of financial situation;
- birth of a child;
- moving;
- sexual problems;
- change of place of work or type of activity;
- pension;
- changing lifestyle during pregnancy.
- problems with the law.
All people experience stress. Due to the information and emotional load, children are increasingly experiencing stressful situations. The concept of stress is therefore very important to combat its effects and prevent its recurrence.
Minor overexertion does not harm the body, but on the contrary, is considered beneficial for it. Moreover, they push a person to find a way out of a critical situation. However, prolonged experiences and emotions can cause depression. To prevent it, it is very important to know the skills of self-education and willpower development.
Types of stress
The most common classification of types of stress is as follows.
- Eustress, or beneficial stress. It is necessary for every person, because the release of a certain amount of the hormone adrenaline into the blood depends on it. This stress can be compared to waking up: a person needs just a small push to start any activity. Eustress performs the function of such a push.
- Distress arises as a result of the effect of negative emotions on the body and always occurs during times of critical stress. It is with this condition that its characteristic manifestations arise in both men and women.
- Post-traumatic situations develop after suffering physical trauma or experiencing traumatic events. One of the manifestations of this type of disorder is urinary incontinence. It occurs mainly in children.
Main signs of stress
The first signs of this condition appear immediately after the action of a striking emotional state.
Main symptoms of stress:
- constant irritability;
- poor and disturbing sleep;
- physical weakness and depression;
- pain in the head, severe fatigue;
- apathy, reluctance to do something;
- decreased concentration (it makes it impossible to study or work);
- inability to relax;
- loss of interest in the outside world;
- constant desire to cry, complain, excessive tearfulness, causeless prolonged melancholy;
- complaints about changes in appetite (under stress it can increase or disappear altogether);
- obsessive movements and habits;
- fussiness;
- distrust of other people.
Stages of stress
There are 3 stages of stressful situations. They are characterized by a change in reactions of inhibition and excitation. All stages are closely related to each other. Their duration can vary greatly depending on the cause that caused the stress reaction itself.
- In the first stage, a person gradually loses the ability to control his thoughts and actions. At the same time, the overall resistance of the body decreases. The behavior of such a person can change dramatically: if he was, say, kind, then he becomes hot-tempered and angry. Hot-tempered individuals often withdraw into themselves.
- At the second stage, resistance and adaptation to psycho-emotional stress occurs. The human body gradually gets used to working in a stressful situation. The individual begins to make decisions that would allow him to cope with an unfavorable situation.
- In the third stage, gradual depletion of the nervous system occurs. With prolonged exposure to a traumatic situation, a person gradually develops chronic stress. This means that he cannot independently cope with the factors leading to nervous tension. The feeling of guilt and anxiety gradually develops and worsens. Chronic stress gradually leads to the development of various somatic diseases in adults. Coping with chronic stress can be very difficult.
Treatment of stress
Getting rid of tension is not so easy. An erroneous and very harmful opinion is that for this you need to take a little alcohol. Drinking alcohol can, on the contrary, worsen the situation. In a post-traumatic situation, it is very important to seek help from an experienced specialist for treatment. In the case of minor symptoms of a post-traumatic episode, adults can take a course of sedatives, sedatives, sold without a doctor’s prescription.
You can independently conduct relaxation or auto-training courses. There are many methods for carrying out such practices. All of them are aimed at developing a person’s ability to relax properly. Homemade recipes for soothing teas will also help. Traditional methods of preparing medicines can only be used as an auxiliary therapy.
The consequences and complications of stressful situations are very dangerous. It can be cured, but this cannot be done without the help of a psychotherapist.
Pay attention! If the disease is not treated, a person may experience severe somatic disorders - exacerbation of stomach ulcers, oncological pathologies. There is no diagnosis of stress; there are disturbances in the functioning of the body as a result of a stress factor.
To prevent stress, it is important to give up drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. All this will increase the body's resistance and overcome stressful situations.
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Stress is one of the main causes of psychosomatic diseases. It affects all groups of the population, regardless of gender, age or profession. A prolonged and intense state of stress, or distress, leads to increased blood pressure, heart rhythm disturbances, digestive problems, gastritis and colitis, headaches, and decreased libido.
The main cause of stress is the abundance of situations that we perceive as dangerous, combined with the inability to adequately respond to them. At the same time, mechanisms are launched that are designed to mobilize all the forces of the body. They lead to the appearance of the above symptoms.
The main physiological mechanism of stress is hormonal. Stress begins with a significant release of adrenaline and norepinephrine. Accordingly, its manifestations are effects characteristic of the action of adrenaline. The body's response to stress is the same for all people. Therefore, three main stages of stress can be distinguished. They were described by Hans Selye in 1936.
This stage is a reaction to released stress hormones, aimed at preparing for defense or flight. Adrenal hormones (adrenaline and norepinephrine), the immune and digestive systems participate in its formation. In this phase, the body's resistance to disease decreases sharply. Appetite, food absorption and elimination are impaired. In the case of a quick resolution of the situation or the possibility of a natural reaction to the stressor (flight, fight or any other physical activity), these changes disappear without a trace. If the stressful situation is prolonged, without the possibility of an adequate response or is excessively strong, the body’s reserves are depleted. Extremely strong stressors, especially physiological ones (hypothermia or overheating, burns, injuries), can be fatal.
Stage of resistance (resistance)
The transition of stress to this stage occurs if the body’s adaptive capabilities allow it to cope with the stressor. During this stage of stress, the functioning of the body continues, practically indistinguishable from normal. Physiological and psychological processes are transferred to a higher level, all body systems are mobilized. Psychological manifestations of stress (anxiety, excitability, aggression) decrease or disappear altogether. However, the body’s ability to adapt is not endless, and as the stress continues, the next stage of stress occurs.
In some ways similar to the first stage of stress. But in this case, further mobilization of the body’s reserves is impossible. Therefore, the physiological and psychological symptoms of this stage are actually a cry for help. At this stage, somatic diseases develop, and a lot of psychological disorders appear. With continued exposure to stressors, decompensation and serious illness occur, in the worst case, even death. When psychological causes of stress predominate, decompensation manifests itself in the form of severe depression or a nervous breakdown. The dynamics of stress at this stage are irreversible. only possible with outside help. This may involve eliminating the stressor or helping to overcome it.
Causes of stress
Traditionally, the causes of stress are divided into physiological (biological stress) and psychological (psychoeotional). Physiological ones include direct traumatic effects and unfavorable environmental conditions. This could be heat or cold, injury, lack of water and food, threat to life and other factors that directly affect health.
In modern conditions, psychological causes of stress are much more common. There are information and . They are united by the absence of a direct threat to health, a long duration of exposure to stressors and the impossibility of a natural reaction to stress. Conflicts, excessive workload, the need to constantly generate ideas, or vice versa, too monotonous work, high responsibility lead to constant strain on the body's reserves. Psychosomatic diseases in most cases develop precisely as a result of psychological stress.
Recently, the body’s reaction to living in unnatural conditions has increasingly been identified as a separate type – environmental stress. Among its causes are not only air, water and food pollution. Living in high-rise buildings, active use of transport, household appliances, electrical appliances, changes in the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness for a long time have a detrimental effect on the human body.
At the first stage of stress, a person can easily cope with it on his own. And starting from the second, he needs support and help from the outside. Stress therapy is necessarily comprehensive and includes both therapeutic measures and lifestyle changes.
Therapeutic measures for biological stress are limited to the elimination of the traumatic factor and medical care. Due to the absence of long-term hormonal imbalances, the body can recover on its own.
In the case of psychological and environmental stress, complex therapeutic measures are required.
- Lifestyle changes. The first and main condition for successful recovery. It implies changes in all areas of life, bringing them closer to more natural ones: going to bed no later than 23.00, changing the diet towards greater consumption of minimally processed foods, fighting excess weight, increasing physical activity, reducing alcohol consumption, etc.
- Exercise is a key method of dealing with stress. During physical activity, the natural mechanism of adrenaline utilization is activated. In this way, you can prevent the occurrence of stress or significantly reduce its manifestations. Moreover, with exercise lasting more than 20-30 minutes, endorphins begin to be released - hormones of happiness and pleasure. The direct type of physical activity is selected individually, based on the capabilities of a particular person; it can vary from walking to active work in the gym.
- Psychological assistance consists of teaching methods of relaxation and forgiveness, facilitating the experience of conflict situations.
- Drug treatment is necessary when somatic pathology is associated and is selected individually.
The term “stress” has become deeply embedded in the understanding of modern man. This negative phenomenon has become relevant due to the unstable and hostile environment of the 21st century, because the impact of a polluted environment, stressful everyday life, social problems, financial collapses, warriors, diseases - this affects everyone. “Stress” means a person’s emotional state, a change in his health and behavior against the background of threats to his social status, material wealth, health or life.
Types of stress should be considered from a physiological point of view. If you go into science, stress is the body’s response to alien, above-threshold stimuli. Stressors are various initiators of a stressful state, the biochemical basis of which does not change depending on the type of stimulus. So, stress allows you to react to changes in the environment, and the specific factor that brought the body out of balance and raised the question “how to return to the comfort zone?” is a stressor.
The basis of natural selection is adaptation - the ability to adapt to a changing environment. According to Darwin, in the course of evolution, the fittest species survive. Adaptation is a complex and not fully understood mechanism that serves as a “guarantor” of maintaining homeostasis - the stability of the internal environment of the body, and the preservation of the population.
It is known that a living organism is an open system from the point of view of thermodynamics, i.e. there is an exchange of energy and substances with the outside world. A change in certain parameters in this process gives rise to the need to take urgent measures to return to the “golden mean” state. The process of adaptation must keep pace with changes in the state of the organism and the environment. The stages of stress differ in symptoms and individual physiological processes.
Physiological stages of stress development.
The basis of the device is the nervous and endocrine systems. There are 3 stages of stress, and as a result of any adaptation process. Stages of stress development:
Alarm stage
The anxiety stage is the primary response to a stressor. Receptors respond to above-threshold stimulation and initiate the transmission of a nerve impulse to the central nervous system, where the information is “analyzed.” The central nervous system, in turn, makes a decision and sends mobilization commands to the relevant authorities.
“Rising on alarm” of the nervous system and, in particular, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal complex, allows you to immediately develop resistance to the stress factor and support physiological processes at this stage.
Increased synthesis of adrenaline, norepinephrine, glucagon, cortisol, aldosterone, thyroid hormones, vasopressin, somatotropin, release valuable energy molecules, ensure their rapid oxidation with the synthesis of ATP and the release of heat in the alarm stage. All the body’s resources are directed to the maximum load of the so-called. dominant organs that are directly involved in overcoming stress, and all others are relegated to the background.
Resistance stage
The resistance stage is a series of necessary adaptation measures. As exposure to the stimulus continues, the body spends more and more resources to compensate for its effect. The ultimate goal is to achieve and maintain equal “resistance” to the stressor for as long as possible. A restructuring of homeostasis occurs. In this state, the “living mechanism” can remain for several days, weeks, months and even years.
A distinctive feature of the stage is the anabolic phase of stress. Under the influence of steroid hormones, there is an increase in the expression of genes encoding specific adaptation chaperone proteins, which increase tissue resistance to repeated stress, stabilize cell membranes and protect them from the harmful stage of stress.
Exhaustion stage
The stage of exhaustion is the exhaustion of the body’s adaptive resources. Depletion of adaptive capabilities leads to disruption of the body's homeostasis and disruption of physiological mechanisms. The body's receptors also “feel” this state and send “SOS” signals about exhausted protective resources.
Under the influence of mainly 3 types of adrenal stress hormones: corticosteroids, adrenaline, norepinephrine, as well as pituitary vasopressin and somatotropin, metabolism shifts to catabolism - active oxidation of fatty acids, increased blood glucose levels, destruction of muscle fibers to produce amino acids, and others " shock" processes.
Prolonged stay in this stage leads to atrophy of peripheral tissues: primarily muscle and connective tissue. Under the influence of hormones on phospholipids, the integrity of biological cell membranes is disrupted and physiological processes are inhibited.
“Stress messengers” constrict peripheral blood vessels, increase heart rate, increasing blood flow in the central arteries - increasing blood pressure, and blood circulation, for example, in the gastrointestinal tract is significantly reduced. This condition, extended over time, causes tissue ischemia, cell degeneration, ulcers and erosions in the mucous membrane.
In addition, the functioning of the immune system is disrupted, which makes the body vulnerable to infections and increases the chance of developing cancer. Types of failures in immune mechanisms cause autoimmune diseases, incl. diabetes mellitus type I.
Psychology - the science of stress
All people are different, even if they can be classified according to the rules of the great science of psychology. Each person has his own thinking, behavior, interests, priorities in life, and therefore the reasons for anxiety are different for everyone. Therefore, it is impossible to create an unambiguous list of stress factors, because this is an individual concept.
Often, the cause of stress is not real threats to health, life, material or social well-being, but the cause “lives inside.” It is human nature to “make mountains out of molehills,” i.e. take insignificant moments too close to your heart. Many people, especially girls, experience chronic stress about their appearance, even having truly model parameters, supposedly “small breasts - only size 3”, “crooked nose”, “wide hips”, etc.
Inferiority complexes of various classifications, formed in childhood, torment and keep under constant tension throughout life. Therefore, psychology distinguishes between internal and external causes of stress. External ones are those factors that can actually make you “worry”, while internal types do not go beyond the limits of consciousness.
Stress is an experience, a shock suffered. Most often, stress refers to a negative event in life: divorce, dismissal from work, loss of status in society, death of a loved one, etc. However, extremely joyful moments also fall under the same definition: the first kiss, marriage, career success, the birth of a child, a gold medal at a championship, winning the lottery.
Depending on the psychological predisposition, such types of stress can pass as minor anxiety, or leave a deep imprint in a person’s life, resulting in depression, even severe mental disorder.
From a psychological point of view
According to the classification in psychology, there are similar types of stress and three stages:
At the beginning of the stress development stage, a person is “as if possessed by a demon” - he loses the ability to monitor his speech and his actions, becomes tactless towards friends, relatives, and work colleagues. At the slightest dispute, it eventually becomes personal. The “possessed” one gradually moves away from everyone and retreats into a corner. This is only the first stage of three!
What follows direct stress. The patient experiences a partial or complete loss of self-control, it seems that he is “on automatic”, and the information is periodically formatted - the person may not remember his recent phrases and actions, or may not be fully aware of them. The duration of this condition depends on the scale of the stress factor and the individual mental state. Coming to his senses, he repents of his actions and asks for forgiveness.
Final stage stress implies a gradual recovery from the state. This is followed by a certain “catharsis” - the person becomes aware of his behavior and experiences a feeling of guilt and shame.
Frequent stress sets the stage for mental health problems.
If a person has been exposed to stress syndrome once, as a rule, a relapse will occur. The frequency and types of stress “bouts” may vary. Stress experienced in childhood takes root most deeply. Throughout life they are like a ticking time bomb. Even a small provoking factor is enough for a person to literally “explode”, each time destroying his own “I” in the individual. Cognitive perception is impaired, he sees everyone as an “enemy,” blaming others for his situation.
Statistics - nothing personal
A person’s first concern is the safety of life and health, both of himself and his loved ones. If these values are threatened, this becomes a cause of great stress.
Money rules the world. A modern person “sells his soul” to the bank in exchange for vital loans to purchase services and benefits of civilization. Most often, the cause of stress is precisely these dirty, but important means of mutual exchange - money. Debts, outstanding loans, mortgages, bankruptcies, thefts can even lead to suicide.
Problems in your personal life, disagreements with your girlfriend, quarrels with your wife, disagreements with family members, friends, colleagues, can drive you into deep depression. Social relationships have the greatest influence on the psychology of the individual.
What is the meaning of life? A person truly lives if he has managed to find the answer to this question for himself. Some are looking for self-expression in art, sculpture, architecture, music, while others simply do not have the opportunity to do this. There may be many reasons, but the result is the same - constant stress and a painful feeling of being “extra in this world.” These types of stress are often observed in adolescents.
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The main stages of stress: several scientific approaches
Any stress usually has three stages. The stages of stress are divided differently in different classifications, but their existence is recognized by all specialists who study human stress conditions. After all, stress, like all protective mechanisms of the human body, is not single, but assembled from component parts that work mutually. That is why its individual stages are as important as the overall system.
The views on the stages of stress development are very different; several scientific classifications and studies can be distinguished, but the work of Hans Selye in psychology and a kind of “tree” that also describes in detail the phases of stress remain fundamental.
"Tree" - a modern approach
It is the roots that cause stress, its basis. The trunk represents general psychological and physical stress caused by the influence of a stressor, which, by the way, can be absolutely any factor.
Emotional phases
The phases of stress can be viewed from other angles - the works of Hans Selye and the created “tree” are not at all the only views on the growth and development of human psychological and physical stress.
Step system
The sequence of these steps begins with the lowest level and ends with the highest, but it is not at all necessary that the patient and his attending physician will go through all three stages. It is quite possible that the lowest level - getting rid of symptoms - will be enough to improve the condition, or it may be that only complete getting rid of any causes, without working on the symptoms, will help a person.
Another gradation is the division of the stressor into its component parts. In this case, the following are distinguished:
Well, perhaps the simplest and most understandable chain of reactions that usually occur can be represented by a curve familiar to many graphs:
At the first stage, various symptoms may begin to appear; at the second, some consequences can already be observed. The third stage gives, if incomplete, then relief from stress. This stage, by the way, is not reflected in many other theories. Even a “tree” ends in fruits - negative consequences, beyond which there is no description.
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Selye on the stages of stress
One of the most important names in the study of the stages of stress is the name of Hans Selye, the author of numerous medical works, including in psychology, among which the work “Stress without Distress” is very famous. The concept of stress began with Selye's research, during which the so-called syndrome or damage response reaction was discovered. This syndrome was also called a triad because it consisted of three main stages. The first stage triggered the mechanisms of increased work of the adrenal glands, including an increase in their cortical layer and a general increase in activity. The second stage was characterized by a decrease or even shrinkage of the thymus gland and the same decrease in the lymph glands, and the third - the appearance of pinpoint hemorrhages and the formation of tiny ulcers on the surface of the mucous membrane of the entire stomach and intestines.
Selye's merit in medicine in general and specifically in psychology lies primarily in the fact that he was able to describe these stages of the reaction in relation to almost all diseases to which the body reacts in some way. Hans Selye proved that similar reactions occur in the body when it is exposed to stress, so changes in the adrenal glands, reduction of glands, and the appearance of ulcers are all peculiar stages of stress, its special mechanisms. Thus, according to Selye, the three stages of the stress reaction are the body’s responses to external influences and natural changes in certain organs and their activity.
Unlike Selye, the “tree” does not describe the body’s reaction to exposure; it is based on completely different stages of stress, of which there are not even three.
The “tree” describes the phases of stress, from its occurrence to its possible consequences. Like a real plant, this “tree” has quite expected components:
The leaves are peculiar symptoms of the disease, but the fruits are its negative consequences or even developing diseases. Of course, without roots (stressors) and a trunk, there will be neither symptoms nor consequences, which, by the way, is also the definition of any disease. That is why specialists in most cases study the occurrence of stress and the possibility of getting rid of it, where the “tree” and its theory help, rather than, as Selye did, studying the characteristics of the body’s reactions caused by the occurrence of certain situations.
“Tree” can help not only in studying the main stages of stress, but also in a complete analysis of all other diseases, which also have roots and their own special sources.
Selye considered the physiological stages, the “tree” is aimed at describing, rather, the general state, but they also highlight the features of the emotional state and behavior of a person.
These phases perfectly represent the state of a person and his attitude to stress, as well as all his possible behavior options, ranging from strong-willed work and motivation for serious matters to depression and complete indifference to the world around him caused by distress.
Other methods for determining the stages of stress
Another theory considers the stages of getting rid of stress as the most important part of working on it. They include:
Stressor composition
Stress curve
Each classification characterizes only a few aspects of the course of stress, which affect the state of the body and subsequent changes in health. Emotional, physical or purely psychological reactions can equally be a source of study of stress and all its stages, as well as the basis for creating a fight against its negative and harmful consequences.
Stress and its stages
Stress is usually called a state of tension that occurs under the influence of strong influences. The concept of “stress” also refers to the irritating physical, mental or biological factors themselves. The main stages of stress can be traced regardless of the nature of the irritating factor. The founder of the concept of stress, Canadian physiologist G. Selye, identified 3 main stages of stress.
Alarm stage
Shock or anxiety stage. At this moment, the body’s defenses are mobilized. A person’s breathing and pulse quicken, and their blood pressure rises. Mentally, excitement increases. A person concentrates all his attention on the stimulus. At the same time, the person begins to lose self-control. He gradually loses the ability to consciously and intelligently control his behavior. The body turns on defense mechanisms against stress. A person cannot remain at this stage of stress for long. If the body manages to cope with stress at this stage, then gradually the anxiety subsides and the stress ends. And if it fails, then the next stage of stress begins.
Resistance stage
This stage occurs if the stress factor continues to operate. At this stage, the body turns on its reserve reserve of strength. All body systems work at maximum load. At this stage, two options for the development of the situation are possible. Either a person becomes overly active, his activity efficiency increases, mobilization of forces occurs, or a sharp decrease in activity occurs, its effectiveness is lost, passivity and general inhibition appear. A person’s behavior in a stressful situation primarily depends on his individual mental characteristics.
Exhaustion stage
If the previous stages of stress are passed, and the body’s adaptive forces are not great enough, the third stage begins - the stage of exhaustion. It occurs under conditions of very long exposure to a stress factor. At this stage of tension, the body's reserve forces are exhausted and depleted. This situation can lead to illness or deterioration in the general condition of the body. Here are some diseases that occur due to stress:
Chronic and prolonged stress is one of the risk factors for cancer and mental illness.
The duration of the stages of stress is strictly individual and often depends on the depth of the tension experienced and the specific situation: from several minutes (and even seconds) to several weeks.
Stress: three stages, how to overcome
Modern man is accustomed to being in a tense state. The rhythm of life has an influence, the flow of information falls on a person every day. And it seems that stress is inevitable; it has even been classified as a disease of the 21st century. To prevent stressful conditions from turning into depression, they must be dealt with.
How stress affects a person
Living conditions change, progress does not stand still, and it is difficult for people to change and adapt to new conditions. With constant stress, a person feels changes, they relate to the psychological and physiological state.
From the physiological side, the following symptoms appear:
Along with an unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy diet, stress also worsens a person’s psychological state. Psychological symptoms include the following:
Many people find such symptoms in themselves, but do not associate this with upcoming depression. It seems that you just need to rest for a couple of days, get some sleep, and everything will pass. The seriousness of the situation lies in the fact that stressful conditions drag on every day. We will tell you how to deal with stress in this article.
Bad habits aggravate a serious condition; a person turns to them to relieve psychological stress. These are cigarettes, alcohol, the Internet, they allow you to escape from unwanted reality for a while. Temporary forgetfulness aggravates the situation, and the body suffers even more. Therefore, it is worth finding methods to combat the disease that will not cause addiction. To do this, you need to understand what stress is, its causes, and its stages. Stress and its impact on a person always negatively affects not only morale, but also physical health.
Three stages of stress
People are exposed to nervous conditions regardless of their place of work, financial and social status, gender, or age. The stages of the process are the same; a person goes through 3 stages of stress:
At the initial stage, changes occur in the body: blood pressure rises, the heart begins to beat faster, appetite disappears or increases, digestive problems appear, and libido decreases. An anxious state reduces the body's immunity, and a person becomes defenseless against diseases.
The emotional state negatively affects the stomach first of all. A person refuses to eat, as they say, “a piece won’t fit in the throat,” or he begins to eat stress and anxiety. In both cases, the gastrointestinal tract suffers, which leads to malfunction, increased workload, and the production of excess enzymes, which corrode the walls of the stomach and intestines.
From a psychological point of view, a person notes increased aggressiveness and irritability, loss of sleep, and during the day he is haunted by a sleepy state, changes in body weight are possible. If the source of stress disappears, the first stage ends on its own. If the tension continues, changes occur in the psyche. The stage of resistance begins.
Resistance is an attempt by the body to adapt to current conditions. There is an increase in strength, the body throws it into continuing a full life. But human capabilities are not limitless. The body cannot constantly veil psychological stress, although outwardly the person’s condition looks normal.
The duration of the stage depends on the internal reserves of the human body. If you do nothing to eliminate the causes of stress, then gradually your strength will run out and the third stage will begin - exhaustion. This is a dangerous moment and should not be brought to this point.
Exhaustion has symptoms similar to the initial stage of stress. The difference is that the body’s strength is depleted, there is nothing to mobilize. This leads to the development of diseases:
The danger is that this stage is defined by doctors as irreversible. The changes occurring in the body lead to death. A person is not able to get out of this condition on his own; drug treatment under the supervision of a specialist is required. Treatment consists of taking sedative medications and regular sessions with a psychologist.
It is important to learn how to cope with stress at an early stage.
Stress in the workplace
A person spends most of his life at work. Stressful situations during work have an active impact on a person. These include factors that are directly related to work and external factors:
An unsatisfactory financial situation leads to constant stress. A person finds a part-time job, time for family and leisure is reduced, which aggravates the situation and results in three stages of stress.
Group factors also have an influence, they include:
Factors that bring psychological discomfort also include personal reasons related to work and working conditions - high temperature in the room, the presence of increased noise, and design features of the workplace.
The psychological mood and factors associated with the direct performance of duties influence:
These working conditions increase the stress component in a person’s life and at work. The degree of influence depends on the person himself, his resistance to stress and sensitivity.
The experience of people and psychologists suggests that stress at work can be managed. In difficult situations, when it is impossible to find a way out, you should think about changing jobs. Sometimes this is a justifiable step. If a person does not think that drastic measures are possible, the issue needs to be resolved on the spot. How to relieve stress:
- A healthy lifestyle and a balance of diet, sleep and physical activity. It has been noticed that people who go in for sports also endure psychological difficulties more easily.
- The ability to relax. These skills will be useful in life. People who know how to relax, leave worries and problems outside the door, adapt to change more easily.
- The ability to conduct self-analysis and a sober assessment of the causes of nervous tension and the occurrence of stressful situations helps. You should not blame yourself, you need to analyze your strengths that will help you avoid stress or minimize the consequences.
- Interests, hobbies, favorite things. Work should be fun. A person needs a hobby, a “stress pill” that brings moral satisfaction. This will help relieve nervous tension.
A good mood, a sense of humor, relationships with others based on mutual respect, the ability to find pleasure in small things and everyday activities will bring peace and create a favorable atmosphere for a stress-free life.
I bought it last week and am extremely happy about it. I’m taking calming pills for the first time and now I’m thinking - why didn’t I buy them before when I was stressed?... Relaxen calms me down very well, my heartbeat decreases, and it stops pulsating in my temples. I would be willing to pay a lot more money for such an effect.
It seems to me that stress is especially dangerous for women, it affects not only the internal, psychological state, but also externally... What beauty is there if you toss and turn half the night and cannot sleep, and in the morning you get up with the same stress and rumpled? It is very visible on the skin - it becomes thin, wrinkles appear. It's all about nerves. And aging from them. I usually try to relax as much as possible before going to bed, even if I’m stressed - a glass of dry red wine, hot tea with lemon balm or a “relaxen” tablet from Baikal skullcap with hops. Helps you sleep. And I look better the next day.
When I have stress and insomnia, I take the herbal remedy Edas 111 Passionflower. Plus, of course, walks, sports and vitamins. And I quickly return to normal.
Yes, many ailments really come from nerves. For example, I started having problems with the blood vessels in my head due to stress. I had headaches almost every day. Fortunately, the neurologist prescribed me a course of Vasobral to normalize cerebral circulation. A drug with a mild antidepressant effect. I felt better both physically and mentally. Now I feel great and try to avoid conflicts and anything that can provoke nervous tension. By the way, I have never come across such drugs. In my opinion, it has no worthy analogues - analog drugs.rf/analog/vazobral.html
Stress must be dealt with; under no circumstances should it be left behind. We simply have a misconception that “it will go away on its own,” but everyone forgets that very often it is stressful conditions that become the cause of other, physiological diseases! I also waved my hand at one time, so what? As a result, advanced gastritis (I cured my nerves, but my stomach is now a problem for life.
So, as soon as I start to feel that I can’t cope with my emotions myself, I resort to the help of relaxing medications. I usually take Novopassit (it’s very advertised, but it still helps me, even though everyone doesn’t say so), or German “relaxium” from Ayunova.
In the modern world, it has become fashionable to attribute all problems to stress. On the other hand, stress is indeed one of the causes of many psychosomatic diseases. All groups of the population are subject to stress, regardless of age, gender, profession. Long-term stress leads to increased blood pressure, heart rhythm disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, and decreased sexual desire.
The causes of stress are the emergence of situations that are perceived by the psyche as dangerous. In this case, the body’s normal reaction becomes impossible. Mechanisms are being launched to mobilize all forces. This leads to the appearance of psychosomatic symptoms. The mechanism of stress is hormonal. Stress begins with the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine. The body's response to stress is the same for everyone. Hans Selye described the stages of stress in 1936.
- Alarm stage
This stage is a reaction to released hormones and is aimed at preparing for flight or defense. Adrenal hormones participate in its formation: adrenaline and norepinephrine, as well as the immune and digestive systems. At the anxiety stage, the body's resistance to disease decreases. Appetite is disrupted and food absorption causes problems. If the situation is quickly resolved, these changes pass without leaving a trace. If the stressful situation is prolonged, and a solution to the problem does not arise, then the body becomes exhausted. Very severe stress, especially of a physiological nature (such as burns, pain, overheating, hypothermia) can even lead to death.
The transition of stress to this stage is possible only if the body’s strength copes with stress. During this stage of stress, the functioning of the body continues and is almost indistinguishable from normal. At the same time, psychological and physiological stresses are transferred to a high level, and the body’s forces are mobilized. Psychological manifestations of stress are: excitability, anxiety. These conditions usually decrease or disappear completely. However, we must remember that the body’s capabilities are not endless, and with continued exposure to different effects, the next stage of stress may occur.
- Exhaustion stage
In some features this stage is similar to the first stage. However, in this case, the mobilization of the body’s forces becomes impossible. Physiological and psychological symptoms at this stage are a cry for help, and if help is not provided to a person at the stage of exhaustion, somatic diseases and psychological disorders may appear. With continued exposure to the stressor, decompensation of the body occurs, illness and even death are possible. Decompensation of the body can manifest itself in the form of severe depression and nervous breakdown. The development of stress at this stage is irreversible. Getting out of a stressful state is possible only with medical help.
Causes of stress
Traditionally, the causes of stress are divided into two large groups: physiological and psychological. Physiological causes include traumatic actions and unfavorable environmental conditions: cold, heat, lack of food and water, injuries, threat to life. In modern conditions, psychological causes of stress are most common. There are emotional and informational forms of stress. They are united by the absence of a direct threat to life and health, as well as the duration of exposure and the impossibility of a natural reaction to stress. Exorbitant workload, constant conflicts, the need for creative solutions, monotonous work, high responsibility - all this leads to strain on the body's reserves. In most cases, psychosomatic diseases develop as a result of psychological influence.
Recently, another cause of stress has come to light: air, water and food pollution. Stress can be caused by living in high-rise buildings, constant use of transport, a large number of electrical appliances and household appliances, changes in the rhythm of wakefulness and sleep.
Whatever the causes of stress, the important thing is that stressors have a detrimental effect on people.
At the first stage, a person can cope with stress on his own, but starting from the second, he needs help. Stress therapy should be comprehensive and include both therapeutic measures and psychological assistance, as well as lifestyle changes.
With biological stress, it is enough to limit or eliminate traumatic factors. In the absence of long-term hormonal disorders, the body copes with recovery quite well. To eliminate psychological causes, a complex of therapeutic measures is necessary.
Stress is most often caused by normal lifestyle. Look at yourself from the outside. If you are constantly tormented by feelings of anxiety, you work too hard, eat poorly, sleep less than 8 hours a day, you need a lifestyle change. You are one step away from stress.
The term “stress” has become deeply embedded in the understanding of modern man. This negative phenomenon has become relevant due to the unstable and hostile environment of the 21st century, because the impact of a polluted environment, stressful everyday life, social problems, financial collapses, warriors, diseases - this affects everyone. “Stress” means a person’s emotional state, a change in his health and behavior against the background of threats to his social status, material wealth, health or life.
Types of stress should be considered from a physiological point of view. If you go into science, stress is the body’s response to alien, above-threshold stimuli. Stressors are various initiators of a stressful state, the biochemical basis of which does not change depending on the type of stimulus. So, stress allows you to react to changes in the environment, and the specific factor that brought the body out of balance and raised the question “how to return to the comfort zone?” - this is a stressor.
The basis of natural selection is adaptation - the ability to adapt to a changing environment. According to Darwin, in the course of evolution, the fittest species survive. Adaptation is a complex and not fully understood mechanism that serves as a “guarantor” of maintaining homeostasis - the stability of the internal environment of the body, and the preservation of the population.
It is known that a living organism is an open system from the point of view of thermodynamics, i.e. there is an exchange of energy and substances with the outside world. A change in certain parameters in this process gives rise to the need to take urgent measures to return to the “golden mean” state. The process of adaptation must keep pace with changes in the state of the organism and the environment. The stages of stress differ in symptoms and individual physiological processes.
Physiological stages of stress development.
The basis of the device is the nervous and endocrine systems. There are 3 stages of stress, and as a result of any adaptation process. Stages of stress development:
- Anxiety;
- Resistance;
- Exhaustion.
Alarm stage
The anxiety stage is the primary response to a stressor. Receptors respond to above-threshold stimulation and initiate the transmission of a nerve impulse to the central nervous system, where the information is “analyzed.” The central nervous system, in turn, makes a decision and sends mobilization commands to the relevant authorities.
“Rising on alarm” of the nervous system and, in particular, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal complex, allows you to immediately develop resistance to the stress factor and support physiological processes at this stage.
Increased synthesis of adrenaline, norepinephrine, glucagon, cortisol, aldosterone, thyroid hormones, vasopressin, somatotropin, release valuable energy molecules, ensure their rapid oxidation with the synthesis of ATP and the release of heat in the alarm stage. All the body’s resources are directed to the maximum load of the so-called. dominant organs that are directly involved in overcoming stress, and all others are relegated to the background.
Resistance stage
The resistance stage is a series of necessary adaptation measures. As exposure to the stimulus continues, the body spends more and more resources to compensate for its effect. The ultimate goal is to achieve and maintain equal “resistance” to the stressor for as long as possible. A restructuring of homeostasis occurs. In this state, the “living mechanism” can remain for several days, weeks, months and even years.
A distinctive feature of the stage is the anabolic phase of stress. Under the influence of steroid hormones, there is an increase in the expression of genes encoding specific adaptation chaperone proteins, which increase tissue resistance to repeated stress, stabilize cell membranes and protect them from the harmful stage of stress.
Exhaustion stage
The stage of exhaustion is the exhaustion of the body's adaptive resources. Depletion of adaptive capabilities leads to disruption of the body's homeostasis and disruption of physiological mechanisms. The body's receptors also “feel” this state and send “SOS” signals about exhausted protective resources.
Under the influence of mainly 3 types of adrenal stress hormones: corticosteroids, adrenaline, norepinephrine, as well as pituitary vasopressin and somatotropin, metabolism shifts to catabolism - active oxidation of fatty acids, increased blood glucose levels, destruction of muscle fibers to produce amino acids, and others " shock" processes.
Prolonged stay in this stage leads to atrophy of peripheral tissues: primarily muscle and connective tissue. Under the influence of hormones on phospholipids, the integrity of biological cell membranes is disrupted and physiological processes are inhibited.
“Stress messengers” constrict peripheral blood vessels, increase heart rate, increasing blood flow in the central arteries - increasing blood pressure, and blood circulation, for example, in the gastrointestinal tract is significantly reduced. This condition, extended over time, causes tissue ischemia, cell degeneration, ulcers and erosions in the mucous membrane.
In addition, the functioning of the immune system is disrupted, which makes the body vulnerable to infections and increases the chance of developing cancer. Types of failures in immune mechanisms cause autoimmune diseases, incl. diabetes mellitus type I.
Psychology - the science of stress
All people are different, even if they can be classified according to the rules of the great science of psychology. Each person has his own thinking, behavior, interests, priorities in life, and therefore the reasons for anxiety are different for everyone. Therefore, it is impossible to create an unambiguous list of stress factors, because this is an individual concept.
Often, the cause of stress is not real threats to health, life, material or social well-being, but the cause “lives inside.” It is human nature to “make mountains out of molehills,” i.e. take insignificant moments too close to your heart. Many people, especially girls, experience chronic stress about their appearance, even having truly model parameters, supposedly “small breasts - only size 3”, “crooked nose”, “wide hips”, etc.
Inferiority complexes of various classifications, formed in childhood, torment and keep under constant tension throughout life. Therefore, psychology distinguishes between internal and external causes of stress. External ones are those factors that can actually make you “worry”, and internal types do not go beyond the limits of consciousness.
Stress is an experience, a shock suffered. Most often, stress refers to a negative event in life: divorce, dismissal from work, loss of status in society, death of a loved one, etc. However, extremely joyful moments also fall under the same definition: the first kiss, marriage, career success, the birth of a child, a gold medal at a championship, winning the lottery.
Depending on the psychological predisposition, such types of stress can pass as minor anxiety, or leave a deep imprint in a person’s life, resulting in depression, even severe mental disorder.
From a psychological point of view
According to the classification in psychology, there are similar types of stress and three stages:
At the beginning of the stress development stage, a person is “as if possessed by a demon” - he loses the ability to monitor his speech and his actions, becomes tactless towards friends, relatives, and work colleagues. At the slightest dispute, it eventually becomes personal. The “possessed” one gradually moves away from everyone and retreats into a corner. This is only the first stage of three!
What follows direct stress. The patient experiences a partial or complete loss of self-control, it seems that he is “on automatic”, and the information is periodically formatted - the person may not remember his recent phrases and actions, or may not be fully aware of them. The duration of this condition depends on the scale of the stress factor and the individual mental state. Coming to his senses, he repents of his actions and asks for forgiveness.
Final stage stress implies a gradual recovery from the state. This is followed by a certain “catharsis” - the person becomes aware of his behavior and experiences a feeling of guilt and shame.
Frequent stress sets the stage for mental health problems.
If a person has been exposed to stress syndrome once, as a rule, a relapse will occur. The frequency and types of stress “bouts” may vary. Stress experienced in childhood takes root most deeply. Throughout life they are like a ticking time bomb. Even a small provoking factor is enough for a person to literally “explode”, each time destroying his own “I” in the individual. Cognitive perception is impaired, he sees everyone as an “enemy,” blaming others for his situation.
Statistics - nothing personal
A person’s first concern is the safety of life and health, both of himself and his loved ones. If these values are threatened, this becomes a cause of great stress.
Money rules the world. A modern person “sells his soul” to the bank in exchange for vital loans to purchase services and benefits of civilization. Most often, the cause of stress is precisely these dirty, but important means of mutual exchange - money. Debts, outstanding loans, mortgages, bankruptcies, thefts can even lead to suicide.
Problems in your personal life, disagreements with your girlfriend, quarrels with your wife, disagreements with family members, friends, colleagues, can drive you into deep depression. Social relationships have the greatest influence on the psychology of the individual.
What is the meaning of life? A person truly lives if he has managed to find the answer to this question for himself. Some are looking for self-expression in art, sculpture, architecture, music, while others simply do not have the opportunity to do this. There may be many reasons, but the result is the same - constant stress and a painful feeling of “being superfluous in this world.” These types of stress are often observed in adolescents.
