Stress is a very relevant concept, but also very confusing. This imprecision can be observed when distinguishing the concepts of stress, anxiety, anguish, etc. Three types of definitions of stress can be differentiated, which we will see below.
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We have 3 classic types of stress definitions. In the first place, those based on the individual's response, those based on the stimulus that provokes it and, finally, transactional theories.
Within these theories, stress is understood as overexertion in the face of demands of a psychological nature. The response of these provides the energy to be able to respond successfully to environmental demands.
Traditional psychophysiological research on stress (Selye and his General Adjustment Syndrome; Cannon and his Fight-Flight Response) can be framed within this definition. It is a one-dimensional and nonspecific conception of stress. That is, the stress response would always be the same; we would all react the same to stress.
This type of research has used mainly animals and very intense stressors (eg, physical restraint). As an example of this approach, we can cite Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome
This famous syndrome within psychology distinguishes three stages in coping with a stressor:
Represents the psychosocial approach to stress or life events. Each person has certain limits of tolerance to negative life events. Above these limits, stress begins to become unbearable and causes physiological and psychological damage..
Psychosocial demands are the main external agents that trigger the stress response. Psychosocial demands are a subtype of stress linked to interpersonal and psychosocial factors (life events, setbacks such as losing a friend or breaking a relationship).
There may also be physical demands (very hard work, overcrowding), natural agents (radiation, heat), man-made (traffic noise, physical restraint), etc. Something important to bear in mind is that a stressor can be associated both with a very high degree of demand and, on the contrary, with a very low degree of demand (absence of stimulation, monotony, boredom, etc.).
These types of theories emphasize the cognitive factors that mediate between stressful stimuli and stress responses. External events do not affect us directly.
More than external stimuli, emotional and stress responses depend on how they are evaluated. Following Lazarus, three types of evaluation are distinguished:
This is a multidimensional and specific consideration of stress. It defends that the stress response would depend on the person, on how the stressful stimulus specifically affects them.
According to the latter approach, stress consists of an imbalance between the demands made on the body and its resources to cope with them. A person will be under stress when he has to face demands or demands that are difficult for him to satisfy.
Another way of looking at stress is as a physiological response. When we are in a situation of tension, the body is under stress, this situation implies physiological and motor changes, we move faster, blood pressure increases, these changes are also related to emotional and behavioral changes. The more stress, the more our body suffers.
Today everyone uses this word to refer to the stress that an excessive amount of work produces or the excessive pressure that can be suffered in any situation of daily life.
There are two basic formulas to explain stress syndrome:
In the first formula, an environmental stimulus (combining work life with private life) produces a physiological activation (tension and effort necessary to achieve it), followed by a negative interpretation of the activation (I am not capable) and finally a painful emotion (anxiety, anger). The painful emotion depends on the amount of activation felt by each person.
In the second formula, an environmental stimulus (opening a business) gives way to negative thoughts (it could ruin me), followed by physiological activation (sudden heat) and a painful emotion (anxiety).
Another cause of stress in our days is frustration, which occurs when we fail to reach a goal, an objective or a personal desire. In the face of frustration, anxiety, nervousness, restlessness and anguish appear, which can produce inappropriate reactions and a feeling of discomfort. On many occasions an aggressive act towards ourselves or towards others derives from a prior frustration. Years ago, people did not have such a high degree of expectations about what we could and could not have, but today, due to the consumerist society, we are immersed in a whirlwind of "needs" to satisfy, often superficial , that make us be in permanent frustration. We do not know how to accept what we have, we always want more (a bigger house, a newer car, a job that brings us more money and makes us feel more important ...).
Not all people respond the same to stress, it depends on the personality and individual reactions, the defense mechanisms that are put in place and the socio-environmental circumstances of each moment.
Stress syndrome often creates a negative feedback loop between mind and body. To break this circuit, thoughts and physical responses must be changed, or the situation that triggers an alarm reaction must be altered..
So, to deal with stress in a positive way, first of all you have to know what we are facing, the demands and the possible consequences of it. It is important to assess your own skills when selecting our way of life and our activities. It is convenient to prepare for each situation by waiting for what it will bring with it, no more, no less. Do not demand too much of ourselves or set unattainable goals, as it will help us avoid unnecessary frustrations in our daily lives.
There are many cognitive intervention techniques for stress, depending on what the symptoms are. To obtain the greatest benefits through these interventions, it is important to carry out a regular practice for some time. When you learn the technique, you must find a quiet place where you will not be distracted to put it into practice. Daily practice is convenient, as it will help to develop new patterns of thought and behavior that will gradually become automatic..
Cognitive stress intervention consists of learning to use the head “well”. Knowing how to rationalize our thoughts and control them is the most important thing, because the "how you take it" determines, ultimately, if one can adapt to change successfully without suffering the negative symptoms of stress.
At first we defined stress syndrome as a combination of three elements: the environment, negative thoughts, and physical responses. If we can intervene and change any of these three elements, we can successfully overcome stress. Wherever stress syndrome intervenes, action is being taken to break the negative feedback loop. Negative thoughts and physical activation can no longer increase to produce painful emotions. With this, the person will have taken a great step towards changing their emotional life.
But still before properly entering into each of the techniques and their description, we must learn to discover what automatic thoughts are..
Let's take an example:
"In a crowded theater, a woman suddenly stands up, slaps the man next to her, and hurries down the hall toward the exit.
Each of the people who have seen the scene reacts in their own way, a woman is startled, a teenager becomes angry, a mature man begins to get depressed, ... "
Why does the same event provoke so many different emotions? Because in each case, the observer's emotion was a consequence of his thoughts. The event was interpreted, judged and labeled in such a way that a particular emotional response was inevitable..
All people are constantly describing the world to themselves, giving each event or experience a label. These labels or judgments are formed through an endless dialogue of each person with himself and color the whole experience with private interpretations. Dialogue can be compared to a cascade of thought that flows from the mind without interruption. We are seldom aware of such thoughts as they are automatic, but they are powerful enough to create the most intense emotions..
To gain control of unpleasant emotions, the first step is to pay attention to automatic thoughts. To identify the automatic thoughts that are the continuous cause of anxious feelings, try to remember the thoughts that were had immediately before starting to experience the emotion and those that accompanied the maintenance of the emotion..
Finally, say that stressors usually have one of the following characteristics:
As can be seen, several of these characteristics could be summarized in terms of uncontrollability and unpredictability, very relevant concepts in psychology and that largely explain the negative effects of stress on health. Experimental studies show that these characteristics generate psychophysiological disorders, increased secretion of cortisol and immunosuppression. Deprivation of human needs (eg, poor social support) or impaired physiological functions (insomnia) can also promote stress.
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