Understanding and Managing Stress

Posted on Nov 16, 2024 in Psychology and Sociology

Stress

How do daily disorders contribute to stress? Small annoyances and irritations of everyday life cause feelings such as:

Pressure: From internal and external forces, pushing us to intensify efforts and improve performance.

Frustration: Feeling frustrated when something or someone comes between us and our objectives, delays, failures, or lack of resources.

Conflict: Faced with two or more goals, needs, or opportunities.

Types of Conflict:

  • Approach-Approach: Attracted by incompatible goals.
  • Avoidance-Avoidance: Faced with two undesirable possibilities.
  • Approach-Avoidance: Simultaneously attracted and repelled by the same goal.

Coping with Stress

What’s the Difference Between Direct and Defensive Coping?

Direct Coping: Taking action to change an uncomfortable situation.

Strategies:

  • Confrontation: Facing a stressful situation and admitting there’s a problem to solve.
  • Compromise: Adjusting expectations and desires.
  • Removal: Avoiding the stressful situation, which can become maladaptive.

Defensive Coping: Convincing oneself they are not threatened or cannot have what they want.

Forms: Defense Mechanisms

  • Denial: Refusing to acknowledge a painful reality.
  • Repression: Excluding unacceptable thoughts or impulses from consciousness.
  • Projection: Assigning feelings or motives to others.
  • Regression: Childish behavior in situations of dependency.
  • Intellectualization: Distancing oneself from a disturbing situation through analysis.
  • Reaction Formation: Expressing exaggerated ideas and emotions opposite to one’s true feelings.
  • Displacement: Redirecting repressed feelings to substitute objects.
  • Sublimation: Transforming repressed emotions into socially acceptable ways.

How Stress Affects Health

Lasting Effects of Stress

Hans Selye’s Three Phases:

  1. Alarm Reaction: The body recognizes a physical or psychological danger.
  2. Resistance: Physical symptoms intensify as direct and defensive coping strategies are used.
  3. Exhaustion: Defense mechanisms become less effective in managing stress.

Causes of Extreme Stress

Sources include unemployment, bereavement, divorce, separation, war, and catastrophes.

Post-Traumatic Stress: An emotional disorder with symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and nightmares.

Well-Adjusted Person: Lives according to social norms or overcomes challenges leading to maturation and self-realization.

Consequences of Stress

Physical Problems: Tiredness, sweating, tachycardia, muscle tremors, weight changes, allergic reactions.

Psychological Problems: Fatigue, depression, poor concentration, poor memory.

Behavioral Problems: Crying, aggression, isolation, sleep problems.

Stress Factors

  • Major Life Events: Serious illness, bereavement, marriage, marital conflicts, retirement, bankruptcy.
  • Everyday Problems: Theft, violence, tests, self-image issues.
  • Environmental Stress: Noise, traffic, pollution, cataclysmic events.
  • Work-Related Stress: Location, type, schedule, workload, accumulation of functions, depletion, unemployment, sexual harassment.
  • Sociocultural Factors: Socioeconomic status, migration, gender, retirement.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Triggered by war or personal experiences involving death or kidnapping.

Symptoms: Flashbacks, nightmares, sleep disturbance, physical and mental problems.

Comorbidity: Substance abuse, major depression, panic disorder.

Coping with Stress

Emotion-Focused: Long-term effort, controlling emotional response, seeking social support, distancing from the stressor, using alcohol or drugs.

Problem-Focused: Speedy efforts to handle stressors, everyday challenges, problem-solving skills.

Differences in Approach: Gender (women often respond better emotionally, while men focus on problem-solving), social status (higher stress with power and money requirements).

Factors Affecting Coping Ability

Positive Style: Vigor, resilience, persistence, audacity, healthy, cheerful, optimistic, viewing stress as a challenge.

Negative Style: Pessimism, low self-esteem, leading to failure, guilt, and unachieved goals.

Stress Management

  • Physical Activity: Exercise improves self-esteem, offers psychological benefits, and controls anxiety.
  • Relaxation Therapy: Yoga.
  • Social Support: Feeling loved and encouraged by friends and family helps overcome stress, promoting happiness and health.