Stress is a common, adaptive reaction to threat. It indicates the existence of danger, peril or risk and prepares us to take proactive or protective actions. When there’s the fear of an expected threat one’s welfare and comfort, the body is intended to respond in such a way as to protect the body from perceived impending danger. Such dreaded objects are typically avoided.

Stress factor

Stress accelerates performance of difficult tasks or retard the progress. Moderate stress improves motivation and performance on less difficult assignment. In household relationship, stress contributes to strained relationship, less cooperation and more bitterness. Stress has to be properly handled to prevent physical and psychological illness. Continued exposure to chronic stress can culminate in serious heart disease and mental illness. Any circumstance, condition or situation which could lead to stress is known as STRESSOR.

Stressors change in severity, impact and length. The fear of oppression by a boss on the job will last more than a pressure created by a flat tyre on the way into the workplace. At the same time, the stress caused by a badly sick daughter will be more serious and have more effect than that generated by just a little traffic jam. When contemplating the sources of anxiety (stressor), mention need be made that what is a stressor for one person might not be stressful for someone else.

Keep in mind

The passing of a loved one is trying for all but loss of a job could be a significant stress to a, minor stressor to a and no stressor to other people. Moreover, what might constitute to one at a specific period might not be a stressor at the time. Being stuck in a traffic jam when visiting the office might be more stressful than when returning home after a day’s job. The significant stressors for adults include key tragedies in the family like death of a relative; a partner, a child. Others include divorce, unfaithfulness of partner, imprisonment, loss of job, accidents which might lead to permanent disabilities.

Not all stressors are negative events. Some positive events might lead to stress. Wedding is normally adjudged as a desirable or positive event. But the challenge from the new residence will lead to stress for a newly married woman. Extended family issues may also cause stress for the new couple. Daily challenges and hassles that result in anxiety include (but not restricted to) the following: challenges in the work place, family relationships, daily movements to function in a heavy traffic, mortgages and debt, illness in the family.

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The combination or accumulation of these events could be more stressful than important sudden events. A tragedy is a sudden, life threatening event which compels people to undesirable events in life. This may be natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, tsunamis. Other catastrophic events include road accidents, sexual assaults. Catastrophes usually create stress which endures several years following the occurrence. A year following the tsunamis that claimed over 216,000 lives, the ripple effects are still palpable on the survivors.

Poor concentration, abnormal anxiety, changed outward behaviours, teeth clenching, hand wringing, pacing, nail biting, deep sighs, dry mouth, increased heart beat, and much more regular yawns. When someone perceives an event as stressful, the body undergoes several modifications that intensify psychological and emotional stimulation. Researchers have clearly identified anxiety, and especially a individual’s characteristic way of reacting to stress, as a risk factor for cardiovascular disorders.

Hormonal factor

The release of stress hormones has a cumulative negative impact on the heart and blood vessels. Cortisol, by way of instance, increases blood pressure, which may damage the interior walls of blood vessels. Additionally, it raises the free fatty acids in the blood, which then results in plaque buildup on the lining of blood vessels. As the blood vessels narrow over time it becomes increasingly difficult for the heart to pump adequate blood through them. Stress also has been discovered (although with less established connection than cardio vascular disease ) to cause the development of cancer.

The immune system is a natural mechanism where the body is shielded against invading viruses and bacteria that are responsible for sicknesses. Stress weakens the immune system thereby making the body vulnerable to the invasion of bacteria and viruses. This happens in two ways. People that are stress engage in dangerous actions and behaviours such as excessive smoking, sleeping , careless driving, and poor feeding. Secondly, the hormonal system may be affected by anxiety thereby exposing the body to harmful attack.

Remember

Apart from physical disorderliness brought on by stress, the psychosomatic disorderliness caused by stress can’t be glossed over. This may cause irritability, emotional instability, intense stress, inability to reason to resolve problem, and poor concentration. There are corrective steps one takes to decrease the level and the impact of stress. Individuals have various methods of handling stress. The individual who wishes to control stress has to have a belief that they can control the situation using either thought or action.

For those who get a bad boss and you’re stuck in a traffic jam on the road into the office, you believe he is going to be lenient that afternoon or you could pick your cellular phone and explain to him explaining the situation to him. Thus to control anxiety, you create more positive statements regarding the circumstance, resist every kind of frustration and look on the brighter side of stressful events.

Final note

Psychologist have distinguished between difficulty focused control and emotion-focused management plans. The first one has to do with finding immediate solution to the problem responsible for the stress. The emotion focused strategy entails eliminating or moderation disagreeable emotions. The social system is so structured as to assist victims of stress recover as fast as possible. Supports from family , authorities, companies go a long way helping a victim of anxiety to control it. It’s strongly advised that if stressed, refuse to be isolated. This is a very simple control measure for controlling anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation is a means of doing this.