Anger, resentment, frustration are the least favorite of all emotions. Stress is a combination of negative factors affecting the human psyche that each of us encounters from time to time.
One of the definitions of stress sounds like a condition that provokes an increase in the body's demand for physical and mental energy costs. Following from this definition, it can be revealed that, no matter how creepy it sounds, but such an unpleasant phenomenon has its positive sides. Hans Selye - the world famous creator of the theory of stress, was able to draw a line between its positive and negative aspects, classifying them as eustress (positive stress) and distress (negative).
Stress symptoms
Unhealthy stress levels in the body always make themselves felt. It can manifest itself in such , as a decrease in productivity when performing previously feasible tasks, a decrease in attention and the ability to concentrate. Prolonged stress can result in frequent colds, headaches and other illnesses, trouble falling asleep, or, conversely, excessive sleepiness, lack of appetite, or unhealthy cravings for food when a person is trying to seize a problem or growing anxiety.
According to some experts, emotional stress is the best motivation in the world. Often it is its impact that helps meet deadlines and achieve goals. The manifestation of stress factors in a small dosage helps to embrace the seemingly impossible at various stages of a person's life.
A high emotional shock activates the work of mechanisms, one of which is the enhancement of the ability to remember. The functions of our body at the moment of danger are almost instantly brought into combat readiness, forces are mobilized, preparing at any moment to take battle or flee. As soon as the brain receives a signal of danger, the body begins to produce special hormones - adrenaline and cortisol, which improve the ability to focus.
Many, before pulling their hand away from the scorching fire, noticed how much at this moment the heart rate increased and sweating appeared, all these are manifestations of stress. The brain is programmed to work better, both emotionally and physically, in emergency situations of imminent danger, but only with a moderate amount of experience. Stress is kind defense mechanism, provided by nature so that a person can recognize the dangers of this world in time and protect himself from them. It looks like a kind of training, the body mobilizes all forces for a short time, after which it relaxes again.
Self-preservation instincts drive not only people, but also animals. It is stress that makes the duck crossing the road bounce in time from under the wheels of a passing car.
Moderate levels of occasional emotional stress can help improve the functioning of the immune system. These factors include the benefits of ice swimming, which is a short-term shock that leads to increased blood circulation and the flow of nutrients to all tissues of the body.
Good emotional stress or eustress is a motivator, cognitive and physical enhancer. But we are talking only about a short-term, not a protracted process. Distress that lasts for a long time should not be left without attention and timely intervention, as it is destructive in nature.
The consequences of negative emotional stress
Long-term discomfort that causes prolonged distress to the body and mind of a person has a destructive effect on the reduction of defenses. The body secretes the above hormones, hoping to solve the problem, but the problem is not resolved, which means that it is not possible to get the desired relaxation. Staying at a peak for a long time, the body weakens. It becomes easier to get through the weakened armor for all kinds of viruses and pathogenic bacteria. Rapid fatigue and the first signs of a depressive state appear.
Moreover, too a large number of the released epinephrine can be harmful to heart health. Its excessive intake leads to persistent anxiety attacks and the possible development of heart disorders.
A person who has been exposed to stress factors for a long time may experience an appetite disorder (increase or decrease), which can lead to unhealthy weight gain or poor health due to acute shortage useful substances.
Dark circles under the eyes are the result of accompanying symptoms of negative stress. When fatigue takes its toll, a loss of concentration replaces the sobriety of the gaze. Prolonged tension gives rise to manifestations of unreasonable anger, fear, leading to an even greater production of stress hormones. All these factors contribute to the creation of chaos in the body's homeostasis.
This is extremely harmful to the body, as it causes an increase in the heart rate. In the process, a person's breathing quickens. Excessive and uncontrolled exposure to stressors can subsequently lead to problems such as asthma, headaches, diabetes or heart disease.
People should be more attentive to each other and to themselves. Pressure at work, school or any other community is the most common stressor in society. Don't hide your problems, save negative emotions... Our responsibility is to keep our eyes focused on physical and mental well-being, because they are so closely related. Stressors shouldn't get the better of the person. You should try to get as much positive emotions as possible, pay less attention to troubles, lead an active and healthy image life, it is not for nothing that they say - a healthy mind in a healthy body!
As Hans Selye says: “Building the right attitude can turn negative stress into positive. It's not stress that kills, but our reaction to it. "
In order to create the right attitude towards stress, you should not do the following:
- dwell on the happened trouble;
- completely ignore the symptoms of stress;
- suppress stress symptoms.
So what do you do if you can't ignore stress or get hung up on it? The answer is simple - they need to learn how to manage, namely:
- if a stressful situation arises, it must be eliminated. Even if actions do not bring positive results, you should change the means and act;
- it is important to remove the consequences of negative effects in a timely manner, to restore physical and psychological health. For this, sessions of a psychologist, relaxing massage, physical education, spa treatments, meditation and even communication with friends are suitable.
It is important not to lose heart, realizing that every situation in our life is only an intermediate stage. A active, healthy and positive image life - best remedy troubles and most ailments.
Take the test Take this test to understand the cause of problems in communicating with people around you.Photo materials from Shutterstock used
I heard the opinion that stress is necessary in life. But at the same time everywhere they write and say how dangerous they are to health. Where is the truth? Is stress dangerous or beneficial?
When Canadian physiologist Hans Selye studied stress in the first half of the last century, he stated that it is impossible to completely avoid stress in life, and it is not necessary. After all, stress is an adaptive response of a person that allows him to survive in environment, avoid the dangers. Stress arises in any situations that somehow threaten the well-being and even a person's life. As a result, his adaptive abilities increase, there is a concentration of both physical and mental strength, thanks to which he copes with the obstacle that has arisen. But this applies only to short-term exposure, that is, stresses that do not occur very often and are small in duration. Otherwise, they cause significant harm, depleting the body.
It is lingering stresses that are the cause of many diseases, and not only those associated with the nervous system, but also affecting the internal organs. It's all about the physiological processes that take place in the body. Under the influence of the factor that caused the stress, hormones that have an exciting effect, especially adrenaline, are released into the blood. There is a rapid release of glucose in the blood, pulse and respiration become more frequent - this is necessary for an additional flow of oxygen to the brain and muscles. The number of lymphocytes increases to increase the body's defenses. Pupils dilate, as it is necessary to improve vision. But digestion is inhibited in order to conserve energy for the more important in this moment organs. Therefore, in a stressful situation, appetite, as a rule, disappears.
If, thanks to these measures, the unfavorable situation can be resolved, post-stress relaxation occurs, and gradually the functions of all systems return to normal. But if the stress is prolonged, or stressful situations happen very often, a state of rapid exhaustion sets in, because no organ can work in a state of constant tension. Immunity sharply decreases, therefore, due to stress, the risk of contracting infectious diseases increases. Vascular tone is impaired, which is fraught with the development of hypertension and associated brain problems. Due to hormonal imbalance, the work of all other organs and systems suffers. As a result, overall health is significantly impaired under the influence of chronic stress.
As you can see, only short-term stresses are positive for a person, especially those associated with positive emotions and experiences. Otherwise, there is no question of any benefits of stress, and it is imperative to fight it.
The fact that it's time to seriously tackle the problem of stress can be judged by the following signs:
You have a constant feeling of irritation, depression;
You cannot sleep for a long time, sleep is restless, intermittent;
Feeling physically weak headache, tiredness, unwillingness to do anything;
Decreased concentration, memory problems and a decrease in the speed of the thinking process;
It is almost impossible for you to relax, put your affairs and problems out of your head;
Decreases interest in others, even in best friends, in family and friends;
You look at life with pessimism, feel sorry for yourself;
Appetite is reduced or, conversely, you are haunted by a constant feeling of hunger, you overeat (this happens less often);
Obsessive habits appear: you bite your lips, bite your nails, etc.
If you cannot deal with stress on your own, be sure to seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist.
Doctors and psychologists trumpet the danger posed by nervous tension for a person, noting that this problem concerns not only the adult population, but also children. To resist stress, it is important to know your enemy by sight, avoid mistakes in difficult situations, and be able to deal with negativity in all possible ways. We will talk about this in detail in our article.
Pros and cons of stress
It is hard to believe it, but even such a phenomenon as stress can have advantages and disadvantages in addition to it! For example, let's take two different situations in life: being fired from work and getting married. It would seem that the emotional coloring in both cases is opposite, but in terms of the level of stress, these events are equivalent. That is, Negative consequences nervous strain will be the same.The pros of stress
· The work of all body systems, including the cardiac and respiratory systems, is activated (the lungs are better pumped with air);· Nervous system gets a kind of training, like muscles during physical exertion;
· There is a stimulus for the immune system to work better.
Cons of stress
There is a risk of developing dangerous diseases gastrointestinal tract, endocrine and respiratory systems. Stress is no less dangerous for people prone to depression and hypertensive jumps;· Reduced work productivity, due to memory impairment, decline in vitality and poor sleep quality;
· If a person's immunity has already been undermined, then stress inflicts an irreparable blow, making the body susceptible to any infections, viruses and microbes.
8 signs of stress
Launched stress has an extremely negative effect on human health, therefore it is very important to recognize in oneself or in loved ones the nervous tension in a timely manner. An overabundance of negativity is expressed as follows:1. A person cannot concentrate on one thing, distracted and depressed;
2. Irritation occurs at the slightest provocation;
3. Speech becomes confused, words are repeated, a person stutters;
4. The number of "anti-stress" drugs is increasing: cigarettes, alcohol;
5. Forgetfulness and loss of time appear;
6. Eating disorders occur: overeating or refusal to eat;
7. Muscle tone increases: a person clenches his fists, clenches his teeth, experiences tension in the cervical region;
8. Frequent head and stomach pains, heartburn, discomfort in the lower back and shoulder girdle.
Dos and Don'ts in Stress
If you are overwhelmed by negative emotions, and for a long time you cannot get rid of feelings of anxiety, anger, resentment, worries, it's time to diagnose your stress state. In such cases, the main thing is not to break the wood and not worsen the situation. Avoid following models behavior.Suppress negativity
An erroneous reaction to stress is to hide your feelings from others, withdraw into yourself, withdraw, smile through force, say that everything is fine. If you do not let the negativity out, it can cause irreparable harm to your health. Suppressed stress will find a way out through illness, exhaustion, depression, insomnia, and other manifestations.To splash out emotions
Another bad strategy for dealing with stress is to take it out on those around you. People experiencing negative moments broadcast their suffering, pain and resentment to those who have nothing to do with the situation. Being rude to colleagues, sellers, offending relatives, publicly crying and shouting is not the best way out. Emotions will someday subside, but guilt and shame will not.
Refuse to help loved ones
Do not experience negative emotions alone with yourself. Sometimes an intimate conversation with friends, colleagues, or family is much more effective than drugs and therapy. Close people are not inclined to condemnation, and it is important for a person to have an interlocutor who can listen and give objective advice. Moreover, those to whom you are dear can offer a good way out of the situation or concrete help that should not be neglected. Let someone else take on some of your burden, especially during difficult times.Suppress personal development
When a person is under stress, he can give up everything that fascinated and interested him before. At such moments, he can abandon work, let his studies take its course, stop being interested in his hobbies. This behavior only exacerbates stress, devaluing everything that filled a person's life.
Get used to suffering
Stress is a temporary phenomenon, just a period in life, not life itself. This is important to understand so as not to get used to the image of the victim and the sufferer. Sometimes experiences are so protracted that they develop into a habit and a system, when a person is dissatisfied with everything, complains about everything and is skeptical about everything.Live in someone else's mind
When a person is under stress, he is helpless and powerless. This pushes him to actions imposed by others. For example, he is advised to have a love affair or attend a noisy party to get rid of negativity. At such moments, you need to listen to own desires and feelings so that it doesn't get worse.
Methods for dealing with stress at work
Work is the most common cause of stress. Employees suffer from excessive workload, an overestimated sense of responsibility, fear of not living up to the expectations of management or losing their earnings. Nobody is safe from troubles in professional activity, but if the work brings only negative, then it is worth changing the type of activity so as not to burn out completely. In a work environment, you can minimize stress in the following ways.· Properly allocate time, taking into account all basic needs: work, rest, fun, household chores, hobbies;
· Plan work tasks in order to use the energy resources of the body as efficiently as possible;
· Change the type of activity: alternately perform physical and mental work;
· To devote time to self-development: improve professional skills, study new technologies, methods, watch webinars, read specialized literature;
· Separate work from personal: do not think or talk about work outside the office.
Fun ways to relieve stress: 6 options
1. Travel
Have you met angry or disgruntled people among travelers? The secret is that an active lifestyle, a change of scenery, learning new things and communicating with people charge a person with positive and relieve any nervous tension.2. Sex
During intimate pleasures our body receives a tremendous positive charge, provoked by the release of certain hormones. Scientists do not in vain give sex the palm among antidepressants. Male semen is an excellent means of preventing suicidal ideation and depression.
3. Art therapy
Any creative activity has an amazing effect on people exposed to stress. What exactly to do with your hands is a matter of taste and preferences. Drawing, knitting, appliqués from cereals, playing music, dancing - there are a lot of options! The main thing is to enjoy what helps you express yourself and throw out problems in the works of art.4. Treats
Chocolate, ice cream, gourmet salad and other goodies can give you the necessary positive emotions and gastronomic delight. Just follow the measure in your food so that culinary therapy does not turn into stress seizure.
5. Games
Scientists have identified the positive effect of any game on a person's mood. Whether active or computer games, in any case, the effect on the face. Communication with teammates, a competitive spirit and other aspects help to develop communication skills and get the desired relaxation.6. Animals
If you are not indifferent to our smaller brothers, then the best antidepressant can be a pet, which will calm, make you laugh and fill your soul with love and warmth.
Almost everyone is stressed. modern people, only everyone copes with it in their own way: someone is more successful, and someone is less. But now you can also timely notice the manifestations of nervous tension in yourself and protect yourself with the right ways to get rid of the negativity.
Stress is the physiological reaction of the body to environmental changes, as well as one of the mechanisms of adaptation and required condition survival in a constantly changing world.
During evolution, one of the conditions for survival was the ability to cope with stressors and be able to the best way adapt to the environment. Due to stress, humans have incredible adaptability: humans can live in any climate and ecosystem, at any height, and cope with almost any predator. Man has learned to survive in any conditions and adapt to any environment. So what's wrong with stress?
Stress also leads to disruption of homeostasis - dynamic balance internal environment organism. Any environmental influences, be it temperature changes or the threat of being eaten by a predator, upset this balance and require an immediate response. Stress is the body's non-specific response to external influences. "Fight or flight" is the formula by which both people and animals act in case of danger.
Scientists have found that under the influence of stress in animals and humans, the powerful neurotransmitters adrenaline and norepinephrine are released from the adrenal glands. It is thanks to them that the fight-or-flight reaction is carried out. The body is instantly put on alert: the heartbeat quickens, all the senses become sharper, thinking becomes clearer, the muscles tone up, the lungs straighten, the pupils dilate. The neurotransmitters released in a stressful situation affect almost all organs and tissues, trying to prepare the body for any unforeseen turn of events. Indeed, such training can often save lives. Remember at least all those stories about people who, during large-scale accidents and disasters, did absolutely incredible things.
Stress and the hormones released under its influence force the body to function at its maximum capacity. This is its danger.
Back in 1954, Hans Selye described the process of adaptation of the body to changes, the so-called "adaptation syndrome", and identified three stages in it.
The first is the stage of anxiety, during which the body produces hormones in response to external influences. The second is adaptation, during which, thanks to the resources involved, the body copes with changes and adapts to them. The third is exhaustion. With too frequent or prolonged exposure to stressors, the body's reserves are depleted, which can lead to various kinds of pathologies.
The modern world is replete with all sorts of stressors, it is changing so quickly that it becomes more and more difficult to adapt. Moreover modern stress more often of a psychological nature: hard work, school exams, family quarrels. Constant stress invariably leads to exhaustion and disease. This is why in the 21st century, stress has a reputation as humanity's worst enemy.
Translated from English, stress means "pressure", "pressure", "pressure". And in a big city we experience these sensations all the time: now there is a crush in transport, now the deadlines for completing the work are running out, or the unceremonious pressure of the client freaks out ... There are so many such moments that you will experience stress from the length of the list alone. Therefore, let's try at least today to find pluses in this state.
When we are stressed, our internal resources mobilize and we begin to act with greater self-organization. An example of this is students who manage to prepare more questions on the night before the test than in the last three days.
Stress can be used to your advantage if you consider it as a challenge. When management challenges you to new challenges, see them as a great opportunity to learn new things and demonstrate your abilities. If you make efforts, the result will not be long in coming, and your reward will be a sense of satisfaction from the work done.
In stressful circumstances, it is helpful to take a detached view of yourself. When you're nervous about missing a deadline, watch how your coworkers behave. Surely among them there are those who perceive the situation exclusively as a working one and continue to work as usual. This means that this state of affairs is stressful only for you, because this is how you assess what is happening.
There is a lesson to be learned from even the most unpleasant situation. After failing at a business meeting, review your tactics and figure out what should be done differently. Having worked through the negative experience in this way, you will have a plan of action for the future and, having gone through this "test" several times, you will no longer look at it as stress.
In many cases, we are quite capable of reducing the stress levels that we experience in Everyday life... For example, you can stop worrying about being late for work every morning if you train yourself to get up 20 minutes earlier.
Stress is a reason to remember your victories and raise your self-esteem. When you get the feeling that nothing is working out, remember your greatest achievement. This could be a brilliant graduation from university, an appointment to a desired position, or first place in a dance competition. Recreate in your memory everything to the smallest detail: what you were wearing, what the weather was like, what feelings you experienced. Remember this picture and refer to it whenever you feel self-doubt.
Stress is also a reason to be a little less strict with yourself. When you replace a colleague on vacation, the boss delegates some of his duties to you, and partners for the third day do not send signed documents, it is difficult to stay calm. So maybe it's time to allow yourself to relax with a cup of coffee? You still can never keep everything under control and reproach yourself for not coping with other people's responsibilities.
Vladimir Vinokur said that best medicine from stress - a smile. In some cases, it can really have a beneficial effect on the mood, but if you get tired of smiling, you should change something. For example:
- setting: go on vacation or just visit a friend;
- occupation: do something else (you can no longer translate the presentation - make a few work calls);
- Activity: After intense mental activity, the best thing to do is to go in for sports.
Obviously, stress cannot be completely avoided. Yes, this, perhaps, is not necessary. After all, if we have enough wisdom with a sense of humor to treat our own failures and self-confidence in order to be able to say “no” to people, everything is definitely in order in our attitude!
Marina Lysenko found justification for stress