How does stress manifest itself? Stress

Author of the article: Maria Barnikova (psychiatrist)

Psychological stress

02.06.2015

Maria Barnikova

Most ordinary people regard stress as negative, painful experiences caused by insoluble difficulties, insurmountable obstacles, unfulfilled hopes...

The concept of stress is firmly rooted in the vocabulary of modern people, and most ordinary people regard this phenomenon as negative, painful experiences or disorders caused by insoluble difficulties, insurmountable obstacles, and unfulfilled hopes. More than 80 years ago Hans Selye, the creators of the theory of stress, in his works emphasized that stress does not mean pain, torment, humiliation, or catastrophic changes in life.

Complete relief from stress means the end of life

What is psychological stress? We present its classical definition given by the author of the theory. Stress (stress - a state of increased stress, emotional tension) - a complex of nonspecific adaptive reactions of the body to any demands placed on it due to the influence of stress factors that lead to a violation of its homeostasis.

Nonspecific reactions are adaptive actions aimed at restoring the original state of the body, producing specific effects on specific stimuli. Any surprise that introduces a change in an individual’s usual life activities can be a stress factor. It does not matter what the nature of the situation is - positive or negative.

Emotional shock can be provoked not only by external circumstances, but also by subconscious attitudes towards specific events. For the human psyche, only the amount of effort required to rebuild habitual life rhythms and the intensity of energy expended to adapt to new requirements play a role. Types of stress In medical practice, it is customary to divide stressful situations into two types: Eustress – positive form And

Distress has a negative impact on a person’s physical and mental health and can give rise to the development of serious diseases. In a state of stress, the activity of the immune system is significantly reduced, and a person becomes defenseless against viruses and infections. With negative emotional stress, the autonomic nervous system is activated, and the endocrine glands work more intensively. With prolonged or frequent influence of stress factors, the psycho-emotional sphere deteriorates, which often leads to severe depression or.

Based on the nature of the impact of stressors, the following are distinguished:

• neuropsychic;
• temperature (heat or cold);
• light;
• food (as a result of food deficiency);
• other types.

Outstanding psychologist Leontyev argued that in the case when the body demonstrates reactions to external phenomena that are not related to the satisfaction of vital needs (eating, the need for sleep, the instinct of self-preservation, procreation), such reactions are purely psychological. The concept of an intractable, extraordinary situation for a person in the concept of stress theory is also a psychological phenomenon.

Stressful situations are also divided into two groups: extreme social conditions(military actions, hooligan attacks, natural disasters) and critical psychological events(death of a relative, change in social status, divorce, exam). For some, the events that occurred are a shock, for others, they are a natural phenomenon, and the intensity of the reaction is purely individual. An indisputable fact: in order for a response to a stimulus to occur, this stimulus must have a certain strength. And each individual has an unstable, changeable threshold of sensitivity. An individual with a low sensitivity threshold demonstrates a strong reaction to a stimulus of low intensity, while an individual with a high sensitivity threshold does not perceive this factor as an irritant.

Biological and psychobiological stress

Stress is also usually divided according to parameters into two groups:

• Biological;
• Psychological.

Different authors have different definitions of psychological stress, but most scientists classify this type as stress caused by the influence of external (social) factors or formed under the influence of internal sensations. It is not always possible to apply the laws of the stages of its course to psycho-emotional stress, since each individual has purely individual mental properties and personal characteristics of the autonomic nervous system.

A control question allows you to differentiate the type of stressful situation: “Do stressors cause obvious harm to the body?”. In the case of a positive answer, a biological species is diagnosed; in the case of a negative answer, psychological stress is diagnosed.

Psycho-emotional stress differs from biological stress in a number of specific features, including:

• Formed under the influence of both real and probable situations that are the object of the individual’s anxiety;
• Of great importance is a person’s assessment of the degree of his participation in influencing a problem situation, his perception of the quality of the chosen methods of neutralizing stressors.

The methodology for measuring stressful sensations (PSM-25 scale) is aimed at analyzing a person’s emotional state, and not at studying indirect indicators (stressor, indicators of depressive, anxious-phobic states).

Key differences between biological and psychological stress situations:

Group	Biological stress	Psychological stress
Cause of occurrence	Physical, chemical, biological effects of stressors	Own thoughts, internal sensations, influence of society
Danger level	Real	Virtual, real
Direction of stressors	Somatic health, life-threatening	Emotional sphere, self-esteem, social status
Nature of response	“Primary” reactions: fear, fright, rage, pain.	“Secondary” reactions: excitement, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, panic, depression
Time range	Clearly defined within the boundaries of the present and near future	Unclear, vague, includes the past and an indefinite future
The influence of individual character traits	None or minimal	Essential
Example	Viral infection, trauma, food intoxication, frostbite, burn	Conflict in the family, separation from a partner, financial difficulties, change in social status

Stress: main stages of development

The range of reactions to a stressful event includes a variety of states of excitation and inhibition, including states called affective. The process of a stressful state consists of three stages.

Stage 1. Emotional reaction of anxiety.

At this stage, the body’s first response to stress factors appears. The duration of this phase is strictly individual: for some people, the increase in tension goes away in a matter of minutes, for others, the increase in anxiety occurs over several weeks. The body's resistance to external stimuli decreases, and self-control weakens. A person gradually loses the ability to fully control his actions and loses self-control. His behavior changes to completely opposite actions (for example: a calm, self-controlled person becomes impulsive, aggressive). The person avoids social contacts, alienation appears in relationships with loved ones, and the distance in communication with friends and colleagues increases. The impact of distress has a devastating effect on the psyche. Excessive emotional stress can cause disorganization, disorientation and depersonalization.

Stage 2. Resistance and adaptation.

In this phase, maximum activation and strengthening of the body’s resistance to the stimulus occurs. Prolonged exposure to a stress factor ensures gradual adaptation to its effects. The body's resistance significantly exceeds the norm. It is at this stage that the individual is able to analyze, choose the most effective way and cope with the stressor.

Stage 3. Exhaustion.

Having exhausted available energy resources due to exposure to a stressor for a long period of time, a person feels severe fatigue, devastation, and weariness.

Each person has been “programmed” from childhood with their own personal scenario of behavior in a stressful situation, reproduced in frequency and form of manifestation of the stress reaction. Some experience stressors daily in small doses, others experience distress rarely, but in full, painful manifestations. Also, each person has an individual orientation of aggression under stress. One blames himself exclusively, triggering the development of depressive states. Another person finds the causes of her troubles in the people around her and puts forward unfounded claims, often in an extremely aggressive form, becoming a socially dangerous person.

Psychological mechanisms of stress

The emergence of emotional tension during stress is an adaptive reaction of the body, emerging and growing as a result of the interaction of physiological systems and mechanisms in combination with psychological methods of response.

The physiological group of stress mechanisms involves:

• Subcortical system, which activates the work of the cerebral cortex;
• Sympathetic Autonomic System, preparing the body for unexpected stressors, intensifying cardiac activity, stimulating the supply of glucose;
• Subcortical motor centers, controlling innate instinctive, motor, facial, pantomimic mechanisms;
• Endocrine organs;
• Mechanisms of reverse afferentation, transmitting nerve impulses through interoreceptors and proprioceptors from internal organs and muscles back to areas of the brain.

Psychological mechanisms– attitudes formed and recorded at the subconscious level, arising as a response to the influence of stress factors. Psychological schemes are designed to protect the human psyche from the negative consequences of stressors. Not all of these mechanisms are harmless; they often do not allow an event to be assessed correctly, and often harm the social activity of the individual.

Psychological defense schemes include seven mechanisms:

• Suppression. The main mechanism, the purpose of which is to remove existing desires from consciousness if it is impossible to satisfy them. Repression of sensations and memories can be partial or complete, as a result of which the person gradually forgets past events. Often it is a source of new problems (for example: a person forgets previously made promises). It often causes somatic diseases (headaches, heart pathologies, cancer).
• Negation. The individual denies the fact of the occurrence of any event and “goes” into fantasy. Often a person does not notice the contradictions in his judgments and actions, and therefore is often perceived by others as a frivolous, irresponsible, inadequate person.
• Rationalization. A method of self-justification, the creation of supposedly logical moral arguments to explain and justify socially unacceptable behavior and one’s own desires and thoughts.
• Inversion. Conscious replacement of true thoughts and feelings, actually carried out actions with completely opposite ones.
• Projection. The individual projects onto others, ascribes to other people his own negative qualities, negative thoughts, and unhealthy feelings. It is a mechanism of self-justification.
• Insulation. The most dangerous response scheme. The individual separates the threatening component, the dangerous situation, from his personality as a whole. It can lead to a split personality and cause the development of schizophrenia.
• Regression. The subject reverts to primitive ways of responding to stressors.

There is another classification of types of protective mechanisms, divided into two groups.

Group 1. Patterns of disruption of information reception

• Perceptual defense;
• Crowding out;
• Suppression;
• Negation.

Group 2. Patterns of impaired information processing

• Projection;
• Intellectualization;
• Separation;
• Overestimation (rationalization, defensive reaction, exploitation, illusion).

Stress factors

Stress levels are influenced by many different factors, including:

• The significance of stressors for an individual,
• Congenital features of the nervous system,
• Hereditary pattern of response to stressful events
• Features of growing up
• The presence of chronic somatic or mental pathologies, a recent illness,
• Unsuccessful experience in past similar situations,
• Having moral principles,
• Stress tolerance threshold
• Self-esteem, the quality of perception of oneself as a person,
• Existing hopes and expectations – their certainty or uncertainty.

Causes of stress

The most common cause of stress is a contradiction between reality and an individual’s ideas about reality.

Stress reactions can be triggered both by real factors and by events that exist only in the imagination. Not only negative events, but also positive changes in an individual’s life lead to the development of a stressful state. Research by American scientists In medical practice, it is customary to divide stressful situations into two types: Thomas Holmes Richard Ray

• allowed us to create a table of stress factors that in most cases have the strongest impact on a person and trigger stress mechanisms (stress intensity scale). Among the events significant for people:
• Death of a close relative
• Divorce
• Parting with a loved one
• Imprisonment
• Serious illness
• Job loss
• Change in social status
• Deterioration of financial situation
• Big debts
• Inability to repay loan obligations
• Illness of close relatives
• Problems with law
• Retirement
• Marriage
• Pregnancy
• Sexual problems
• The arrival of a new family member
• Change of place of work
• Deterioration of family relationships
• Outstanding Personal Achievement
• Start or end of training
• Change of residence
• Problems with management
• Unfavorable atmosphere in the team
• Changing your work and leisure schedule
• Changing Personal Habits
• Changing eating behavior
• Changing working conditions
• Vacation

Holidays

Stress factors tend to accumulate. Without taking effective steps, pushing his experiences inside, being left alone with his problems, a person risks losing contact with his own “I”, and subsequently losing contact with others.

Psychological symptoms of stress Manifestations of stress

• – are purely individual, but all the signs are united by their negative connotation, their painful and painful perception by the individual. Symptoms vary depending on what stage of stress the person is in and what defense mechanisms are involved. The main symptoms of stress include:
• Causeless;
• Feeling of internal tension;
• Hot temper, nervousness, irritability, aggressiveness;
• Excessive inadequate reaction to the slightest stimulus;
• Inability to control your thoughts and emotions, manage your actions;
• Decreased concentration, difficulty remembering and reproducing information;
• Periods of sadness;
• Depressed, depressed state;
• Inability to enjoy pleasant events;
• Constant feeling of dissatisfaction;
• Capriciousness, excessive demands on others;
• Subjective feeling of overload, persistent fatigue;
• Decreased performance, inability to perform usual duties;
• – detachment from one’s own “I”;
• – feeling of the illusory nature of the surrounding world;
• Changes in eating behavior: lack of appetite or excessive eating;
• Sleep disorders: insomnia, waking up early, interrupted sleep;
• Behavior change, reduction of social contacts.

As a result of exposure to stressors, an individual often tries to artificially replace the negative feelings experienced with “pleasant” external factors: he begins to take alcohol or drugs, becomes a gambler, changes sexual behavior, begins to overeat, and takes risky, impulsive actions.

Treatment of stress

When in situations that cause stress, each person should strive to emerge victorious from the current situation, to overcome obstacles courageously, with self-esteem and without negative consequences for health. After all, every new battle with stressors is another step on the thorny path of self-development and self-improvement.

Drug treatment of stress conditions

The choice of a comprehensive pharmacological treatment program is carried out on an individual basis, taking into account various factors, including:

• predominant symptoms, strength and frequency of their manifestation;
• stage and severity of the stressful condition;
• patient's age;
• somatic and mental health status of the patient;
• personal characteristics, way of responding to stressors, individual sensitivity threshold;
• a history of mental pathologies and borderline states;
• individual preferences and financial capabilities of the patient;
• the received therapeutic response to drugs used previously;
• tolerability of pharmacological agents, their side effects;
• medications taken.

The main criterion for prescribing treatment is the symptoms shown. To eliminate stressful conditions use:

• Tranquilizers;
• Beta blockers;
• Amino acids;
• Herbal sedatives, bromides;
• Neuroleptics;
• Antidepressants;
• Sleeping pills;
• Vitamin and mineral complexes.

If the patient has predominant signs of an anxious state (irrational fear, excessive worry, anxiety for no reason), a short-term course of treatment with psychotropic drugs is administered to relieve symptoms. Use tranquilizers benzodiazepine series (for example: diazepam) or more gentle anxiolytics other groups (for example: adoptol).

Can quickly take control and minimize the painful physical manifestations of fear beta blockers, the action of which is aimed at blocking the release of adrenaline into the blood and reducing blood pressure (for example: anaprilin).

In overcoming emotional stress, reducing nervousness and irritability, a good therapeutic response is provided by relatively harmless drugs containing aminoacetic acid(eg: glycine).

For mild manifestations of anxiety, a long course (at least one month) is prescribed sedatives from the “green” pharmacy, made from valerian, mint, lemon balm, motherwort (for example: persen). In some cases, drugs are used - bromides, which have significant sedative potential (for example: adonis-bromine).

If there are “defensive” obsessive actions in the picture of the disease, it is recommended to take antipsychotics– drugs that can eliminate severe mental conditions (for example: haloperidol).

If depressive symptoms predominate (apathy, depressed state, sad mood), use antidepressants various groups. For mild forms of depressive mood, a long-term course (more than one month) of herbal remedies is prescribed. Thus, drugs based on St. John's wort (for example: Deprim) will provide an antidepressant effect. In more severe and dangerous cases, psychopharmacological antidepressants of various groups are used. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - SSRIs (for example: fluoxetine) are easy to use, do not lead to overdose and show high results. The latest generation of drugs, melatonergic antidepressants (the only representative of this class: agomelatine), can eliminate depressive symptoms and reduce anxiety.

If the patient notices a change in sleep pattern and quality (insomnia, early awakening, interrupted sleep, nightmares), an appointment is made sleeping pills, both of plant origin and synthesized benzodiazepine drugs (for example: nitrazepam) or new chemical groups (for example: zopiclone). The use of barbiturates as sleeping pills has lost its relevance today.

An important role in overcoming stressful conditions is the replenishment of deficiency in the body. vitamins and minerals. In situations of emotional stress, it is recommended to take B vitamins (for example: Neurovitan), products with magnesium (for example: Magne B6) or multiactive complexes (for example: Vitrum).

Psychotherapeutic techniques for overcoming stress

Psychotherapy for stress conditions– techniques developed to provide a beneficial therapeutic effect on the psycho-emotional sphere of activity, directly related to and affecting the functioning of the human body as a whole. Psychotherapeutic assistance is often the only unique chance that allows a person in a stressful state to overcome existing problems, correct erroneous ideas and get rid of anxious and depressive states without negative consequences.

Modern psychotherapy uses over 300 different techniques, including the most common, popular and effective techniques:

• Psychodynamic;
• Cognitive-behavioral;
• Existential;
• Humanistic.

Direction 1. Psychodynamic approach

Based on the method of psychoanalysis, the founder of which was the famous talented scientist Sigmund Freud. Feature of the therapy: transferring into the area of ​​consciousness (awareness) by the patient of memories, experienced emotions and sensations repressed into the subconscious sphere. The following techniques are used: study and evaluation of dreams, free associative series, study of the characteristics of forgetting information.

Direction 2. Cognitive behavioral therapy

The essence of this method is to inform and teach the individual the adaptive skills necessary in emotionally difficult situations. A person develops and maintains a new model of thinking, which allows him to correctly assess and act adequately when faced with stress factors. In artificially created stressful situations, the patient, having experienced a state close to panic fear, noticeably decreases the threshold of sensitivity to negative factors disturbing him.

Direction 3. Existential approach

The essence of therapy using this method is to concentrate on existing difficulties, reconsider the patient’s value system, realize personal significance, develop self-esteem and correct self-esteem. During the sessions, a person learns ways to harmoniously interact with the world around him, develops independence and awareness of thinking, and acquires new behavioral skills.

Direction 4. Humanistic approach

This method is based on the postulate: a person has unlimited abilities and opportunities to overcome problems in the presence of a significant incentive and adequate self-esteem. The doctor’s work with the patient is aimed at liberating the person’s consciousness, liberating him from indecision and uncertainty, and getting rid of the fear of defeat. The client learns to really understand and analyze the causes of existing difficulties, to develop correct and safe options for overcoming problems.

How to overcome the effects of stress on your own?

It is human nature to want to get rid of pain, tension, and anxiety. However, this ability to experience unpleasant sensations, oddly enough, is one of nature’s valuable gifts. A state of stress is a phenomenon designed to warn an individual about a threat to the integrity and vital functions of the body. This is an ideal mechanism that activates natural reflexes of resistance, evasion, retreat or flight, indispensable in the battle with a negative hostile environment. Unpleasant sensations accompanying a state of stress mobilize hidden resources, encourage efforts, changes and difficult decisions.

Every person needs to learn how to manage stress effectively and efficiently. If the event that caused the stress is dependent on individual activity (for example: emotional stress due to excessive work pressure), efforts should be concentrated on developing and analyzing options to change the existing situation. If an emotionally difficult situation is caused by external factors beyond the control and management of the individual (for example: the death of a spouse), it is necessary to accept this negative fact, come to terms with its existence, and change the perception and attitude towards this event.

Effective methods for relieving emotional tension and psychological stress

Method 1. Letting out emotions

Special breathing techniques are designed to relieve accumulated tension and get rid of negative emotions. We perform energetic movements (swings) with our hands, then close our eyes. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, hold your breath for 5 seconds, and slowly exhale through your mouth. We perform 10-15 approaches. We try to relax the muscles as much as possible. We concentrate our attention on the sensations that arise.

Method 2. Revealing the soul

In the prevention and overcoming of stressful conditions, an invaluable role is played by external emotional support and friendly communication. Problematic issues that are openly and freely shared with a loved one lose their global significance and are no longer perceived as catastrophic. Friendly communication with optimistic people allows a person to formulate and express disturbing factors out loud, throw out negative emotions, receive a charge of vital energy, and develop a strategy for overcoming problems.

Method 3. We trust our worries to paper

An equally effective method of dealing with emotional stress is keeping a personal diary. Thoughts and desires expressed on paper become more consistent and logical. Recording your negative feelings in writing transfers them from the area of ​​the subconscious to the area controlled by consciousness and governed by the will of the individual. After such a recording, stressful events are perceived as less large-scale, the fact of the presence of problems is realized and recognized. When you subsequently read your revelations, the opportunity arises to analyze a difficult situation as if from the outside, new ways to overcome it appear, and an incentive to resolve it is formed. The person takes control of his condition and, accepting the past and living in the present, begins to make efforts for well-being in the future.

Method 4. Draw a map of your own stress factors

As they say, in order to defeat the enemy, you need to know him by sight. In order to cope with the negative emotions that arise under the influence of stressors, it is necessary to identify and study what specific events can “knock you off track.”

Being alone in silence, we concentrate and try to concentrate our attention as much as possible. We select for analysis at least 12 aspects related to various areas of life (for example: health, family relationships, successes and failures in professional activities, financial situation, relationships with friends). Then, in each of the identified aspects, we highlight situations that present significant difficulties and deprive us of self-control and restraint. We write them down in order of significance (intensity of response, temporary duration of experiences, depth of emotional perception, emerging negative symptoms) from the smallest negative category to the most traumatic factor. After the Achilles heel has been identified, for each item we make a list of “arguments”: we develop options for possible resolution of the problems.

Method 5. Transforming emotional experiences into vital energy

A great way to get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of stress is to perform any physical activity intensely. This could be: gym classes, long walks, swimming in the pool, morning jogging, or working in the garden. Vigorous physical exercise distracts from negative events, directs thoughts in a positive direction, gives positive emotions and charges with vital energy. Running is an ideal natural method to “escape” from stress: feeling pleasant physical fatigue, there is no room or strength left to cry about your own grief.

Method 6. Letting out emotions in creativity

A faithful assistant in the fight against psychological stress is creative activity, vocal, music, and dance classes. By creating beauty, a person not only gets rid of negative feelings, but also taps into hidden potential, develops his abilities, and significantly increases self-esteem. Music directly affects emotional status, transporting you into a world of vivid, original sensations: it makes you cry and laugh, grieve and rejoice. Through music, the perception of one’s own “I” and those around him changes, the real world appears in its diversity, the significance of one’s own “minor” worries is lost. Through dance you can express your emotions, experience your negativity, and appear before the light in all your inner beauty.

Method 7. Increasing the level of psychological knowledge

An important factor for successfully overcoming stress is the existing knowledge base: complete, structured, varied. In the formation of immunity to stress, a significant role is played by the cognitive processes occurring in a person, which determine the skills of orientation in the environment, the logic of actions, the objectivity of judgments, and the level of observation. No matter how generously or sparingly nature has endowed a person with talents, the individual is responsible only for the use of his mental abilities, and should not stop on the path of his development.

Method 8. Changing your belief system

A special niche in the perception of stress factors is occupied by the individual belief system. A person who regards the world around him as a source of dangers, threats, and problems reacts to stressors with strong negative emotions, often disorganizing his behavior. Quite often, the severe consequences of experienced stress provoke the results of a discrepancy between the real complexity of the situation and its subjective assessment by the individual. An adequate, realistic perception of the world, where prosperity and adversity coexist, the recognition that the world is imperfect and not always fair, the desire for harmony, optimism and gratitude for every positive moment help not to take problems to heart.

Method 9. Increasing our own importance

A person who reacts to any stress with violent emotions is characterized by a lack of confidence in their capabilities and a feeling of their own inferiority. Due to low or negative self-esteem, a person has a minimal level of aspirations and takes a “reinsurer’s position” in life. Simple exercises – affirmations (positive statements about one’s personality, spoken out loud) help to increase and form adequate self-esteem.

Method 10. Carrying out a difficult task

An excellent technique for emotional control is focusing intensely on the task at hand, allowing you to distract yourself and overcome situational stressors.

From the areas that bring satisfaction and joy, we choose one complex category. We set a clear goal for ourselves, determine specific deadlines for bringing the idea to life (for example: learn French in six months, design a model of a helicopter, conquer a mountain peak).

In conclusion: Every person can overcome stress and control a difficult situation if they begin to focus on the problem at hand rather than on their emotionally protective actions. Active control of one’s own consciousness brings extremely positive results, gives the individual a sense of mastery over stressors, strengthens the sense of self-worth, increases the assessment of one’s abilities, and increases the chance of discovering opportunities.

Stress is a natural reaction of the body during dangerous and unpleasant situations. He follows us everywhere. In some situations it may be more obvious, in others less so.

There are stresses spicy In medical practice, it is customary to divide stressful situations into two types: chronic.

Acute stress cannot be ignored. It is a serious nervous shock and can be expressed in such vivid manifestations as hysterical fainting, tearful sobs, nosebleeds, and severe headaches.

Nevertheless, in the modern world, chronic stress is becoming more and more relevant, seemingly not intense, but exhausting the body with prolonged physical stress and the psyche with emotional stress. Symptoms of chronic stress are less pronounced and almost invisible. You need to learn to recognize the symptoms of stress.

Symptoms of stress can be divided into several groups:

1. Physiological symptoms:

• high or low blood pressure;
• attacks of fever or chills;
• increased sweating;
• tremor, muscle twitching;
• the appearance of muscle hypertonicity, myalgia;
• pain of an unspecified nature; most often headaches, back pain and stomach pain;
• dizziness;
• indigestion;
• weight change;
• the appearance of allergic rashes;
• disturbance or loss of sleep;
• disturbance or loss of appetite;
• violation of sexual activity.

2. Emotional symptoms:

• irritability
• more frequent attacks of anger;
• restlessness, increased anxiety even in the absence of a reason;
• increased nervous tension;
• dissatisfaction with oneself, one’s achievements, claims against oneself;
• feeling of loneliness;
• guilt;
• shifting responsibility for oneself to others.

3. Behavioral symptoms:

• increase in conflicts with people;
• an increase in the number of errors when performing work that was previously done well;
• fussiness and a feeling of chronic lack of time;
• worsening bad habits;
• workaholism, complete immersion in work problems to the detriment of rest and personal life.

4. Intellectual symptoms:

• problems with concentration;
• memory impairment;
• constant and obsessive return to the same thought;
• difficulties in making decisions.

The more symptoms you find in yourself, the closer you are to the point of uncontrollable stress. Self-diagnosis is not enough; if you notice some of the symptoms in yourself, be sure to consult a doctor. This way you can stop stress at an early stage and prevent it from becoming chronic, as well as the development of more serious diseases.

Symptoms of Chronic Stress

Symptoms of chronic stress include the following:

• Fatigue does not leave you, even after vacation. In this case, fatigue is observed, both physical and psychological;
• There is no joy from communicating with loved ones, friends, colleagues. There is no desire to see anyone and every day this feeling increases;
• You feel dissatisfied with yourself and your appearance. The feeling of hopelessness and self-doubt does not leave you;
• Health problems arise. May result in chronic fatigue, headaches, insomnia;
• It is difficult to concentrate on anything, memory begins to deteriorate;
• There is a feeling of irritation and anger at everyone and at yourself.

Chronic stress should not be left untreated, because it can lead to psychosis, neuroses, and even alcoholism. Therefore, it is extremely important to take timely measures to eliminate it. In this case, it is advisable to seek help from a specialist.

Symptoms of acute stress

Acute stress is the body's immediate response to a situation (eg, threat, fear). This type of stress can occur when a person learns of the death of a loved one or witnesses a death. But acute stress can also occur during interviews, driving in a dangerous situation, etc.

The hallmark symptoms of acute stress include the following:

• Nausea;
• Emotional numbness;
• Headache;
• Cardiopalmus;
• Chest pain;
• Sharp aggression;

If you find yourself in a situation that causes a lot of stress, the first thing you need to do is gather your thoughts and calm down. A good way to reduce the severity of the reaction during severe stress is anti-stress breathing (deep breath through the nose and slowly exhale through the mouth). This breathing will help you calm down faster and adapt to the situation.

If you are experiencing stress, no matter what type it is, you need to deal with it. Even if the symptoms are obvious and understandable to you, you should not self-medicate, but it is best to consult a doctor.

Chronic stress poses a serious threat to human health, reduces productivity and significantly impairs quality of life. You can't ignore the symptoms of stress and expect them to go away on their own.

The information is provided based on the data contained in the literature sources listed below

1. Vorobyova O.V. Stress and adjustment disorders. RMJ 2009;17(6):1-5.
2. Vorobyova O.V., Ryabokon I.V. Stress and anti-stress therapy. Attending Physician 2011;5: 85-9.
3. Medvedev V.E. Relieving anxiolytic effect of herbal preparations in the general medical network. Consilium Medicum. Appl Neurology/Rheumatology 2011;1: 6-10.
4. Larzelere M.M., Jones G.N. Stress and Health. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. December 2008;35(4): 839-56. Larzerele MM, Jones JN. Stress and health. Journal "Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice". Dec 2008;35(4): 839-56
5. The American Institute of Stress. Available at: http://www.stress.org/stress-effects/. Accessed on 09/17/2015. American Institute of Stress. Available at http://www.stress.org/stress-effects/ Request dated 09/17/2015
6. Stress symptoms: Effects on your body and behavior. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-symptoms/SR00008_D/ Accessed on 09/17/2015. Symptoms of stress: how they affect your body and behavior. Available at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-symptoms/SR00008_D/ Request dated 09/17/2015

A stressful state is a set of body reactions designed to adapt to the current situation. Any unexpected event can become stressful, to which the body immediately reacts and strives to return to its original state.

What is a stressful state

Most people mistakenly attribute stress to painful experiences or frustrations caused by insurmountable obstacles. Doctors refute this and note that there are 2 types of stress: eustress and distress. In the first case, a person experiences positive emotions, which help him become more active and stimulate him to be active. Distress is a negative experience that often leads to psychological trauma.

If a person is in a state of distress for a long time, undesirable changes occur in his body:

• physical and mental health deteriorates;
• immunity decreases, due to which resistance to disease weakens;
• Sugar levels increase sharply and body weight changes;
• muscles involuntarily tense;
• metabolic processes are disrupted;
• capillaries enlarge and burst.

In a stressful state, the endocrine glands work beyond normal, and the autonomic nervous system is activated. If a patient experiences distress too often, he may develop various phobias or a depressive disorder.

Causes and symptoms of stress

The most common cause of stress is a discrepancy between ideas about the world and reality. These can be both negative and positive changes. No less often, it happens that the patient “invents” a problem, experiencing it in his imagination, but the body perceives this situation as having already happened and reacts accordingly. Against the background of experiences, the development of psychosomatic diseases may begin. It also often causes high blood pressure.

Common causes of stress include:

• death of a close relative;
• divorce;
• separation from a loved one;
• dismissal;
• imprisonment;
• job loss;
• severe illness;
• marriage;
• birth of a child;
• changes in eating behavior;
• start of training;
• deterioration of family relationships.

Manifestations of stress depend on the individual characteristics of a person, but they are all united by a negative connotation. A person suffers from causeless anxiety, tension, sensitivity, aggressiveness, decreased concentration, depression, and apathy. In severe cases, a person withdraws from his own “I” and feels as if the world around him is illusory and unreal. Social contacts are reduced to a minimum, sleep deteriorates, appetite becomes increased or disappears completely.

Symptoms include memory problems, decreased performance, and physical weakness. A person feels overloaded, is unable to cope with his usual responsibilities, and becomes moody and irritable. These signs of stress cannot be ignored: if a person has previously behaved differently, he should definitely see a doctor.

Treatment and prevention

In severe cases, when the patient experiences unreasonable anxiety and cannot concentrate on usual tasks, doctors prescribe tranquilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants, beta blockers and sleeping pills. These are potent drugs that should not be taken without a doctor's prescription. Otherwise, you can cause yourself even more harm, since medications have strong side effects.

Prescription of medications is a treatment method aimed primarily at relieving symptoms. To make chronic emotional stress easier to bear in the future, the patient is recommended to consult a psychologist. The specialist will identify the root of the problem and suggest solutions that will help the person become more resistant to stress in the future.

If a person does not have the opportunity to contact a specialist, you can try to cope with stress on your own. It is recommended to “let off steam”: breathe while waving your arms. You need to take a slow deep breath, hold your breath and exhale after 5 seconds. When performing this exercise, it is important to concentrate on your own feelings. You can also tell your problem to another person or write about it on paper.

Stress is the response of the human psyche to the strong emotions he experiences, which can be both negative and positive.

How stress is formed: stages

05.03.2018

Pozharisky I.

Stress is the response of the human psyche to the strong emotions he experiences, which can be both negative and positive, [...]

Stress is the response of the human psyche to the strong emotions he experiences, which can be both negative and positive. as well as the overvoltage associated with them. It is believed that stress should be present to a small extent in the life of any person, because at the moment of stress, adrenaline is produced, which is needed in order to solve the problem. This gives you the opportunity to move forward and improve.

But if there is too much stress, a person begins to get overly tired, lose strength and the ability to find solutions to everyday problems. The accumulated tension results in chronic stress, which is dangerous because it provokes various disorders of systems and organs that undermine health.

Both men and women, of any age, nationality, social status and financial capabilities, can be equally exposed to stress.

Causes of stress

The reasons why stress appears can be both internal and external. The first are acute or chronic illnesses that weaken the body, and the external ones are the loss of something or someone significant, in particular, the death of a loved one, loss of a job, change of place of residence, etc. The cause of severe stress can be chronic nervous tension , which accumulates as a result of unresolved conflicts with loved ones or work colleagues.

Causes of stress that children may suffer from include:

• too heavy teaching loads;
• conflicts with family or the absence of a loved one who could listen to them and understand them;
• the need to engage in a hobby that was imposed by parents;
• change of place of residence or educational institution;
• problems communicating with peers;
• climate change;
• films or computer games that show explicit scenes;
• loss of a pet;
• being in a hospital or sanatorium without the presence of parents;
• poor psychological family environment.

In fact, any events that happen to a person can be stressful for him. But the reaction of each individual person to them is strictly subjective and depends on the strength of his nervous system. For some people, psycho-emotional shocks can cause the formation of severe psychosomatic pathologies, while for others they will go unnoticed or become a good incentive for self-improvement.

To a large extent, resistance to stress depends on the resistance of the human psyche to the influence of unfavorable circumstances on it, which, in turn, depends on the type of nervous system (whether it belongs to a strong or weak, balanced or unbalanced type) and the totality of everyday experience that helps to withstand stress .

The likelihood of stress is much higher among those who:

• exhausted after exhausting work or after illness;
• does not feel the support of loved ones;
• crossed the 50-year mark;
• not mentally prepared for this situation;
• has mental illness.

In such people, stress develops faster and manifests itself with more intense symptoms, which means it requires mandatory treatment.

How stress is formed

When stressed, the nervous, hormonal and cardiovascular systems are simultaneously involved. Stress is a difficult test for the body and it negatively affects health (immunity drops, chronic diseases appear, and depression develops).

At the physical level, the effects of stress are as follows. After the impact of psychotraumatic factors on the human psyche, the strength of which exceeds the internal resources available to the body (the so-called stress resistance), the following reactions begin to develop:

• the adrenal cortex produces cortisol;
• their inner layer releases 2 hormones norepinephrine and adrenaline into the blood;
• damage occurs to the mucous membranes of the stomach, as well as the duodenum, and ulcers appear on them;
• glucose levels increase and this leads to a decrease in tissue sensitivity to insulin, which, in turn, causes the development of type 2 diabetes;
• sodium retention occurs, and, accordingly, fluid in the tissues, and potassium, which is needed for the normal functioning of nervous and cardiac tissue, on the contrary, is excreted faster;
• the cells in which glucose is formed disintegrate;
• the lipid content in the tissue that makes up the subcutaneous tissue increases;
• the rhythm and frequency of the heartbeat is disrupted;
• pressure rises.

As a result of such disorders caused by stress, human health suffers, immunity decreases, and various disorders develop in the functionality of internal organs. These are the negative consequences of powerful stress, which does not go unnoticed by the body.

Nonspecific reactions are adaptive actions aimed at restoring the original state of the body, producing specific effects on specific stimuli. Any surprise that introduces a change in an individual’s usual life activities can be a stress factor. It does not matter what the nature of the situation is - positive or negative.

The term stress refers to the physiological response of the body when the impact of external factors on the psyche causes the adrenal glands to become active. Stress can equally arise from the influence of negative factors (in this case, this type of stress is called distress) and from the influence of positive ones (the name of this type is eustress).

Positive emotions, no matter how strong they are, do not have a negative impact on human health, which cannot be said about negative ones. They are the cause of all kinds of mental and physical health problems. By “origin”, stress caused by negative emotions can be psychological or neuropsychic. This separate type, in turn, is usually divided into 2 more types: psycho-emotional stress, which develops on the basis of anger, strong resentment or hatred, and informational stress, which arises due to an overabundance of various types of information. This type of stress is most often present in those whose occupation involves processing a huge amount of information.

• There is also physical stress, which is usually divided into 4 types: light stress
• , which appears in a person as a result of being forced to spend a long time in an illuminated place, for example, in northern conditions (polar days); painful
• developing after severe trauma or damage; food
• – a consequence of fasting or, conversely, eating food that a person does not like; temperature

Another type of negative stress is the result of a person being in extreme situations (floods, military operations, disasters, hurricanes, etc.). This type is caused by strong worries about your life or the lives of loved ones. It is so powerful that it often leaves an imprint on all the remaining years of a person.

Stages of stress

Stress is considered to go through 3 stages. The speed of their development and change depends on the force with which stress acts on the mental sphere of a person and in what state it is in. Stages include:

• Anxious stage. When it occurs, a person cannot control his thoughts and actions, his behavior changes in the opposite direction and becomes extremely different from what it was before.
• Resistant stage. At this stage, the body’s vital resources accumulate and are mobilized to combat stress. This is necessary so that a person can find the right solution and take the necessary measures to get out of the current situation.
• Exhaustion stage. This stage replaces the previous one and develops as a result of prolonged stress, due to the fact that the body is no longer able to withstand the load. It is at this stage that damage to the visceral organs occurs.

According to a more modern classification, there are 4 stages of stress:

• Mobilization or strengthening of human attention and motor activity. At this stage, a person’s internal forces are spent carefully, and if the process stops during this period, then stress does not damage the body, but strengthens it.
• The emergence of strong negative emotions: rage, anger and aggression that the body needs in order to achieve its goal.
• The emergence of negative emotions of the passive type. They arise due to the wasteful expenditure of energy by the body at the previous stage, which greatly depletes the body. The person becomes apathetic and no longer relies on his own strength to get out of the current situation. Depression may result from a pessimistic mood.
• The last stage is absolute demoralization. This stage occurs when the stress factor affects the human psyche constantly and does not reduce its intensity. The patient comes to terms with the fact that nothing can be done, becomes indifferent and does not want to solve any problems. May refuse treatment.

The last stage can last a long time and cause a complete decline in the psycho-physical capabilities of the body.

Symptoms of stress

Symptoms of acute stress appear only a short time after the stressful situation occurs. E then such symptoms as confusion, disorientation in current events. Due to these severe conditions, a person may do unusual and stupid things that will seem too inadequate to outside observers.

Delusional ideas, self-talk – another symptom of acute stress. But it does not last long and ends as abruptly as it began. A person under acute stress may not understand what is being said to him. He may fall into a stupor and not be ready to fulfill even the simplest request or do it incorrectly.

Retardation in speech and movement are also symptoms of acute stress. This condition can be so severe that the patient simply freezes in the same position and hardly reacts. Sometimes the opposite reaction is possible: a person becomes fussy and talks a lot. He may feel the urge to harm himself or run away.

Symptoms of acute stress can also be reddened or pale skin, dilated pupils, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and a sharp drop in blood pressure. If the above symptoms persist for more than 1-2 days, then you should urgently see a doctor to determine the real cause of stress and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Even after the acute stress has passed, tension and memories of it can still bother a person for some time. His sleep and appetite may be disturbed, and the desire to do anything may disappear for a long time. He can live and work, as they say, “automatically.”

Treatment and prevention of stress

We must not forget that the consequences of stress can be both minor and serious, therefore, the sooner a person receives qualified treatment, the sooner he will return to his previous life.

Treatment of any type of stress, as well as its prevention, can be carried out using the following methods:

• psychological treatment (rational therapy, meditation, auto-training);
• physical treatment (exercises and massage);
• physiological treatment (water procedures, sauna, hardening);
• biochemical treatment (medicines, herbs).

Which treatment is chosen depends on the individual and the severity of their condition.

Prevention of stress is well known - a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, moderate physical and mental stress, good sleep, fresh air. Giving up bad habits is also considered a good way to prevent stress.

Traveling, meeting with friends, attending cultural events is another way to prevent stress. They will help you quickly relieve fatigue and recharge your vitality. A favorite hobby that brings pleasure can also be called an excellent prevention of stress. But the best prevention of stressful conditions is cheerfulness, an optimistic attitude towards life, a positive attitude, as well as the ability to relax, free yourself from negative emotions and accumulate positive emotions.

If you often have stress in your life and you don’t know how to get rid of it yourself, contact the Irakli Pozharisky Psychology Center. He will conduct a consultation and choose the best treatment option for you.

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