The Nature of Stress Much of our understanding of the nature of stress can be traced back to the work of Hans Seyle in the 1930s. Seyle's research on rats and other animals in the years 1936 and 1950 led him to conclude that when animals are exposed to unpleasant stimuli (for example, injections or extreme temperatures), they all react in the same sort of way. He described this universal response to stressors as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): 'general' because it was the same response to all agents, 'adaptation' because it actually was an adaptive response - the healthiest way to cope with extreme stress - and syndrome because there were several symptoms in the stress response. This theory entailed three stages in the cycle of stress. The first stage is known as the alarm reaction. This is the initial point when the threat or stressor is recognised, and a response is made to the alarm. Adrenaline is produced, leading to 'fight or flight' activity. In addition, there is some activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, producing cortisol. If the stress continues, the body progresses to the next stage - resistance. Due to the levels of stress it is necessary to find some means of coping and resisting collapse. The body is adapting to the demands of the environment, but at the same time resources are gradually b... ... middle of paper ... ...te a big extent, out of all the studies I have looked at there is only one which opposes this idea. Although, exactly how stress causes illness is still not precisely known, the GAS model proposes that resources become depleted so that the body can no longer fight infections. However, more recent research has shown that many 'resources' do not become depleted even under extreme stress. The current view is that the exhaustion phase is associated with increased hormone activity, such as cortisol, and it is this rather than depletion of resources that leads to stress-related illness (Sheridan and Radmacher, 1992). There is no doubt that this research into stress, its effects and possible cures (if there are any) will continue, and in time it may be possible to reduce the effects of stress and educate people more about it.
Stress. (n.d.). In R. Nagel (Ed.), U X Y Encyclopedia of Science (Second ed., Vol. 9, pp. 1826-1828). Detroit, US: Gale Group.
There was a study in 2009 by U. S. Department of Health and Human Studies which was
...uch as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response.
Stress is the combination of psychological, physiological, and behavioral reactions. Most people have a response to events that challenge or threaten them. Stress good and bad. Good stress is called eustress.
The purpose of this paper is to define stress and how it effects the body's physiological systems. This paper will include the normal functions and organs involved in the following five physiological systems, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, immune and musculoskeletal. This paper will also include a description of a chronic illness associated with each physiological system and how the illness is affected by stress.
According to the American Institute of Stress, stress can be defined as an individual’s response, physical, mental or emotional, to an event that causes a demand for change (Selye, 1936). For athletes, that demand for change can be caused by an injury, which ultimately can have a significant impact on overall stress levels. While a physical injury can cause psychological stress, mental trauma can similarly affect an athlete physically. An athlete’s psychological stability has a great affect on an athlete’s susceptibility to pain and can alter the response to and recovery from an injury (Ahern, 1997).
The term ‘stress’ was generally thought to have been a concept created by Robert Hooke in the 17th century. He worked on the design of physical structures, such as bridges; his concept of stress came from how much pressure a structure could withstand. However, Lazarus (1993) pointed out that the term ‘stress’ has been used as far back as the 14th century, when it meant hardship or adversity. Back then it referred to the external stressor, such as the death of a spouse or financial worry; in the 20th century, there are many different schools of thought on this area. Hans Selye (1956), brought together the work of Cannon and Bernard and devised a comprehensive system of physiological stress; which he termed the ‘General Adaptation Syndrome’, and is a 3-stage process. He theorised that a certain level of stress called ‘eustress’ (Cox, 1978) could actually be beneficial to our overall performance. Later In 1976, Cox & Mackay devised another model called the ‘Transactional model’. This model takes into account the individual differences in the perception of the amount of stress experienced by the person. The main difference between these two models is that Selye’s model only accounts for the physiological side of stress, whereas Cox’s model takes into account both the physiological and psychological aspects of stress. Therefore, both models will have slight similarities and differences in their explanation for how stress occurs in individuals, which is the main focus of this essay.
(AC 1) Stress is defined as the state when people are experiencing difficulties in coping with the situations they are in due to the lacking of abilities or knowledge to handle them (Anxiety UK, ND). These situations are often referred as stressors. The way how individuals are reacting to these stressors is referred as stress response.
With the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a job promotion,
Stress is defined as “any circumstance that threatens or is perceived to threaten one’s well-being and thereby tax one’s coping abilities” (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006, p. 72). Stress is a natural event that exists literally in all areas of one’s life. It can be embedded in the environment, culture, or perception of an event or idea. Stress is a constant burden, and can be detrimental to one’s physical and mental health. However, stress can also provide beneficial effects; it can satisfy one’s need for stimulation and challenge, promote personal growth, and can provide an individual with the tools to cope with, and be less affected by tomorrow’s stress (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006, p. 93).
"Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress; 75 to 90 percent of all physician office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints; stress is linked to the six leading causes of death--heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide." (Miller, 1993, p.12) " Stress plays havoc with our health, our productivity, our pocketbooks, and our lives, but it is necessary, even desirable." (Oxford, 1998, p.29)
Stress is an ongoing dilemma that occurs in each and everyone’s life. It is a factor that is undoubtedly a part of daily living. Due to the trivial problems that occur in people’s daily lives massive amounts of stress can arise. People perceive and manage stress in many different ways. The causes and effects of stress are numerous and one’s ability to manage stress is vital in maintaining healthy living.
Hans Selye defined stress as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change.” He later defined it as “the rate of wear and tear on the body.” Stress can be good because the pressure placed on someone can motivate them to complete the tasks ahead of them. From this, small amounts of stress can be positive. However, long periods of stress wear the body down and begin to have negative effects on the body which could be long term.
Stress is not something to be avoided. Everyone feels stressed from time to time and it depends on people that may feel stress in different ways. Not all stress is bad but it depends on how peoples take it. The words “stress” is something all of us have experienced but it seems that there are many different definitions used by psychologist, medics, management consultants or others. Psychologists describe stress as “demands of life” which pointed out as “stressors” and stress is the cause of the worn out tissue of our body (Meenakshisundaram, 2012, p.101). Stress can be divided into four types which are eustress, acute stress, episodic acute stress and chronic stress (illustrated in Figure 1).