Stress Portrait Of A Killer: A Documentary Analysis

Stress is a company outliving its welcome for countless people. It is something that can wound us in ways we do not perceive. Although, once a pure drive to keep us engaged and attentive, stress has evolved into a nastier problem than we recognize.
According to our textbook, stress is “the demand made on an organism to adapt, cope, or adjust” (Rathus, S. 2016). The book explains that we encounter stress in abundant ways; collectively, stress is inescapable in commonplace life. Unexpectedly, I have learned that stress is “necessary” for us to remain occupied throughout the day, making it an essential part of life (Rathus, S. 2016) Students, such as myself, may plunge into the struggles of day to day life bearing a loathsome attitude toward the stress accompanying our endeavors, however it is

fundamental to keeping us alert. Secondly, I was shocked to gather that results from a study done by UCLA Higher Education Research Institute showed that “first-year college students are now encountering a record level of stress” (Rathus, S. 2016). I am taken aback by this because I am currently enrolled in college courses and find the curriculum to be straightforward. However, I do not live away from my parents and home, so I do not believe I am in any position to judge college freshmen.
Additionally, the documentary states that stress’ initial purpose served to aid the body in “saving itself”, but stress has become a source of adversity, hardship, and torment for countless individuals (Stress Portrait of a Killer.

2008). This comes about as it is said that stress “is not a state of mind, but something measurable and dangerous” (Stress Portrait of a Killer. 2008). Furthermore, the documentary concentrates on the former objective of stress in keeping us alive, being lost, while emphasizing the debilitating nature of the stress we subject ourselves to within our own social structure. Furthermore, I knew nothing about stress’ ability to cause weight gain and the death of brain cells over time (Stress Portrait of a Killer. 2008). I was aware that stress-eating exists, but not that stress contributed to alternate forms of weight gain. I candidly embrace the attention placed on the tangible negative effects of stress, and disagreed with nothing presented in the documentary. In conclusion, it informs the viewer that stress is not always able to be efficiently managed calmly taken care of. I have learned that stress can prove catastrophic in ways I never

grasped.
At the same time, while the core information in the video and the textbook do line up, the video puts emphasis on stress’ devastating abilities via its gloomy introduction. In short, I have experienced stress in my life through keeping up with school work and paper deadlines as well as family troubles that require me to go to therapy at least once a month. This video has, if nothing else, caused me to step back and identify what is truly important within my social life and what is excessive and negative to my health. Especially with social media and the drama created by it. Thus, my views have shifted in a positive manner, due to this documentary.
Unfortunately, despite its ability to overwhelm and harm us, stress is a necessity to our way of life. If I were to do specific research, I would start by researching the effects of environmental factors in causing stress, since those are the ones we have the least control over.

References
Stress, Portrait of a Killer. (2011, October 16). Retrieved November 19, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYG0ZuTv5rs
Rathus, S. A. (2015). PSYCH 4. Australia: South-Western.