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Stress effects on the body intro
Introduction to stress
Introduction on stress
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Have you ever had an entire list of tasks that needed to be done, but you felt too exhausted to even start them? That is a prime example of stress, which is something a great deal of people from varied age groups face. Stress is the body’s physical and mental reaction to situations or events that we perceive to be challenging or threatening. As unpleasant and undesirable stress is, it is a necessary stimulation in human bodies that would lead to death if it were not present. Stress is caused by many factors, both social and personal, and can have immense negative effects on the human body if not handled properly.
Stress as a common belief is often viewed as unpleasant only, which is distress; however, stress has a not-so-common enjoyable side known as eustress. Distress is much more popular in the realm of psychology, though, due to the displeasing effects that it comes with. In order to understand the effects it has on the human body, one must first know the major sources of stress. Stress can be stemmed from an endless amount of experiences, but there are a few specific sources that researchers have pointed out as notable. These seven sources are as followed: cataclysmic events, conflict, frustration, hassles, life changes, chronic stressors, and job stressors.
Stress can be aroused in response to internal, external, or environmental stimuli; this trigger that causes these reactions is known as a stressor. A very important stressor that can be experienced as early as grade school is life change. In 1967, Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe proposed that any adjustment in lifestyle or personal behavior could cause some degree of stress on the human body. To further support their proposal, they created a Social Readjustment Rating Sc...
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...s immune system is repressed. The prolonged elevation of cortisol aids in causing depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and drug/alcohol abuse. Prolonged stress can cause premature aging, inability to retrieve memory, and even death.
Being a young adult in her first year of college and maintaining a job, I have experienced stress in many instances. One particular stress-related event that stands out in my mind is about my mother. Recently, my father was admitted into the hospital because of a diabetic attack. My mother was driving to the hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey, an area she is very familiar with, yet her mind went blank and she forgot how to get to Route 17, which is the highway that leads to the hospital. My mother’s loss of memory during this stressful time was due to the spike in cortisol, which prevented her from retrieving her existing memories.
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.
Stress, as defined as a reaction to a stimulus that breaks our physical and mental harmony, is ubiquitous. However, stress has two sides – the bad and the good, in which the latter is mostly overlooked as most people suffer from the affliction of the former.
Campbell, F., Singer, G., & Schofield, P. (1983). Stress and Illness. Stress, drugs and health: recent brain-behaviour research (p. 32). Sydney: Pergamon Press.
Stress does not directly causes infections or ill-health to a person. Instead, the products produced in the process of stress interfere with the usual operations of the immune system. Numerous studies have proved that stress has an immunosuppressive effect, which means the functions of the immune system is reduced when an individual is experience stress (Gross et al., 2008). Corticosteroids are initially produced during the alarm stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), they do not usually cause any harm to the immune system. However, if the presence of corticosteroids is prolonged in the blood due to chronic stress, they can interfere with the production of the antibodies leaving the body vulnerable to harmful virus and bacteria (Gross et al., 2008). As described in the G.A.S model by Selye, individuals might experience drastic changes in their body such as high blood pressures and heart rates in order to cope during the stressful situations. If these changes are prolonged, this could lead to permanent damage to the body (Bailey et al, 2008).
"Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to both good and bad experiences which can be beneficial to your health and safety." (8 Ways Stress Is More Dangerous Than You Think) Everyone 's body responds to stress by releasing hormones, also, you brain receives more oxygen. Stress starts to occur when we become worried about a task or responsibilities we face. Major stress is called chronic stress. It can cause symptoms that can affect your health in a larger way. Some people may say that they succeed more under stress, but sadly, that’s rarely the case. Research has shown that "stress makes a person more likely to make mistakes" (Stress Symptoms, Signs, & Causes). For most people, stress is extremely normal for them that they don 't see it as anything but ordinary. However, stress can motivate someone while under pressure and even get you through a tough or dangerous
Many people think of stress as a simple problem. In reality however, stress is complex and often misunderstood. We all know that stress is the body’s reaction to any demand on it. Perceptions of events, whether positive or negative, activate stress. It is, therefore, a highly individual affair. What is stressful to ‘X’ may not be so to another. But it is fairly easy to conclude that everyone lives under a certain amount of stress. In fact, the only people without stress are dead. At the same time it is certainly wrong to conclude that stress is always bad. Mild stress may improve the productivity. It may force people to focus more sharply on the problem and produce solutions. But if stress is severe and persist for long periods of time, it can be harmful. Stress can be disruptive to an individual as any
Cortisol or glucocorticoid is the end product from the activation of the HPA axis and it has both beneficial and harmful side effects on the body, from reducing inflammation in cases of injury to impairing the immune system and alerting certain brain regions. Early life experiences, such as childhood abuse and being raised in a stressful environment are predispositions that can cause certain individuals to be more responsive to stress than others. In addition, prolonged and repeated exposure to cortisol can increase susceptibility to certain illness and injuries amongst individuals. For instance, the rate of visits at a doctor’s office often increases amongst college students during finals week. Given that stress is part of life and it serves us in both positive and negative terms, in today’s fast paced environment, however, it’s negatives outweigh the positives. Our busy schedules in combination with daily stressors are impacting our stress levels and with repeated stimulation of the HPA axis, our bodies are taking the biggest
To consider stress as an epidemic in contemporary society, one must understand what stress is, how it is caused, and how it manifests itself in the quality of lives. Early recognition of stress came by way of a young medical student known as Hans Selye, who observed identical emotional symptoms and signs in patients, although they suffered from differing physical conditions (Rosch, n.d.). Rosch (n.d.) explains that it was investigation of this appearance of ‘general sickness’ that led Selye to develop the theory that chronic stress causes long-term chemical changes in the body, thus identifying stress as a major cause of disease. Stress, usually considered to be a negative feeling, is the body’s reaction to per...
Being a nurse I am completely aware of physical and emotional stress toll on our bodies. But do you know?? Long term stress can deplete us of our much needed stress hormone called cortisol and send us into adrenal fatigue. It is useful for getting past a deadline, keeping it together while everyone else falls apart, or physical exertion.
Stress is defined in the dictionary as “state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life”. Everyone encounters stress in their life caused by many different variables in life and we all cope with in different ways. The way one copes with the stress is how it can affect our body. Some take to working out, eating healthy, take breaks from what is stressing you out and getting plenty of sleep which are good ways to cope with it. Some take to other coping mechanisms that are not very great for the body. Some examples are stress eating, abuse of drugs and alcohol, bottling up the stress, and depression. These bad methods can cause serious damage to one’s health on the body.
The term “stress” has multiple meanings. As Richard Lazarus stated in his 1966 book “Psycho...
I was able to apply my experiences with the two major social stressors. I also learn that the effects of stress can influence someone
A convenient way to think about stress is in terms of stressors and stress responses. Stressors are events that threaten or challenge people. They are the sources of stress, such as having to make decisions, getting married, and natural disasters. Stress responses are psychological, physiological, and behavioral reactions to stressors. Anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, and muscle tension are all examples of stress responses.
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).
First, stress is defined as an unpleasant state of emotional and physiological arousal that people experience in situations that they perceive as dangerous or threatening to their well being (Patel, 14). Stress is a universal feeling to everyone but the word stress means different things to different people. Some people define stress as events or situations that cause them to feel tension, pressure or negative emotions such as anxiety or anger (Patel, 15). Other people may view stress as a process involving a person’s interpretation and response to a threatening event. In any case, stress has many facets of how one perceives and responds to the certain predicament that is ailing them.