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An essay on the causes and effects of stress
An essay on the causes and effects of stress
An essay on the causes and effects of stress
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Introduction
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you can’t think straight and sometimes just can’t breathe? Well stress can do that and much to you. There are many types of stress out there. Each one has different side effects and different ways of affecting you. Growing up my mother always talked about being stressed and I never really understood. But once I grew up and got into middle school I realized how much stress life throws at you. There was stress from trying to keep grades up, keeping my mom happy, balancing friendships, and stress from peer pressure, emotional stress, and physical stress and as I went into high school a new kind of stress developed called chronic stress. But to keep it short I will explain three of the mentioned types.
Emotional Stress
Emotional stress is a big one that isn’t visible to people around you. This stress comes from within and in other words can eat you alive. Emotional stress is the feeling of having nowhere to turn like you’re stuck in a corner and can’t get out. It may be because you have a lot on your plate and feel stuck under everything you have to do. Reasons why this happens are very common. You can’t see it because it’s a feeling, it’s not something you can physically see or hold. This is the stress that can make you feel frustrated and worked up for no reason and just want to cry. Some symptoms are lack of energy or very little appetite, and difficulty making decisions. Everyone has stress at some point in their lives and this is the most common one. I remember a time when I was facing a lot of stress at school and home. My sleeping pattern was all thrown off and I barely ate, but not because I wasn’t hungry or because I was starving myself. No, it was like my body and brain we...
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...e really. All that needs to be done is run. Go work out and let your body release endorphins and natural chemicals that heal your body. It’s a way for your body to take a step back and breathe. A time I had really bad body aches I would put a hot pack on my neck or lay on it to relax my spine and muscles or a hot shower always made it feel so relaxed. Once this happens you will feel the difference.
Conclusion.
Over all there are many types of stress that can come upon you. Self-awareness and proper exercises can really help you reduce the stress in your life. Take a moment every day to stop and reflect and just breathe it all in. one thing can lead to another and before you know it your overwhelmed and you will feel stuck. Know yourself and listen to your body. If you practice body awareness you will be able to correct stress in every categories before it starts.
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.
Everyone has different things that cause stress for them. It is an effect of day to day life and some have more than others. How does stress affect your life? Depending on your stress, rather it be acute stress, episodic stress, or chronic stress. Acute stress comes from recent happening and events that have happened recently, or are soon expected. According to “The Stress Solution” by Lyle H. Miller, PhD, and Alma Dell Smith, PhD, “acute stress causes: emotional distress, muscular problems, sickness of stomach, rapid heartbeat, and/or sweaty palms.” This kind of stress can build up on anyone and dealt with easily.
Stress and the anxiety may manifest as physical changes like increased heart rate, fast breathing, stomach aches, headache, muscle tension, and constantly feeling tired etc. Learning to recognize these signs of stress and anxiety can help us to be less afraid of it.
Stress means different things to different people and stress effects people in different ways. Some people think stress is something that happens to them such as an injury or a promotion and others think that stress is what happens to our mind, body and behaviors in response to an event. While stress does involve events and how one responds to them these are not the critical factors, but our thoughts about the situation in which we are involved are the critical factors. Essentially, stress exists whenever homeostasis is disturbed or cannot be maintained (Stress and the Social System Course Guide, 2013). Homeostasis refers to the body's ability to keep the internal chemical and physical environments constant. As your body begins to react to stress several changes occur. These changes include increased heart rate, blood pressure and secretion of stimulatory hormones. Ones body prepares itself in stressful situations to either stand ground and fight or to flee from the situation. Walter Cannon called this stressful reaction the fight-or-flight response (Greenberg, 2012).
How to Deal With StressMany students go to school full time, and hold a part time job to earn money for school. Most students have about four classes, and each of the teacher’s of these classes gives an average of about an hour of homework each night; that averages out to four hours per night of homework, plus a part time job. School causes a lot of students stress because there are so many things to do, and so little time to do it. Stress is a normal part of everyone’s life; and is not a disease. It is not necessarily good or bad; however, reactions to stress can be harmful. Lack of time puts the stress on many students, and causes students to often procrastinate because they are constantly trying to meet deadlines and they don’t have the time to work on their assignments. Many students feel their grades are important; they need plenty of time to work on their work so they can do good. I can relate to them because if I get a low grade I get disgusted because I put a lot of time and effort in doing that assignment. But I think that a lot of the stress from school is caused, not only by the teachers, but also from the students to do well. Students put too much stress on themselves. A student just has to learn to manage their time well and just do as good as possible. Stress management involves the effort of that student to make emotional and physical changes.
Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing surroundings. It has physical and emotional effects on us and can make good or bad feelings. As a good influence, stress can help motivate us to do something, or help us through the day. As a bad influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression (overall, make you feel really crappy), which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomachs, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes. With the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a job promotion (or demotion), or a new relationship, we experience stress as we change our lives to cater to this. In so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hurt us depending on how we react to it.
"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
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.
Everyone deals with stress at some point in his or her life. Most people deal with it daily. As defined in the book called Principles and Labs for Fitness and Wellness, stress is, “The mental, emotional, and physiological response of the body to any situation that is new, threatening, frightening, or exciting” (Hoeger & Hoeger, 2012). This stress is caused by a stressor, which is also known as “a stress-causing event” (Hoeger & Hoeger, 2012). Stressors can take all different forms, from moving to a new town, having a baby, or even writing a paper (Boyd, Wood, & Wood, 2011). One major stressor in life can be going to college. If not coped with properly, these stressors can leave a person with too much stress that could end up harming them mentally and physically, such as developing an illness (Boyd, Wood, & Wood, 2011). There are several ways to cope with stress. Some healthy ways to cope with stress would be practicing emotion-focused coping, building time-management techniques, and practicing meditation.
Changes, such as sudden trauma, several big crises, or many small daily hassles, cause stress. Intense stress years earlier, especially in childhood, can predispose us to over-react to current stress. Events, such as barriers and conflicts that prevent the changes and goals we want, create stress. Having little control over our lives, e.g. being "on the assembly line" instead of the boss, contrary to popular belief, often increases stress and illness. Many environmental factors, including excessive or impossible demands, noise, boring or lonely work, stupid rules, unpleasant people, etc., cause stress. Conflicts in our interpersonal relationships cause stress directly and can eventually cause anxieties and emotional disorders.
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).
Your mind has the greatest influence towards stress so when you learn how to change your expectations and attitude towards pressuring situations, you can defeat stress easily. Stay positive. When you are caught in a bad traffic, don’t you think it’s a good time to listen to your favorite music? Instead of letting those eyebrows collide in worrying, try to calm yourself by changing the way you think about the situation.
Find healthy ways to cope with stress, such as exercise, meditation, or spending time with people you care about.
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.
Stress affects my health I normally have minor headaches throughout my day, I tend to sleep a lot, during the cold season I get sick easily. My eating habits are irregular, anxiety levels are through the roof.