All about stress in psychology. Stress: stages. Stress state: causes, treatment, prevention. Manifestations of a stress response

Another vast area of ​​human conditions is united by the concept of stress.

Under stress(from the English stress - "pressure", "tension") understand the emotional state that occurs in response to all kinds of extreme influences.

Under stress, ordinary emotions are replaced by anxiety, which causes disturbances in the physiological and psychological terms. This concept was introduced by G. Selye to designate the body's nonspecific reaction to any adverse effect. His studies have shown that various unfavorable factors - fatigue, fear, resentment, cold, pain, humiliation and much more - cause the same type of complex reaction in the body, regardless of what kind of stimulus acts on it at the moment. Moreover, these irritants do not have to exist in reality. A person reacts not only to a real danger, but also to a threat or a reminder of it. For example, stress often arises not only in a situation of divorce, but also in anxious anticipation of a break in marriage.

A person's behavior in a stressful situation is different from affective behavior. Under stress, a person, as a rule, can control his emotions, analyze the situation, and make adequate decisions.

Currently, depending on the stress factor, they are isolated different kinds stress, among which are pronounced physiological and psychological... Psychological stress, in turn, can be divided into informational and emotional... If a person does not cope with the task, does not have time to make the right decisions at the required pace with a high degree of responsibility, i.e., when information overload occurs, information stress can develop. Emotional stress occurs in situations, danger, resentment, etc. G. Selye identified 3 stages in the development of stress. The first stage is the anxiety reaction - the phase of mobilization of the body's defenses, which increases resistance to a specific traumatic effect. In this case, a redistribution of the body's reserves occurs: the solution of the main task occurs due to secondary tasks. At the second stage, the stabilization of all parameters, unbalanced in the first phase, are fixed at a new level. Outwardly, behavior differs little from the norm, everything seems to be getting better, but internally there is an overexpenditure of adaptation reserves. If the stressful situation continues to persist, the third stage begins - exhaustion, which can lead to a significant deterioration in well-being, various diseases and, in some cases, death.

Stages of development of a stressful state in humans:

• growing tension;
• stress itself;
• reduction of internal tension.

In terms of its duration, the first stage is strictly individual. Some people “get turned on” within 2-3 minutes, while for another, the build-up of stress may disappear within a few days or even weeks. But in any case, the state and behavior of a person who has fallen into stress changes to the “opposite sign”.

So, a calm, reserved person becomes fussy and irritable, he can even become aggressive and cruel. And a person, in ordinary life, alive and mobile, becomes gloomy and taciturn. The Japanese say: “A person loses his face” (loses his composure).

At the first stage psychological contact in communication disappears, alienation appears, distance in business relations with colleagues. People stop looking into each other's eyes, the subject of the conversation changes abruptly: from the substantive and business moments, it switches to personal attacks (for example, “You yourself (a) are such (such) ...”).

But the most important thing is that at the first stage of stress, a person's self-control weakens: he gradually loses the ability to consciously and intelligently regulate his own behavior.

The second stage in the development of a stressful state manifests itself in the fact that a person experiences a loss of effective conscious self-control (complete or partial). A “wave” of destructive stress has a destructive effect on the human psyche. He may not remember what he said and did, or be aware of his actions, rather vaguely, and not completely. Many later note that in a stressful state they did what they would never have done in a calm environment. Usually, everyone subsequently regrets it very much.

As well as the first, the second stage is strictly individual in its duration - from several minutes and hours - to several days and weeks. Having exhausted their energy resources (the achievement of the highest tension is marked at point C), a person feels empty, tired and tired.

In the third stage, he stops and comes back“To myself”, often experiencing feelings of guilt (“What have I done”), and gives himself the word that “this nightmare” will never happen again.

Alas, after a while the stress repeats itself. Moreover, each person has his own individual scenario of stressful behavior (in terms of frequency and form of manifestation). Most often, this scenario is learned in childhood, when parents conflict in front of the child, involving him in their problems. So, some experience stress, almost every day, but in small doses (not too aggressively and without significant harm to the health of others). Others - several times a year, but extremely strongly, completely losing self-control and being, as it were, “in a stressful frenzy”.

The stress scenario learned in childhood is reproduced not only in terms of frequency and form of manifestation. The focus of stress aggression is also repeated: towards oneself and others. One blames himself for everything and seeks, first of all, his own mistakes. The other blames everyone around, but not himself.

The stress scenario learned in childhood happens almost automatically. In these cases, a rather insignificant violation of the usual rhythm of life and work, how the stress mechanism “turns on” and begins to unfold practically against the will of a person, like a “flywheel” of some powerful and deadly “weapon”. A person begins to conflict because of some trifle or trifle. His perception of reality is distorted, he begins to attach a negative meaning to the events taking place, suspecting everyone of “non-existent sins”.

Stress conditions significantly affect human activity. People with different characteristics nervous system react differently to the same psychological stress. In some people, there is an increase in activity, mobilization of forces, an increase in the efficiency of activity. This is the so-called "lion stress". The danger, as it were, spurs a person on, makes him act boldly and courageously. On the other hand, stress can cause disorganization of activity, a sharp decrease in its effectiveness, passivity and general inhibition (“rabbit stress”).

A person's behavior in a stressful situation depends on many conditions, but, first of all, on the psychological preparation of a person, including the ability to quickly assess the situation, skills of instant orientation in unexpected circumstances, volitional composure and determination, experience of behavior in similar situations.

Methods for dealing with stress

- This is the feeling that a person experiences when he believes that he cannot effectively cope with the situation that has arisen.

If stressful the situation depends on us, it is necessary to more rationally concentrate efforts to change it. If the situation does not depend on us, you need to reconcile and change your perception, your attitude to this situation.

In most situations, stress goes through several stages.

1. Anxiety phase. This is the mobilization of the body's energy resources. Moderate stress at this stage is beneficial and leads to increased performance.
2. Resistance phase. This is a balanced expenditure of the body's reserves. Outwardly, everything looks normal, a person effectively solves the tasks facing him, however, if this stage lasts too long and is not accompanied by rest, then the body is working to wear and tear.
3. Exhaustion phase (distress). A person feels weak and weak, working capacity decreases, the risk of diseases increases sharply. For a short time, this can still be fought with an effort of will, but then the only way to regain strength is a thorough rest.

One of the most common causes of stress - the contradiction between reality and human ideas.

The stress response is equally easily triggered as real events and existing only in our imagination. In psychology, this is called the "law of the emotional reality of the imagination." As psychologists have calculated, about 70% of our experiences occur about events that do not exist in reality, but only in the imagination.

Not only negative but also positive life events can lead to the development of stress. When something changes dramatically in better side, the body also reacts to this with stress.

Stress tends to accumulate. It is known from physics that nothing in nature can disappear into nowhere, matter and energy simply move or pass into other forms. The same goes for the mental life. Experiences cannot disappear, they are either expressed outside, for example, in communication with other people, or accumulate.

There are several rules to help you deal with stress. At first, no need to run situations that lead to an accumulation of stress... Second, it should be remembered that stress builds up especially well when we are fully focused on what is causing it. Thirdly, it must be remembered that there are many ways to relieve stress, for example exercise, massage, sleep, singing, baths with salt and relaxing oils, steam bath, aromatherapy, relaxing music, auto-training and others.

What is stress? What is he like? In the scientific literature, this condition is described as mental and physical reaction the body to annoying or frightening situations that arise from time to time in life. Stress is also called a defense mechanism given to us by nature. However, sad as it is, in our life it is increasingly working not for the benefit, but against us, and can bring tremendous harm to both psychological and physical health person.

The power of stress

So, we already know that stress is a universal reaction of the body, which, if necessary, serves as a kind of switch on the necessary protective abilities of the human body. However, the stimulus must have great strength so that the body, in addition to the main defense mechanisms, decided to connect several reactions, which are united by the general name "stress". Today it has been proven that severe stress has not only negative, but also positive significance for the body, neutralizing the consequences caused by exposure to strong stimuli. By the way, the stress reaction is inherent not only in humans, but also in other living beings. But since the social factor is important here, people are most susceptible to stress.

Effects of stress on humans

Physicians have proven that stress is one of the main causes of character. Regardless of age, gender, profession, all groups of the population are subject to stressful conditions. At the same time, its prolonged exposure leads to such disorders as increased pressure, heart rhythm and digestion failure, gastritis and colitis, headaches, decreased libido, etc.

Stress by Hans Selye

A Canadian physiologist in 1936 was the first in the world to define the concept of stress. According to him, stress is the reaction of a living organism to internal or external strong irritation, while it must exceed the permissible limit of endurance. Thus, the body fights any threats through stress. This concept was approved by many scientists and served as the basis for teaching about it. Threats in this concept began to be called stressors, which are divided into two main types: physical and psychological. The former include pain, heat or cold, any injuries accompanied by pain, etc. And the psychological ones - resentment, fear, anger, etc.

Stress and distress

According to many scientists, not all stress is evil. He can have and positive influence on the body. Based on this, Hans Selye decided to divide this phenomenon into two types: stress and distress. The latter is harmful to us. It is as a result of it that sometimes irreversible changes occur in the body. For example, stress has been shown to nearly double the risk of heart attack.

Stages of development of stress

Naturally, the first and main contribution to the study of stress stages was also made by the Canadian scientist Hans Selye. In 1926, while studying at the medical school, he discovered that the symptoms of diseases of patients with different diagnoses are very similar. This prompted Selye to think that organisms, faced with the same powerful load, begin to react to it in the same way. So, for example, symptoms such as weight loss, weakness and apathy, loss of appetite, were observed in such serious diseases as cancer, various infectious diseases, blood loss, etc. Naturally, the scientist began to be tormented by the question of what it's related. For 10 years he worked in this direction, a lot of research was carried out. The results were very interesting, but medicine was reluctant to acknowledge them. According to Selye, the body, no matter how adaptable it may be, refuses to adapt when exposed to extremely strong influences. In addition, the scientist was able to find out that different stimuli lead to the same biochemical changes in organ systems. Despite the skeptical attitude of doctors, Selye did not stop there and soon was able to prove that in this case it is hormones that play the most important role. They are the ones that generate stress. The stages of this phenomenon, according to Selye, are divided into the following stages: anxiety, resistance and exhaustion.

Features of stress at each of the three stages

The first is a preparatory stage called anxiety. At this stage, the release of special (norepinephrine and adrenaline) occurs, which prepare the body either for defense or for flight. As a result, its resistance to infections and diseases is sharply reduced. During this period, appetite is also disturbed (decreased or increased), disruptions in the process of digestion are observed, etc. If the troubles are quickly resolved due to any physical activity, then these changes will soon disappear without a trace. And in the case of a long-term stressful situation, the body is depleted. Some extremely powerful stressors can even be fatal. By the way, it can be both physical and psycho-emotional stress. The stages of this phenomenon, if there is soil for this, rather quickly replace each other.

The second stage is the stage of resistance (resistance). This happens when the adaptive capacity is allowed to fight. At this stage, the person feels rather well, almost the same as in a healthy state. However, he may show aggressiveness and excitability.

The third stage of stress is exhaustion. She is closer to the first in character. The body after a long exposure to stress is no longer able to mobilize its reserves. All symptoms at this stage are like a “cry for help”. In the body, various are observed. If this is not dealt with, then at this stage serious diseases can develop, sometimes even fatal. In the event that they are of a psychological nature, that is, there is emotional stress, then decompensation can lead to deep depression, or At this stage, the patient cannot help himself in any way, he will need the help of a specialist.

The main types of stress

Let's remember what stress is. This is a general (nonspecific) response of the body to physiological and physical effects. It manifests itself most often in a change in the functions of certain organ systems. The main types of stress are: physical (trauma, infection, etc.) and emotional (nervous disorders, experiences, etc.). In modern life, occupational stress is also distinguished. Its stages proceed in the same way as in the case of other species.

Types of occupational stress

So let’s discuss what characterizes this state of stress. As you know, often people involved in any activity and performing their work are in constant stress, the cause of which are various extreme and emotionally negative factors. This is professional stress. There are several varieties of it, namely: informational, communicative and emotional.

In the first case, stress arises from the fact that a person does not have time to cope with the task set before him or make the right decision due to lack of time. There are many reasons for this: uncertainty, lack of information, suddenness, etc.

Professional stress of a communicative nature is caused by specific problems associated with business communication... Its manifestations are increased irritability due to the inability to protect oneself from someone's communicative aggression, the inability to express their dissatisfaction or protect themselves from manipulation. In addition, one of the important factors is the mismatch in the style and pace of communication.

Well, and emotional stress, as a rule, arises from fear of real or even perceived danger, from strong experiences of a different nature, as well as from feelings of humiliation, guilt, resentment or anger, leading to a break in business relations with colleagues and conflict situation with guidance.

Positive and negative effects of stress

When we talk about this phenomenon, we mean something bad, negative. However, this is not entirely true. After all, stress is a defense mechanism, an attempt by the body to adapt, that is, to adapt to unusual and new conditions for it. Of course, in this case we are talking about emotional stress, and it turns out that it can be either “bad” or, conversely, “good”. In science, good stress is called eustress. If it is not strong, this condition promotes the mobilization of the body. The stress caused by good emotions... For example, a big win in the lotto, the victory of your favorite sports team, the joy of meeting a person who has not been seen for ages, etc. Yes, joy is, albeit positive, but still stress. The stages of its development, of course, are not the same as described above. However, even positive stress can have negative consequences for some people, for example, for hypertensive patients, even such pleasant excitements are contraindicated. Such stress, as you know, in most cases is short-term, short-lived. As for the negative, it is called the state caused by negative emotions. In science, it is denoted by the word "distress". It has a negative effect not only on the nervous system, but also on the immune system. If the stressors are very strong, then the body will not be able to cope on its own, and this will require the intervention of a specialist.

How to protect yourself from stress: treatment and prevention

In our dynamically developing world, it is difficult to deal with negative manifestations of stress. And it's almost impossible to avoid them. Emotional stress is most often observed in minor people who like to feel sorry for themselves, slander, gossip, and see the bad in everything. To avoid this, a person must control his thoughts, set himself up for good. You can engage in any socially useful activity, have an interesting hobby, go to the gym or the pool, read interesting literature and visit museums, exhibitions, etc. negative effects on the body. What to do in this case? Of course, drugs should come to the rescue here: potions and pills for nerves and stress. Many are made from a variety of herbs. The substances contained in their composition have a beneficial effect on the nervous and immune systems. Such plants include hawthorn, heather, valerian, oregano, passionflower, lemon balm, peony, hops, motherwort, etc. This means that tinctures of these medicinal herbs, as well as pills based on them, will help a person. When buying and stressing, look at their packaging. Some of these plants will be listed here for sure. However, it is best to consult your doctor before taking them. He will prescribe you a comprehensive treatment using various means - both medication and psycho-emotional.

Stress drugs

Drugs that are able to calm down in a stressful situation are called tranquilizers in pharmacology. They relieve anxiety, allow a person to get rid of obsessive negative thoughts, relax and calm down. These can be hypnotics or muscle relaxants. Also in these cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - benzodiazepines - help. They are generally fast acting. Within 30 minutes may bring relief. These drugs are ideal for many nervous conditions and panic attacks. Other medicines that help in stressful situations and are used to treat stress are beta-blockers, antidepressants, etc. Today, the best drugs are Novo-Passit, Persen, Tenaten, Nodepress and others.

Stress and our smaller brothers

Not only humans, but also animals are stressed. Various medications have also been invented for pets to help them in situations of stress and relieve discomfort. Stop Stress cat tablets will help your pets feel great and free from anxiety and other unpleasant sensations. There are similar drugs for dogs.

Many tetrapods are susceptible to various phobias, and Stop Stress pills are the best remedy from this. Reviews from dog owners say that after a few days of admission, the pets will behave like silk, and again begin to delight you with their affectionate behavior.

If you translate the word "stress" from of English language, we get the word "stress" or "pressure". The term "stress" was introduced by the Canadian physiologist G. Selye, thanks to his theory, the concept became popular first in the scientific community, and then came into the everyday life of people. Today, there is hardly a person who would not use this word in Everyday life... Excitement, deep feeling, depression or anxiety are explained to them. How is stress defined in psychology? There are several theoretical directions that study the phenomenon of stress. Each approach complements the previous one, resulting in a big picture. Let's consider the main provisions.

The theory of the Canadian physiologist Selye

Selye's scientific works are of great value for psychology, and the physiologist's research is the basis of many methods, his approach is based on the study of the natural defense reaction. Hans Selye referred to stress pressure as a standard response to any stimulus. During a traumatic event, tension, joyless feelings, defensive behavior are manifested. A long traumatic situation is a pathological condition.

At critical moments, be it unfavorable weather conditions or exceeding the pain threshold, the individual must adapt to the new properties of the environment. Adaptation to various external conditions is itself.

Selye divided the stress response into three levels:

1. The first phase is characterized by fright, the emotional state requires the involvement of all the body's resources. Physiological processes are triggered: blood thickens, an increase in the liver, spleen is noted, and so on.
2. At the second stage, resistance to negative influences occurs, and in case of a positive outcome, the body copes with the effects of the stressor.
3. If the stress pressure is prolonged, then a critical level sets in - exhaustion. Adaptation is reduced, the body depletes resources and is exposed to diseases.

Thus, the approach of the Canadian physiologist links the processes. Stress pressure occurs when the body needs to adapt to new circumstances.

In addition, physiologist Selye outlined the types of stress. He divided the adaptation process into. Eustress arises as a result of a positive event with a high emotional coloring. It serves to preserve as well as maintain life. Distress, on the contrary, is associated with a negative situation, it is always destructive and has a devastating effect on health. Distress is divided into the following types:

• biological;
• short;
• protracted;
• emotional.

R. Lazarus' concept of stress

Selye's concept of the Canadian considers mainly the biological aspects of the influence of stress on a person. But this description of the process is considered incomplete. Scientists divide the types of stress stress into physiological and psychological manifestations. R. Lazarus was the first to suggest the division. His approach is called cognitive theory.

So, the types of stress in psychology:

1. Physiological pressure. Stress is caused by various painful influences, temperature differences, heavy loads and other stressors that have a specific effect on the body.
2. Psychological stress. It is associated with socially significant events and the emotions they cause. This can be worries about loved ones, their health, fear for the future, conflicts, disputes and other social and social incentives.

Psychological stress is a state of great tension that has a destructive effect on the behavior of a person, her activities, and emotional health. In turn, psychological stress is divided into informational and emotional. associated with severe fatigue, for example, the need to master a large amount of information or make a quick and difficult decision, solve a difficult problem. Emotional stress pressure in psychology is understood as a failure to meet social needs.

What are the norms of psychological and psychological differences?

1. By the principle of stimulus action. Physiological stress is contact, and a person experiences an emotional event from the inside.
2. By the structure that implements the types of stress. For example, the influence of a psychological traumatic factor depends on the personality structure.
3. By the nature of the answer. Physiological reactions are of the same type, and psychological experiences, on the contrary, are purely individual and specific.

Approaches to studying stress

There are many theories of stress in psychology.Few examples:

• Lazarus' cognitive theory.
• Professional stress concept.
• A social approach to the study of stress stress.

Each theory presents its own systematization of types of stress, in an attempt to bring them under one general concept, the following types were collected:

1. Organizational stress. general characteristics determined by the solution of tasks at the workplace, the danger in the performance of professional moments.
2. Interpersonal tension. The state is formed in the presence of conflicts during various communication.
3. Social pressure. It occurs during social disturbances, for example, unemployment, regional conflicts, as well as the use of alcohol and drugs.
4. Family stressor. It denotes the difficulties of the family plan, it includes problems with relatives, children, conflicts between clan members.
5. Intrapersonal tension. The state arises with unfulfilled needs, unrealized life potential, lack of recognition.
6. Environmental stress. Any stress arising from the adverse impact of the environment is associated with this term.

Any kind of stress pressure cannot be considered without evaluation. individual characteristics personality.

Transactional form of stress

Some scientists supplement the described concepts. For example, T. Cox draws attention to the fact that the proposed theories of stress are mechanistic, they do not take into account the individual state of a person, moreover, they represent him as a passive object of the influence of traumatic experiences.

A transactional approach to the study of stressful influences proves the relationship between the environment and the person.

If we briefly analyze the features of the occurrence of physiological and psychological stress, then its differences are expressed in the perception of the threat. The ability to anticipate danger depends on the experience of the individual.

Cox argues that stress should be considered an individual indicator, it manifests itself as a result of the close intertwining of a person and a situation. The transactional approach describes a dynamic state that arises when a person has difficulties and attempts to solve them.

Video:"Human Factor: Stress"

Personality in the characterization of stress

Any approach to the study of stressful influences cannot be considered separately from the individual traits of the individual. These include:

• motivational aspirations;
• general character traits;
• the presence of a previous negative past experience;
• general life potential;
• psychological state at the time of stressful influence.

The nature and essence of stress is determined not only by external sources, but also considered based on the psychological structure of human nature. If the essence of psychological stress is an emotional state, then the analysis of the causes that generate stress should be taken taking into account the personal attitudes of a person. One and the same stress factor can cause a strong emotional reaction in one individual, and weak or insignificant in another.

The approach to the study of personality factors is associated with the emotional stability of the individual. According to some studies in psychology, there are people who are almost unaffected by the stress factor. They are psychologically stable and hardy. In addition, they have a strong resistance to diseases that are associated with stress. Thus, the concept of stress and includes a variety of conceptual approaches and solutions. In addition, the influence of stress factors cannot be considered separately from the individual.

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Stress is present in the life of each of us. At work, at home, at the university, in public transport, in public places - everywhere we can face stress. And, as a rule, stress has a negative effect on. Among the most common consequences of the influence of life pressure are such as deterioration of well-being, Bad mood, apathy, irritability, decreased vitality and some others. However, there are also such consequences that we do not even suspect about, and some of them may even shock to some extent.

Don't believe me?

Then we invite you to get acquainted with the most unexpected facts about stress.

And if this topic seems interesting to you, and you want to develop in it even more, we recommend where you learn real practical techniques of self-motivation, stress management and social adaptation in order to always control your emotional and mental state.

Here is a list of how stressful conditions can affect a person:

• Scientists from Sweden were able to find out that due to stress, the growth of many people by the evening becomes 1% less than it was in the morning. The fact is that stress contributes to the tension of the back and shoulder muscles, which makes the person slightly nestle on the ground.
• Stress is often referred to as the "silent killer" because it can lead to irregular heart rhythms, heart disease, high blood pressure and chest pain.
• In addition to the aforementioned diseases, stress often triggers diseases such as liver cancer and cirrhosis. By the way, among those who are regularly exposed to stress, there are a lot of suicides (for reference: in Homer's Iliad, you can find the first mentions of stress - Achilles says that he feels emotional decline and every now and then he has thoughts of suicide)
• Again, a study from Sweden found that men who are stressed about their hearing are 39% more likely to report hearing problems. Scientists believe that these problems arise from overstimulation of the receptors in the inner ear, which is caused by stress hormones and anxiety. This ailment is called sensorineural hearing loss, and if a person has undergone it, it is no longer possible to make hearing better.
• Another unpleasant symptom that causes stress is scabies. Stressful situations activate the part of the brain that is responsible for the itching sensations, which, in turn, can cause scabies, skin growths and other unpleasant things.
• Many people believe that stress can turn a person gray, although this is more often perceived as a myth. But it is known for certain that severe stress leads to hair loss, which can begin within three months after a stressful event occurs.
• Research on stress has also been conducted at Yale University. As it turned out, stress contributes to an increase in the number of proteins that can slow down and even stop the growth of synapses - the connectors that provide communication between neurons. This can then lead to a decrease in the mass of the prefortal cerebral cortex, which is involved in decision making. But the worst thing is that excessive stress can cause Alzheimer's disease.
• If stress develops into a chronic form in a child, it can slow down his growth. the body's ability to produce growth hormone from the pituitary gland decreases
• Despite the fact that the relationship between the brain and the gut is still poorly understood, experts at the University of California at Los Angeles argue that stress hormones have a stimulating effect on the areas of the brain that are responsible for intestinal regulation, which can lead to upset stomach and vomiting.
• Stress negatively affects the female body, namely: it has negative impact on the maturation and release of eggs, and can even cause miscarriage in pregnant women
• Men should not be particularly happy either: stress affects how sperm are motile, and how many there are in general, and can also cause erectile dysfunction.
• Cortisol, a stress hormone, promotes the accumulation of abdominal fat and the expansion of fat cells, which in turn leads to "painful" obesity
• Chronic stress contributes to an increase in cytokines that cause all kinds of inflammation
• Often, a person's response to stress is manifested in the form of hyperexcitation, and hyperexcitation is the cause of chronic insomnia.
• Men are much more likely than women to suffer from stress-related reactions such as hypertension, aggressive behavior, and addiction
• Due to stress in human body hormonal changes can occur that reduce sexual desire (but sex, on the contrary, can help relieve stressful conditions)
• If stress occurs abruptly and unexpectedly, it becomes the cause of the "Broken heart" syndrome, which is otherwise called cardiomyopathy - increased weakness of the heart muscle.
• Stress is an integral part of some professions. For example, in previous years, the most stressful professions were the professions of real estate agent, advertising agent, photojournalist, pilot and surgeon.

After reading these facts, you might think that you need to do your best to avoid stress, because they are extremely harmful. However, we do not recommend you to do this, because stressful effects also have a number of positive properties.

The positive properties of stress

And here's a small list again:

• According to Dr. Richard Shelton of the University of Alabama, stress does not always have a negative effect on the human body. Yes, in the event that it has become chronic, then you should contact a specialist, but if stress occurs only periodically, then this can be beneficial
• Indicators rise when exposed to stress intellectual abilities since the brain makes more neurotrophins, which keep neurons alive and provide communication between them
• Stress strengthens the immune system, because the body, feeling its impact, begins to prepare for potentially dangerous situations, in the process of which interleukins are produced - substances, to some extent, responsible for maintaining normal immunity. Stress mobilizes the body's resistance, although only temporarily
• The body becomes more resilient under the influence of stress, because stress can be called a kind of training of the emotional system and psyche. When a person faces stress and solves related problems, he becomes more resilient to more serious problems.
• Stress. This stress is called positive or simply eleustress. It allows a person to enter a state that saves strength and resources, and as a result of which a person simply does not have time to engage in procrastination, reflect or experience
• Experts at Johns Hopkins University have found that children of women who experience mild or moderate stress during pregnancy develop motor activity faster and
• Severe stress dilates a person's pupils so that he can collect the maximum amount of visual information about the events taking place
• According to scientists, stress is the most important part of the evolutionary process. it enhances a living being's ability to survive
• Stress causes the blood to thicken, which prepares the body for injury (but back side"Medal" is that blood clots may occur due to frequent stress)

In the matter of stress, as in any other, you need to know when to stop: there should not be a lot of stress, but you also need to live in such a way that from time to time the body gets a little “shake-up”.

By the way, do you know what the body becomes much more if you eat dark chocolate and drink cocoa? And if you laugh more, you will be less stressed and your immune system will become stronger.

YOU AND STRESS: We want to inform you that in working with stress, as well as with fears and all kinds of destructive ones, it is of great importance how well a person knows his personality traits. By the way, it's always good to know yourself, because it allows a person to function in the world much more efficiently, not to mention those situations when it comes to stress. That is why we strongly recommend that you engage in self-knowledge, and you can do this by starting to take our specialized course, from which you will learn a lot of information about yourself. You will find a self-knowledge course.

We wish you good luck in self-knowledge and in life in general!

Recently, the word "stress" can be heard very often, and even the past twentieth century is called the century of stress. Today stress also knows no boundaries, and is actively gaining ground in the twenty-first century. Nevertheless, people who have experienced it do not always ask themselves what this phenomenon is. According to dictionaries, stress is a state of tension that makes itself felt under the influence of significant emotional influences. Thus, the body does not react nonspecifically to unfavorable signs of the external environment. These definitions make it easy to understand what stress means. At the same time, and without dictionaries it is clear what the problem is, just look around.

Everything that surrounds a person can be called stress, since this is a part of life, and, moreover, a very significant one. According to experts, stress bursts into a person's life almost at the very beginning of the day, as soon as the alarm clock rings. Then everything happens according to a well-known scheme. Motorists get stuck in traffic jams, others experience the morning crush in various city transport. The category of stressful conditions includes work, challenges to the authorities, family problems, conflicts with loved ones, lack of sleep, and so on. This continues on a daily basis, affecting people's lives.

According to scientists, life without stress is impossible. This means that stability and constancy cannot be ensured in life, and everyday life is a source of stress. It is interesting that this concept began to be used relatively recently, the world owes it to the scientist Hans Selye. In 1936 Selye used the technical term "stress" to refer to humans. It denoted pressure, pressure, tension. More precisely, the term was first applied to laboratory rats. Now, by stress, we mean an emotional state that inevitably occurs in a person experiencing extreme stress.

First of all, under stress, normal emotions change into restless behavior, which entails a number of significant psychological and physiological disorders. Selye proved that unfavorable factors arising in the body, such as fear, fatigue, pain, cold, and so on, cause a complex reaction of the same type. It depends on what kind of stimulus is currently affecting.

It has been proven that for stress to arise, it is not at all necessary that stimuli be present in reality. Often people react not only to the danger that exists in reality, but also to a possible threat, a reminder of a certain danger or an unpleasant situation. For example, stress can arise not only in a situation where spouses are getting divorced, but in the presence of anxious expectations of a breakup. In a stressful situation, a person behaves differently when compared with affective behavior. With stress, emotions are controlled, you can analyze the situation, making adequate decisions. Depending on the available stress factor, different types of stress are distinguished, and among these types, psychological and physiological appearance are of particular importance.

In turn, psychological stress subdivided into emotional and informational... For example, if a person fails to cope with a task, to make the right decision when the information load arises, then information stress may arise. A person is prone to emotional stress with various resentments, dangers, and other similar situations. In this case, the first stage is anxiety, the second stage is the stabilization of all parameters that were unbalanced during the first phase. If the stressful situation does not change, then the third stage is exhaustion, which significantly worsens health.

Under stress, a person's character can change, usually benevolent people become irritable, fussy, and sometimes there are traits of cruelty. If in ordinary life a person has always been mobile, lively, then during a period of depression he turns into a taciturn and gloomy person. The first stage is characterized by the disappearance of psychological contact in communication. Alienation arises, a more pronounced distance arises in business relationships, communication with colleagues becomes more limited. In this case, a person loses self-control, the ability to regulate his own behavior disappears.