Stress, stressor and stress response might all seem to mean the same thing, but are all defined differently. Most people express or explain stress as pressure or that they feel pressure when they try to accomplish something (Rice, 1999). On the other hand, a stressor is the situation itself from which individuals feel stress and a stress response is the way in which our body acts due to stress, which includes changes in the mental, emotional and physiological well-being (Anisman, 2014). These concepts are important to understand since they can help to determine how and in which ways to reduce stress effectively. However, not all situations of stress are unhealthy or unwanted. Eustress is viewed as positive stress and can benefit mental performance …show more content…
After graduating high school and starting university, many things about my daily routine were changed. My class schedule included more classes per semester and varies every day, with certain classes early in the morning and others late at night. Since there are large fees for tuition, I work more often and longer hours to be able to pay for my degree. This lifestyle has made it difficult to incorporate exercise since not every day is consistent. I have noticed that I prioritize my education over my physical activity since there is a large amount of homework, projects and tests that need attention in order to achieve academic success. Furthermore, since most of my day is spent at school, I have found myself eating food that is readily available instead of well-balanced meals. Long term consequences of not reintroducing physical activity and a balanced diet to return to my recommended body weight can be severe. The extra weight on the body in fatty tissues instead of muscle can add pressure to certain organs, such as the heart and lungs (Kirsta, 1986). It was also shown that obesity can decrease life expectancy in individuals, as much as seven years in reduction and that there is a correlation between obesity and type 2 diabetes (Carson-DeWitt et al, 2015). Since these are just some examples of the serious consequences that can arise due to lack of exercise and healthy nutrition, it is clear why …show more content…
With many different aspects of my everyday life demanding attention, such as school, work, overall health, friends, family and loved ones, I personally find it very challenging to find time for myself to deal and cope with daily stressors at any point of the day. I have always been the type of person to put others before myself, and therefore always tending to other people’s needs before my own. By trying to make myself available to others and never turning down favors or requests, I have noticed that it leaves me mentally exhausted by the end of the day. Kirsta (1986) mentions that it is more common to see a work routine during the day and a resting and sleep routine at night, which can make it difficult to complete very lengthy tasks during the day at the workplace or at home, causing what is called the hurry sickness. This condition is mainly seen in people of type-A personality, who are more at risk to experiencing stress, cardiovascular diseases and anxiety (Kirsta, 1986). Since I associate myself as being a type-A personality individual, it would be important to find a management technique to reduce my risk of developing heart illnesses and anxiety disorders. Organizing time is essential in attempting to reach an optimal balance between work, family and friends, sleep and the self. Generating a schedule which has specific tasks assigned to certain hours or times of the day allows me
Kelly McGonigal's stress discussion caused me to view stress in a positive which I never that was possible since stress is always viewed negatively. Countless times, I have read or heard how horrible stress is for your body, but who would have thought that you can trick your body into believing that stress is a good experience. Kelly McGonigal picks apart how stress can affected the body and heart in a good way. The adrenaline that causes the heart to pound from stress is actually a way the body starts to prepare to conquer stress. Oxytocin is your body's way of protecting itself from stress; a simple stress hormone that helps strengthen the heart for the next stressful experience. However, I know some extremely social individuals that bottle
Stress can be broadly defined as any stimulus that disrupts homeostasis, with the stress response referring to physiological and behavioral reactions to such a stimulus (Selye, 1950). It
Our book describes stress as “any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one’s well-being and tax one’s coping ability” (Weiten, 2014). Stress is not necessarily a traumatic, life destroying event. It can be as simple a small change in one’s daily schedule. People will have multiple stresses throughout their lifetime. Some will be little and daily, but overtime these add up and can affect you in many ways. Stress can be positive or negative and can take many forms; a few being frustration, internal conflict, change, and pressure. All of which make almost a daily appearance in my life (Weiten, 2014).
Stress is a mental or emotional strain that results from a difficult situation. There does exist a positive stress that people will purposely put on themselves to motivate themselves. However, for the duration of this paper I am referring to the negative type that is unneeded and unwanted worry or strain.
The aim of this experiment was to study the behaviour of a beam subjected to increasing bending moments and to discover the stress distribution in the beam for both the direct and shear stresses. This was done by applying a known load to the beam and recording the deflection of the loading points. These readings were then analysed to give the axial direct strains and stresses as well as the shear strains as stresses at the sites of the strain gauges. As a result, the stress distribution of the beam can be calculated.
Sometimes stress can be helpful and can motivate an individual to work harder[6]. This is called eustress. Contrarily, the type of stress that leads to negative behaviour is distress. It is unhelpful and can cause people to stress more and be unable to cope with the problem[6]. Stress can originate from a number of different sources including major life events such as an illness moving, the workplace, and school. Without the appropriate coping mechanism for stress, these events can lead to adverse health effects[6]. Researchers have found that stress can be linked to a number of illnesses including
The word “stress” has become an essential part of our vocabulary today. The American Psychological Association defines stress as “a feeling of being overwhelmed, worried or run-down. Stress can affect people of all ages, genders and circumstances and can lead to both physical and psychological health issues.” There are external and internal factor that causes stress every day. For example in an internal level can be the inability to accept uncertainty, rigid thinking, and lack of flexibility, negative self-talk, and unrealistic expectations or perfectionism.
Stress is defined as one's response or reaction to real or imagined threat, event or change (Known as stressors).Stress is a state or condition which arises when one perceives that the demand exceeds the existing resourses one can mobilize. Stress is inevitable but one can learn to manage it. Stress is thought to be bad but it is not true all the times. Positive stress (Eustress) is perceived within one's coping abilities, it is motivating and ultimately improves performance whereas negative stress (Distress) is perceived as beyond our coping abilities, results in anxiety and results in decline in performance. Chronic stress itself or the associated illness like depression, anxiety can eventually lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disorders
Experimental stress analysis is a method of stress and strain testing of materials, to test for behaviour changes of materials under fatigue. The first method of stress analysis used was the Strain Gauge invented by Edward E. Simmons and Arthur C. Ruge created in the late 1930s to test for earthquake stress on elevated water tanks[1]. The creation of lasers and interferometry methods in the 1960s provided the basics of digital image correlation where high-speed cameras could be used to capture behaviour changes in materials during deformation. As the years went on, advancements in imaging, laser and sound technology allowed for new innovative techniques to be used to measure strain and stress. Some of these techniques include are digitised ultrasound images, non-linear least squares and robust stereo-vision system[2].
My life is fairly stress-free, which makes it difficult for me to give a good detailed example. However, like other students, school work is a main stressor. I tend to complete work the day it becomes available to me, I view it as a challenge, rather than a hindrance. So, my need to complete work right away; rather than relaxing and completing it over time is my main source of stress. I would consider this a challenge stressor since I start with an elevated level of stress, and relax later after completion. Once I am finished, I often experience positive emotions, from knowing I no longer need to worry. In conclusion, I would say I have pretty good control over my stress, which leads me to believe I do not poses the Type A behavior
Stress can be defined as the sum of physical and mental responses to an unacceptable disparity between real and imagined personal experience and personal expectation. Hence, stress is a response that which includes both physical and mental components.
Zajacova et al. (2005) state that stress refers to the non-specific response of the body, to anything that makes a person feels threatened or upset. Stress prepares the body to meet situations which are tough with focus, stamina and strength. It can be caused by positive or bad experiences. Stress is provoked by events called stressors. There are two kinds of stress. Negative stress (distress) and positive stress (eustress). Eustress affects our activities in a positive way (Striker et al., 1999). It is a short-term stress which increases the body's strength immediately. Positive stress affects us during periods of physical activity, excitement or creativity. It motivates and inspires a person to finish a certain task and also helps one think critically towards an assignment (Spector, 2002). Negative stress is the most popular type of stress. It arises when the normal routine of the body is altered. It causes negative effects such as anxiety, depression, fatigue and unhappiness. When a person is distressed, the body becomes unable to return to a relaxed state even when the stressors are absent.
Stress is also linked low fertility in one’s reproductive organs, and can cause problems during pregnancy or one’s menstrual cycle (www.everydayhealth.com). This happens when one is overwhelmed with the stress he or she is going through in their lives. No one person is the same, meaning stressors as well as stress levels differ for each individual. This is why it is hard for scientists to reach the core because it is a subjective sensation related with a variety of symptoms that differ for each of us. Because of this, stress is not always a synonym for distress. Situations like a steep roller coaster ride that cause fear and anxiety for some can prove highly pleasurable for others (www.stress.org). Each person also responds to stress differently. There are numerous physical as well as emotional responses to stress. Stress can cause an ocean of different emotions that are often times unpredictable. It can have wide ranging effects on people’s emotions, mood and behavior (www.stress.org). Stress has said to have been America’s number one leading health problem. It has been shown that stress levels have escalated in children, teenagers, college students and the elderly for reasons that of which have lead to: increased crime, violence, and other threats to personal safety; pernicious peer pressures that lead to substance abuse and other unhealthy life style habits; social isolation and loneliness; the erosion of family and religious
Hans Seyle had coined the word stress as –“the response of the body to any change.”According to his theory, there are two types of stress – Eustress and Distress. Eustress is the good type of stress that gives happiness or motivates a person to do better whereas Distress causes negative responses in the body and can cause anger, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and lot of psychological disorders. Factors that cause stress are called stressors.
Stress is the response to environmental factors, the circumstances and events that threaten individuals and tax their coping abilities. A stressor is a chemical or biological agent, environmental condition, external stimulus or an event that causes stress to an organism.