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The Effects of Stress Essay

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Over the last few years, the term stress and its causes have drawn so much interest. The term stress itself can be historically seen as a rediscovery of the concept which has developed over a number of centuries (Cassidy, 1999, cited in Cooper & Dewe, 2004). In addition, some authors stressed that the term evolved with the feeling of pressure, strain and hardships associated with the 17th and 18th centuries and that what people feel today has been exactly the same centuries over the years (Hinckle, 1973, cited in Cooper & Dewe, 2004). Therefore, the condition has always been there. However, the study of stress has gathered momentum with many different definitions with a typical one describing the concept as the emotional and physiological …show more content…

Many people suffer from noise whether it is caused by neighbours, traffic, or any activity that may cause the body to react in an unpleasant way. In his study, Evans was able to show that children exposed to higher levels of neighbourhood noise (60 or more decibels) experienced increased blood pressure and raised levels of stress indicators (cortisol and adrenalin) than those less exposed (less than 50 decibels). In addition, the respondents especially girls of the noise affected category showed lack of motivation and depression due to their helplessness to change the circumstances. This is known as ‘learned helplessness syndrome’, which is the inability to react to situations and the absence of control on the environment (lesson 3) as well as the belief that events are beyond one’s control (Weiten, 2008). As a result, people feel uncomfortable and motivated and further negative repercussions may arise such as nervousness and anxiety and possible traumatisation.
Moreover, the architecture as a physical aspect can be another cause of stress. For example, the design of flats, houses and offices can bring a feeling of distress since many people pay so much attention to physical space and the size of the place they want to live or work at. Once people do not have control on physical surrounding or on how things are developing such as polluted urban areas or increasing global warming

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