Stress and Coping with Stress

Concept definition
In this age, it is impossible not to hear or read about the term stress or how to cope with stress since
that is what everyone discusses about or even what everyone says. For example, my 9-year-old sister
told me she was stressed and wanted me to buy her a toy so she could relax with it, at school,
workplace, and so on. In this paper we will try to define what stress is, what the causes of stress are and
how we cope with it and application in real life events.

Stress means different things to different people in different situations. Hans Selye proposed the first
and most general definition of stress: Stress is the body's non-specific response to any demand. Selye
repeatedly emphasized the importance of continuing to use the word stress as a non-specific response
to any demand appropriate. Selye argued that stress is not the same as emotional arousal or nervous
tension because stress could indeed occur before or after emotional arousal or nervous tension.
anesthesia can occur in both humans and animals, and it can also occur in plants and bacteria that lack a
nervous system. We can also look at stress as a state of imbalance between demands (from inside or
outside sources) and our perceived abilities to meet those demands. This is experienced most acutely
when the expectation is that the consequences of meeting the demand will be quite different from the
consequences of not meeting the demand. Stress can be defined as any type of change that
causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. Stress is your body's response to anything
that requires attention or action. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way you
respond to stress, however, make a big difference to your overall well-being.

Hans Selye, M.D His classic and still widely respected work, The Stress of Life, first published in 1946,
gave us this definition: A non-specific response of the body to a demand. It is still recognized today as
the simplest and best physiological definition of what happens within our bodies when we are knocked
out of our comfortable equilibrium. Looking a little deeper into the mechanics of this phenomenon, we
find that the physiological stress reaction is our body’s response to any change, threat, or pressure put
upon it, from outside forces...or from within. Today, much of the stress we experience is manufactured
in our minds. We perceive a threat (loss of job, anger from spouse, not meeting a deadline) and we
begin to worry. Our bodies, lacking the ability to discern a deadline from a hairy beast, still react in much
the same way they did 4000 years ago.

We can also look at stress as a state of imbalance between demands (from inside or outside sources)
and our perceived abilities to meet those demands. This is experienced most acutely when the
expectation is that the consequences of meeting the demand will be quite different from the
consequences of not meeting the demand.
Stress can also be defined as an imbalance between demands (from within or without) and our
perceived abilities to meet those demands. This is most noticeable when it is expected that the
consequences of meeting demand will be very different from the consequences of not meeting demand.

Stress is a condition of mental pressure for particular individual facing problems from environmental
and social well-being which leads to so many diseases

Stress is a common part of life but sometimes we don’t recognize its effects on us. Stress can cause
misdirected anger, mood, and behavior changes. Stress impacts people in different ways and can have
both physical and emotional effects. Stress can be a good thing but too much of a good thing can
become unhealthy.

Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological
strain. Stress is your body's response to anything that requires attention or action. Everyone
experiences stress to some degree. The way you respond to stress, however, make a big
difference to your overall well-being.

Stress is a highly personalized phenomenon that varies between people depending on individual
vulnerability and resilience, and between different types of tasks

Other definitions are detailed by Fink.3 Briefly, they include the following:

• “Perception of threat, with resulting anxiety discomfort, emotional tension, and difficulty in
adjustment.”

• “Stress occurs when environmental demands exceed one’s perception of the ability to cope.”

Stressors/ cause of stress

Causes of stress Stressors are usually assumed to be negative—such as an overloaded schedule or a
relationship that is in turmoil, but anything that adds more demand on someone either positive or
negative can be stressful. Positive things such as getting married, buying a home or having a baby are all
joyful events, but they can also become a stressor. Stress can be caused by internal factors such as
excessive worrying, negative or pessimistic thoughts about a situation or life, or increased anxiety over
uncontrollable events. The cause of stress is dependent on one’s perception of it. Something that causes
stress to one may not cause stress to someone else. Stress is a physical and emotional response to
something happening within ones life.

External causes of stress: • Life changes such as a baby, new home, new job • Work or school changes •
Physical health or medical issues • Relationship challenges • Financial changes • Schedule or workload
changes • Children and family commitments and responsibilities
Internal causes of stress: • Excessive worrying • Negative or pessimistic outlook • Negative self-talk •
Unrealistic expectations • Lack of flexibility • All-or-nothing attitude Stress can cause tension headaches,
high blood pressure, difficulty sleepin

The stress response is ignited by a stressor. Some common stressors include:

 Physical threats
 Threats to our self image
 An important life event
 A fight or conflict with a friend/relative/co-worker
 Tight deadlines
 Loss of something or someone we care for

Stressors can be any kind of stimulation, internal or external, that triggers the physiological stress
response.
Coping
Stress is cumulative. Our bodies are well equipped to deal with a reasonable amount of stress
throughout our lives. Coping techniques are thought patterns and behavioral habits that neutralize
stressors or mitigate their impact on us. When we receive a poor review at work, our thoughts often
focus on ideas like “my manager didn’t really have an adequate opportunity to observe how hard I
worked” or “my supervisor just doesn’t value nontechnical skills.” You’ve probably called these thoughts
rationalizations. That’s exactly what they are; rationalizing is a coping mechanism. (They’re much easier
to see when others are doing it!).

Coping is our effort to manage the demands we perceive as negative. Human beings automatically
develop complex coping mechanisms; it’s part of the socialization and maturation process. These coping
mechanisms differ widely from one individual to another. And they range from trivial to severe. At the
extreme or severe end is what psychiatrists call repression. When something truly devastating happens
in life, especially when it occurs at a young age, our minds may simply destroy all record of it in a
desperate effort to maintain normalcy. The memory becomes unavailable to the conscious mind. You
could compare it to pressing the “delete” key on your computer to wipe out a file. Much has been
written lately about repressed memories with regard to childhood sexual abuse. That is the kind of
severe trauma that can cause full repression.

At the milder end of the spectrum are unconscious coping strategies like moving slower on a hot day or
staying in bed when we don’t feel very well. We also engage in many deliberate coping activities like
putting cotton in our ears to work in a noisy room, cuddling with the dog or cat when we feel lonely or
unloved, or taking a long bubble bath after a trying day.