Psychological stress. Stress and stressful conditions

Aggression (from Latin aggressio - attack) is an emotionally colored, tough, purposeful attack. Desire and willingness to inflict damage, strike, destroy.

According to L. Berkovits, this is behavior aimed at insulting or damaging another person or object.

The manifestations of aggression are varied. Aggression (aggressiveness) is direct and indirect, directed outwardly and at oneself, physical and verbal, defensive and provocative, healthy and destructive.

Aggression is a type of action or state, and aggressiveness is a character trait, habit and tendency to react aggressively to everything.

It is often said that aggressive behavior is one of the forms of responding to various unfavorable physically and mentally life situations causing stress, frustration and the like. It is true, but aggression is not necessarily a form of reaction; often it is a proactive policy and a conscious choice of a person.

When a person defends his life and his values, he is aggressive. When there is pain and a desire to take revenge behind it, he is inadequately aggressive.
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Why people are aggressive and why people use aggression are different questions. "Why" is about the natural causes of aggression and aggressiveness, see Models of aggressiveness for that. At the same time, aggression and aggressiveness are often a deliberate decision and a deliberate policy. People use aggression to influence others and achieve the desired goals in order to get the excitement of new experiences, thrills, and entertain themselves with a vivid emotion. Once upon a time - in order to defend and raise their status, see Primate Leaders

Do you need aggressiveness?

Aggressiveness can be controlled and uncontrollable. Uncontrollable aggressiveness is more harmful, like uncontrollable fear, uncontrollable joy, and any other uncontrollable emotion. Aggressiveness is not appropriate in relationships between close people and friends, except for comic aggressiveness, when aggressiveness is a game, both parties are interested in such a game, perceive what is happening as a game and enjoy it.

Controlled aggressiveness can be useful, for example, in deciding conflict situations, in which your interests were touched, but did not react to an attempt to decide "in an amicable way". Aggressiveness is sometimes needed where you are being “tested for strength”, and you must demonstrate reasonable firmness, and sometimes respond adequately.

Konrad Lorenz discussed this topic in more detail in his book Aggressiveness. See: Aggressiveness by Konrad Lorenz.

What to do with aggressiveness in society

What to do with your own aggressiveness

Aggression is not always harmful, but it is often dangerous. It is advisable to extinguish your own unwanted aggression, if it is difficult, then extinguish, restrain, at least not incite. These are all tasks of controlling aggression. The management of aggression is broader than its containment; it is both a challenge to aggression, and its direction in the right direction, and control of its character and dynamics. See →

What to do with the aggressiveness of others

WITH aggressive people it is better not to get involved, but if contact is inevitable, then. See →

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Emotional abuse, aggression and stress in the educational process

In addition to the individual and group characteristics of the participants in the interaction, the characteristics of their motivation, needs and goals, the sources of conflicts are often the experiences of the participants in the interaction, stressful states, aggression, anger and emotional stress. The problem of stress is significant for the entire study group and is directly related to the atmosphere, mood, work capacity, productivity and quality of the teacher himself. The atmosphere in the classroom can become unfavorable if in the organization where the teacher works, there are ineffective interaction, overload, destructive conflicts, accompanied by mental stress (stress) arising from the teacher under the influence of strong influences. All working people and trainees experience a certain amount of stress.

Hans Selye (Sally), Canadian physiopsychologist, defines stress how fight and escape reaction ... The word "stress", as well as "success", "failure" and "happiness" (from the English. stress - pressure, pressure, tension), has different meanings for different people, therefore it is very difficult to define it, although it has entered our everyday speech. From a scientific point of view, stress is the physiological reaction of the body to stimuli (hard work, fatigue, insecurity, fear, emotional arousal), i.e. events that make excessive psychological and (or) physical demands on a person, mobilizing his resources to perform more difficult tasks and increasing his adaptive abilities. These stimuli (they are called stressors, or stress factors) cause a person to have a mixed feeling of frustration (from lat ... frustration - deception, vain waiting), inability to achieve a goal, for example, to complete a task on time due to inadequate resources, and anxiety (fear of being punished). Our body, preparing for a confrontation coming from the outside, mobilizes all its internal energy. In quieter times, for example, during holidays and vacations, stress indicators decrease and, accordingly, the body's readiness for aggressive reactions caused by stress decreases.

Types of stress in conflict situations

Specialists, based on the nature of stress, distinguish between the following types of stress in conflict or stressful situations:

Psychological stress associated with the individual characteristics of a person, his reaction to a particular situation. The work of the defense mechanisms of the psyche, the emotional-volitional stability of the individual, the ability to relieve stress are characteristics that affect the degree of a person's resistance to psychological stress. The latter includes the phenomena of the group or mass psyche (fears, panic, frustration, anger, aggression) and all the problems that arise with their manifestation. Psychological stress manifests itself in anxiety, depression, increased irritability, anxiety, increased fears.

Physiological stress occurs as a complication or a consequence of psychological stress, but in some people it may be preceded by other types of stress. Physiological stress is an atypical reaction of the physical (physiological) nature of a person to a conflict situation. This reaction manifests itself in a change in the physical state of a person: insomnia, chronic fatigue, exacerbation of chronic diseases, dizziness, loss of appetite and other body reactions.

Emotional stress - an emotional unstable reaction to conflicts, the inability to cope with the increasing emotional stress during conflict interaction. In this case, the individual spends large emotional resources of his psyche, therefore, stress sets in.

Informational and psychological stress arises due to information overload. In any interpersonal interaction, the human brain receives a large amount of information that must be processed. Excessive workload, numerous contacts increase the amount of information, causing overwork.

People's responses to stressors can vary depending on the personality traits, the person's inner resources, and the context of the situation in which the stress occurs. So, the approaching dates of final exams at the educational institution can be perceived by the heads of the institution, teachers, parents of students in different ways, depending on how much a person likes to find a way out of difficult situations, whether colleagues are ready to rally into a single team and help each other, whether they understand family members need to stay at work for a long time.

Despite the fact that people are susceptible to stress in different ways, chronic stress cannot but negatively affect health. Some people have an active reaction (aggression), under stress, the effectiveness of their activities continues to grow to a certain limit ("Lion stress") while others have a passive reaction (resentment), the effectiveness of their activities drops immediately ("Rabbit stress"). However, in any case, the lack of the ability to manage stress leads to serious consequences and illness. With an aggressive reaction, a person develops diseases of the cardiovascular system (heart attack, stroke, angina pectoris, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, neuroses, as well as dental caries, gum atrophy, liver destruction, etc.). With a reaction of resentment, as a rule, a person develops diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (ulcer, colitis, gastritis, oncology, etc.).

The teacher to constant stressful reactions is prompted by professional activity and the obligatory need for interpersonal contacts within the framework of formal relationships and interaction in educational process... It is in the workplace that the general "stress level" of a person is quite high, since deadlines are pressed, the bosses are bored, nerves and depressing the behavior of others. Some educators themselves initiate or become involved in conflicts, especially in the process of interaction during teaching. A physiologically long process leads to the continuous release of stress hormones. Under the influence of mental stress, the vital functions of the body change. As a result, heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, breathing rhythm changes, muscles are abundantly supplied with blood, the whole body is constantly on alert, insomnia begins before a responsible performance, there is a feeling of hunger, headaches.

Such consequences of stress discourage teachers from communicating with colleagues and trainees, make them take sick leave, or even look for less stressful work. A person can become so irritable that they are not able to interact constructively with others, some even experience outbursts of irritation and violence, therefore stressful life situations are usually socially undesirable. The individual severity of stress is determined to a large extent by a person's awareness of his responsibility for himself, those around him, his attitude to his role in the current situation.

Thus, although all people have different reactions to stress, there are general tendencies in behavior in the practice of interaction. So, in the 1950s. cardiologists and researchers Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenmann discovered two types of behavior: A and B.

For type A behavior (racehorse), are characteristic:

- constant striving to do as much as possible in the shortest period of time;

- harsh speech (interrupts the interlocutors);

- impatience, unwillingness to wait (considers waiting a waste of time);

- negative attitude to low workload and focus on work;

- constant struggle - with people, things, events;

- emerging character traits: aggressive, offensive, ambitious, competitive, work-oriented and always on the move.

The consequence of such a life, as already noted, is ischemic heart disease. At the same time, due to their energy potential and ability to use stress energy wisely, people with type A behavior can become a driving force for innovation and leadership in their teams, in the educational process. At the same time, it is often they themselves who create stress problems for themselves, and sometimes for others.

Another typical behavior is type B behavior (turtle). Usually a person with such behavior does not enter into conflicts either with time or with people, leads a more balanced, calm lifestyle, sometimes is quite energetic, seeks to work hard, bring things to an end, a confident style allows him to work stably and productively.

At the same time, experts believe that minor stresses are inevitable and harmless, and sometimes their results are even significant. G. Selye called positive stress aistress (from the Greek. to her - good; For example, euphoria). Aistress is also essential in our life. Since stress is an adaptive reaction mediated by personality traits, it happens that at the moment of stress in individual people general composure is noted, actions become clearer, the speed of motor reactions increases, and physical performance increases. At the same time, it was noticed that perception is sharpened, the thinking process is accelerated, memory improves, and concentration of attention increases. And yet, excessive stress, as practice shows, is undoubtedly harmful, including for the participants in the interaction in the educational process.

• Hans Selye. Stress without distress. Moscow: Progress, 1982.

Aggression and stress

Menestrel: Anger and aggression are harmful to the male heart. Manifestations of anger and hostility towards others are significantly associated with a high risk of coronary heart disease in healthy men and lead to poor outcomes of heart problems. Cardiologists at University College London / UK / have determined that feelings of anger and aggression increase the likelihood of coronary heart disease by 19% and 24% among healthy men and men with diagnosed heart problems, respectively. It has been noticed that negative emotions more often harm the work of a man's heart, and not a woman's. Doctors from the University of Tilburg / Netherlands /, who also participated in the study, believe that the stressful conditions of everyday life have detrimental consequences for the heart health of men and have a significant impact on the development of chronic diseases in the future. According to them, psychological factors play a significant role in the progression of cardiac ischemia, leading to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system and by increasing inflammation through the activity of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, cortisol and fibrinogen. Men should seriously take the data received into account and try to control their emotions, doctors argue. Link

Menestrel: Negative emotions are useful if you know how to show them, controlling the process Uncontrolled anger can only harm yourself and others, but the ability to pour out negative emotions, controlling them, helps to achieve great success, according to researchers from Harvard. American scientists conducted a study in which they observed a group of 824 people over 44 years old. Those of them who used to worry in silence and not express their emotions were three times more likely to say that they had already reached the ceiling of their careers. The head of the project, Professor George Welliant, argues that it is generally accepted that anger is a very dangerous emotion and, in order to cope with it, it is recommended to train "positive thinking", which eradicates anger. Scientists have found that this approach is wrong and, in the end, turns against the person himself. Negative emotions such as fear and anger are innate and are of great importance, experts say. According to scientists, negative emotions are very important in order to survive. Professor Welliant, who is the director of Study of Adult Development, which published the study, points out that uncontrolled anger is destructive. We all experience anger, but those who are adept at venting their rage while avoiding the dire consequences of rampant outbursts have made great strides in terms of emotional growth and mental health, the professor said. Link

Menestrel: Reading is the best defense against stress British scientists have found that reading is the most reliable way to overcome the stress response. It works better and faster than listening to music, a cup of tea or a walk. Researchers at the University of Sussex subjected volunteers to a series of stress-inducing tests and exercises. After that, they were offered to use one of the most common relaxation methods and the effectiveness of the method for normalizing the pulse and muscle tone was determined. Reading was found to reduce stress levels best by 68 percent. To normalize the pulse and relax the muscles, it was enough to silently read for six minutes. Listening to music reduced stress levels by 61 percent, a cup of tea or coffee by 54 percent, and walking by 42 percent. Video games reduced stress significantly worse (by 21 percent), and the heart rate during the game did not drop to baseline values. The study's author, cognitive neurophysiologist David Lewis, believes it doesn't matter which book to read to cope with stress. You just need to plunge into it, "exploring the sphere of the author's imagination." Whether, for example, horror novels or test books are suitable for these purposes, Lewis did not say. Link

Menestrel: Psychological stress negatively affects financial decision-making and contributes to risky behavior Many people in times of financial difficulties feel anxiety about retaining a job and saving money, but in such a situation stress can only lead to a worsening of financial situation, psychologists say at Rutgers University / USA / ... Researchers have observed that severe psychological stress negatively affects financial decision-making and promotes risky behavior. In an experiment conducted, a group of volunteers were asked to choose between different gambling games for money after their hand was immersed in certain time either in ice water / to cause stress / or in water at room temperature / for the control group /. The participants from the first group, after experiencing physical stress, chose those games that led to the greatest monetary losses, and their choice in the future remained invariably wrong and risky. The results were consistent with the theory of a phenomenon known as the reflection effect - according to this effect, the more often a person exhibits risky behavior, for example, in relation to gambling, the more he will be exposed to various risks with one or another choice. Experts say that under stressful conditions, most of us automatically lose the ability to think rationally and use the power of the brain to make the right decisions. This is especially true of financial decisions when stress interferes with logical choices and deliberate actions in relation to money. Link

Menestrel: Stress accelerates biological aging of the body, according to American researchers. Scientists conducted a study, the results of which showed that stress affects those parts of the hereditary material that play a key role in the aging process of cells and the occurrence of diseases. Experts explained that in human hereditary material, the so-called telomeres wrap the ends of the chromosomes like a protective cap. These caps of chromosomes with each cell division become somewhat shorter - until their length can no longer allow the cell to divide. Thus, telomeres can be used to determine how old the body is. Scientists over a long period of time observed a group of 58 women from 20 to 50 years old. Some of them were nurses or mothers of chronically ill children. Others had one normal child each. It turned out that in women who felt more loaded, scientists found additional biological aging - about one decade. This was determined by the length of telomeres, the activity of reducing enzymes, and by the level of so-called oxidative stress, which accelerates telomere shortening. In addition, there is ample data that show a link between chronic psychological stress and organic diseases, including heart disease, circulatory disorders and decreased body defenses. Link

Menestrel: Psychological pressure at work harms mental health and disability Abuse and social intimidation in the workplace has negative consequences for mental health, work efficiency and family relationships. These are the conclusions reached by the Spanish psychologists High Court of Justice in Madrid and Complutense University. According to them, systematic aggression and repeated pressure from bosses or employees at work are quite common. Experts estimate that, on average, 14% of people have experienced psychological harassment at work in the past six months, 8.2% suffer from abuse of office by a boss or other employee from time to time, and 5.8% become outcasts in the workplace for a long time. ... The most common forms of professional harassment are withholding important information about work performance, sexual harassment and physical abuse. The findings also indicate that women are most likely to experience psychological pressure at work. Nonetheless, experts refuted the widespread belief that young workers under the age of 30 and, as a rule, newcomers are the most vulnerable group to harassment. The review found that the main group of psychological bullying at work is individuals over 45 years of age. In addition, it was noticed that it is the employees with a long-term and stable contract that suffer the most from abuse of office. It was also recorded that psychological and physical harassment is more common in offices with a total of less than 50 employees. Some factors contributing to the harassment include labor union membership and overtime work. Only in 9% of cases professional pressure comes from subordinates, and in 47.2% it is carried out by bosses, experts say. The study found that victims of occupational pressure are more likely to experience stress, fear, anxiety, emotional stress, developed mania and depression, and also have a deterioration in professional skills and a decrease in work efficiency. Link

Menestrel: Extroverts are less susceptible to serious chronic diseases. Extroverts are less susceptible to serious chronic diseases, and introverts are weaker. Thus, in aging women, a low level of extraversion indicates a twofold increase in the risk of death over the next five years. Today in medicine, a new section is being formed that studies the connection between mind and body. It is known that the influence of hormones produced in people who are under stress for a long time negatively affects the health of organs. Like any other bodily injury, exposure to stress triggers a free radical response from the immune system. They, in turn, initiate inflammation in order to repair the organ. This mechanism, but in a long, disturbed form, manifests itself in many serious diseases: from rheumatoid arthritis to Alzheimer's disease and atherosclerosis. The latest study found that personality traits such as low levels of extraversion are associated with increased levels of the inflammatory factor interleukin 6 (IL-6) in 103 out of 130 urban residents aged 40 and older. The patient's degree of extraversion in the experiment was determined by standard psychological tests. Psychologists have found that active extroverts, especially those who highly value versatile activities, as well as commitments and a meaning in life, had low levels of IL-6 in their blood, respectively, such people are less susceptible to serious diseases. Moreover, both the sex and the race of the individual were taken into account, but the influence of character traits turned out to be the greatest, which indescribably surprised the specialists. Doctors have analyzed all definitions of extraversion during the existence of the term and found that they are grouped into five general characteristics: focus on the outside world, emotional stability, openness, friendliness and conscientiousness. "Our study was the first to discover a powerful link between extraversion and stress-related inflammation," said Benjamin Chapman, study author, PhD, associate professor at the Center for Mind and Body Research (RCMBR) at the University of Rochester, USA. - The next step in research is to determine the mechanism of this causation. Then we can develop a treatment that will help patients at risk of chronic diseases increase their life expectancy. " “If, nevertheless, extraversion is associated with the prevention of inflammation, then the conclusion suggests itself that the presence of a person's meaning in life gives him additional strength for survival,” the scientist says. "However, we still have not figured out which comes first: character stimulates the onset or reduction of inflammation, or inflammation causes certain personality changes." The results of this study return us to the idea, expressed back in 1911 by the French philosopher Henri Bergson, about the presence of the so-called "vitality." He connected this aspect of the mature personality with the character, which manifests itself even in childhood, and believed that the fundamental biological reserve of energy can be determined by the level of activity of the child. But then scientists did not undertake to explain the biochemistry of this process. “If we consider all the energy of a person, then it can be conditionally divided into innate and acquired. Innate energy does not depend on fitness and experience, it essentially provides vital interest and needs, says Chapman. “In this case, it is possible to apply methods for treating depression to patients with a low level of congenital energy, increasing the attractiveness of life with the help of important things for them, thereby indirectly training the level of“ love of life ”and, as a result, longevity.” Link

Menestrel: Stress in the workplace, its causes and consequences Stress is a set of protective reactions of the body, a state of tension that occurs in difficult life situations. Figure 17 shows the effect of stress intensity on individual activity, two zones are highlighted. Figure 17 - Influence of stress on individual activity In the zone of constructive stress, an increase in its intensity leads to an improvement in the individual level of performance, in the destructive zone, an increase in intensity leads to the opposite effect. Takeaway: There is an optimal stress level that provides high efficiency activity. Stress is often the result of several reasons, such as psychological pressure at work, poor working conditions, and an inability to effectively organize and manage your time. In order to overcome stress, it is necessary to identify its causes. The use of a diagram showing the main causes of work stress (Figure 18) contributes to this. Figure 18 - The main factors of work stress There are eight groups of stress causes. The first group is personal reasons. Stress can be caused by attitudes, emotional reactions and states, a way of thinking and peculiarities of a person's behavior. Stress can be caused by unrealistic expectations and overestimation of one's capabilities, overestimated requirements for oneself. Sometimes leaders are let down by the inability to refuse someone. Financial difficulties and ineffective time management also lead to stress. Interpersonal and group causes of stress include the overestimated demands of individuals or groups on a person, dependence on others, lack of respect from others, inability to participate in decision-making, etc. Role and interpersonal conflicts are the source of stress. The third group of reasons is organizational. It includes: inadequate management style and methods, low level of coordination of joint activities, uncertainty in the field of goal-setting, inadequacy of other employees to the requirements of the activity, concealment of necessary and sufficient information, lack of "corporate spirit" in the organization. Stress arises from the lack of feedback, especially if the subordinate does not know how the manager evaluates his performance. High competition within an organization and an employee reaching the career limit are additional sources of stress. The so-called "social" group of causes includes unfavorable physical factors in the working environment (noise, light, temperature, etc.). For urban residents, transport fatigue, housing problems, high level crime, etc. A group of cultural stressors: - racial, religious, sexual prejudice and discrimination; - strict expectations of a certain type of behavior from people, according to their status or position in society, infringing on their dignity, etc. The sixth group includes national reasons. The stressful factors in modern Russia are the economic crisis, unemployment, taxes. This group includes national disasters, war and the threat of war, etc. The international causes of stress that we have to deal with quite often today are related to the difficulty of understanding cultural differences and migration. The causes of stress inherent to humans as a species are classified as global. Traditionally, there are four global problems that have different relevance for different age groups. Accepting the imperfection of the human body is stressful mainly for adolescents. Global causes include painful perception of the aging process, the relative insignificance of a person in the world, and the awareness of the irreversibility of death. Stress can be short-term or long-term, mild or severe. The impact of stress on an employee primarily depends on the duration of the stress factors, their strength and the employee's recovery abilities. If the stress is mild and short-lived, most can deal with it fairly quickly, or at least recover. It is reasonable to assume that in the event of prolonged stress, the individual's problems will increase. According to the theory of Hans Seli, the human body, exhausted by stress, gradually loses its ability to recover. Resisting stress weakens people both physically and mentally. This state is called exhaustion, when emotionally devastated workers move away from work, feel helpless. Certain jobs, such as assisting professions (consultants, healthcare workers, social workers) or constantly high stress levels (air traffic controllers, customer service workers, and stockbrokers), are more likely than others to deplete their workers. individuals. Workers whose strength is running out, prone to constant complaints, associate their mistakes with the actions of other people, are irritable. The alienation that they experience prompts them to think about leaving work, to look for opportunities to get a new profession. In addition to increased staff turnover, depletion of forces leads to higher absenteeism rates and lower productivity. In Japan, the equivalent term for exhaustion is karoshi, or sudden death at work. It is believed to be caused by work overload, culminating in a heart attack or paralysis. Once upon a time, "karoshi" were a source of pride like hara-kiri among samurai, but approximately 10,000 deaths a year required preventive measures. Japanese corporations are increasingly pushing workers to take well-deserved vacations, promoting dietary nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Organizations should identify both the types of work leading to early exhaustion and those who are showing symptoms of the condition. In some cases, it is possible to change the nature of high-energy work (to reduce the frequency or intensity of interpersonal contacts), in others - the firm can help employees learn to cope with stressful situations in the work process. Another unpleasant result of stress is moral trauma, the source of which is an immediate threat to the safety of workers (natural disaster, organizational crisis, managerial insult, or loss of a job). Workers on oil platforms in the ocean hit by a hurricane, foreign workers kidnapped by terrorists, members of an electrician brigade who had to witness the electric shock of their co-worker - all of them suffered mental trauma. Three types of mental trauma are widespread - in the workplace, illness of layoff workers, and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of workplace violence. Trauma in the workplace - means the destruction of the self-esteem of employees, undermining their faith in their abilities as a result of prejudice at work, unfair dismissal, discrimination, or a feeling of an employee's inability to achieve expected performance. In each of these cases, such an employee may take on inappropriate responsibility for such an event, feel like a victim of circumstances, and enter an emotional tailspin. Signs of mental trauma in the workplace can include moodiness, difficulty concentrating, and aloofness. These symptoms are complemented by more pronounced behaviors such as being late, absenteeism, and a predisposition to accidents. Typically, the cause of mental injury in the workplace is the sudden loss of a job and its potentially damaging impact on the self-esteem of an employee. This phenomenon became widespread in the 1990s. due to the wave of staff layoffs in companies, which affected more than 9 million. And most of them experienced at least a short-term "blow" to their self-esteem. Individual negative impacts are often exacerbated by a lack of warning (when layoffs occur after management has issued a statement that “there will be no more layoffs”) and the insecurity felt even by highly skilled professionals (job safety quickly lost its relevance to many workers, not only for individual employees). But the stress was experienced not only by those who lost their jobs during the mass layoffs, but also by those who remained in their places. Some of them have suffered the illness of employees who survived the wave of layoffs, characterized by feelings of uncertainty, irritation, guilt and mistrust. They simultaneously felt a sense of joy that they had a job and guilt towards their dismissed colleagues. At the same time, the amount of work they perform has increased significantly, since they are obliged to fulfill the tasks of their former colleagues. But what about the thoughts: "Will I not be next?" Another source of moral trauma (and the result of stress) is the presence at the time of violence in the workplace. A frequently stressed employee takes actions that harm the physical health of co-workers, managers, or damage company property. Acts of violence can include unprovoked fights, destruction of property, use of weapons. In the United States, industrial violence has made homicide the third leading cause of death. Anyone who has witnessed violence, is injured in connection with an act of violence, or lives in fear of recurrence of violence in the future can suffer from PTSD-related disorders. Usually, shock caused by violence immediately leads to stress symptoms. And most importantly, its consequences require long-term treatment. http://www.rae.ru/monographs/46-1505

Menestrel: Prolonged stress and depression cause the development of cancer in humans. Prolonged stress and depression create conditions in the human body that contribute to the development of cancer. This conclusion was reached by American scientists from the Houston Anderson Center for Cancer Research, according to the British BBC radio today. In recent years, world science has assumed a relationship between depression and cancer. However, now for the first time, relevant evidence has been obtained at the biological level. According to the head of research, Professor Enil Sod, depressed patients have been found to have a multiple increase in the content of a protein called Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK), which promotes the formation of cancer cells and the spread of metastases. Moreover, the protein norepinephrine, formed in the body in a state of prolonged stress or depression, acts as an accelerator of the spread of cancer cells. “Our work demonstrates that depression contributes to cancer,” said Enil Sod. Link

Menestrel: Do you know how to put up? Swearing is always easier than putting up. In the process of a quarrel, you can say a lot of unpleasant words to each other. But time passes, and you need to put up. American scientists have tried to find the most effective method of reconciliation, according to the BBC. When is the best time to arrange a truce? Psychologists advise to start by giving a signal that you are ready to make contact. Some of you offered to drink juice (after all, your mouth is already dry), or you start to put artificial flowers in a vase, or you just looked into each other's eyes and realized that you want to make peace - all this is a "green signal" to start action ... Then it is necessary to move on to bodily contact, psychologists say. Physical contact increases blood levels of the hormone oxytocin, which relieves stress and makes you more social, according to research in the Psychosomatic Medicine newspaper. Therefore, whether you are sitting side by side at the same table or sulking, turning away, rather drop your prejudices and fall into each other's arms, the specialist advises. The last and most important step is discussing the conflict. Now you are really ready to settle your differences, but choose your words, otherwise a new quarrel may break out, and you will have to repeat everything again. The conflict can be resolved only if you look at it from the point of view of your partner, the doctor emphasized. You don’t have to pretend and say you’re okay with his business dinner with partners that you weren’t invited to. But trying to understand his motives will ultimately weaken the lover's defenses. Remember the law of physics: every action is followed by a response - if you give in a little, he will do the same. Link

Menestrel: Self-talk helps to keep the situation under control Coping with impulsive impulses helps to talk to oneself, a group of scientists led by Alexa Tulle from the University of Toronto found out. Together with Professor Michael Inzlicht, she conducted a series of experiments in which volunteers were asked to press a button on a keyboard when a certain symbol appeared on the monitor. If any other image appeared, it was impossible to press the button, RIA Novosti notes. So, the specified symbol appeared many times, and other symbols were quite rare. As a result, after a fairly long period of time, the participants in the experiment had an impulsive desire to press a button in response to the appearance of any symbol on the screen. That is, now scientists could assess the level of self-control. In the second experiment, the volunteers had to perform similar actions, but now, when a symbol appeared on the screen, it was required to say a certain word out loud. According to the idea of ​​scientists, such a technique prevented the participants from mentally talking to themselves during the task. As a result, it turned out that people performed more rash impulsive actions if they could not “communicate” with their inner voice as they completed tasks. “We start an internal dialogue, trying to control ourselves. The work carried out has proved that such conversations help us to accomplish difficult tasks, ”comments Thule. Link

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2) stressors of assessments (performance assessment): a) "start" - stressors and stressors of memory (upcoming competition, recollection of grief, expectation of a threat); b) victories and defeats (victory, love, defeat, death of a loved one); c) spectacles;

3) stressors of mismatch of activity: a) separation (conflicts in the family, at school, threat or unexpected news); b) psychosocial and physiological limitations (sensory deprivation, muscle deprivation, diseases that limit communication and activity, parental discomfort, hunger);

4) physical and natural stressors: muscular loads, surgical interventions, injuries, darkness, strong sound, rolling, heat, earthquake.

Short-term stressors are everyday troubles (can be of minor or moderate negative significance) that take minutes to adapt.

Prolonged stressors include critical life events, traumatic events that require a qualitative structural reorganization in the structure of a person's personality and are accompanied not only by short-term emotions, but by persistent affective reactions; take longer to adapt than everyday stressors; Chronic stressors act for a long time in time: as a result of recurring family troubles, overwork at work, or after serious, subjectively significant events (divorce, for example).

Stress reactions are:

Typical emotional stress reactions are reactions of two types: sthenic (anger, anger) or asthenic (fear, sadness, resentment). Among behavioral reactions, two extreme poles of behavior can also be distinguished: the flight response or the struggle response.

The fight or flight response is sometimes called stress reactivity. This reaction is to increase muscle tension, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and nervous excitement, etc. (we will consider the physiology of stress in more detail in the next lecture). This reaction prepares us for quick action. At the same time, our body produces substances that are not used in the future. Then it affects our health.

The longer we are in an altered physiological state (duration) and the more this change differs from the norm (degree), the more likely it is that such stress reactivity will turn into a disease for us. Of these two metrics - duration and degree - duration is the most important.

Stress concept. Types of stress

Stress is a set of protective physiological reactions that occur in the body of animals and humans in response to the effects of various adverse factors. In medicine, physiology, psychology, there are positive (eustress) and negative (distress) forms of stress. In the case of emotionally positive stress, the stressful situation is short-lived and you control it, usually in these cases there is nothing to fear: your body will be able to quickly rest and recover after the explosion of the activity of all systems.

Distinguish between short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) stress. They affect health in different ways. Long-term has more serious consequences.

Acute stress is characterized by the speed and surprise with which it occurs. The extreme degree of acute stress is shock. There were shocking situations in the life of every person.

Shock, acute stress almost always turn into chronic, long-term stress. The shock situation has passed, you seem to have recovered from the shock, but the memories of the experience come back again and again.

Long-term stress is not necessarily a consequence of acute, it often arises due to seemingly insignificant, but persistent and numerous factors (for example, dissatisfaction with work, tense relationships with colleagues and relatives, etc.).

Physiological stress occurs as a result of the direct impact on the body of various negative factors (pain, cold, heat, hunger, thirst, physical overload, etc.)

Psychological stress is caused by factors acting with their signaling value: deception, resentment, threat, danger, information overload, etc.

Emotional stress occurs in situations that threaten human security (crimes, accidents, wars, serious illnesses, etc.), his social status, economic well-being, interpersonal relationships (job loss, family problems, etc.).

Information stress arises during information overload, when a person who bears great responsibility for the consequences of his actions does not have time to make the right decisions. Information stresses are very frequent in the work of dispatchers, operators of technical control systems.

Psychoemotional stress is a protective and adaptive reaction that mobilizes the body to overcome various obstacles that disrupt life, in the event of many conflict situations in which the subject is limited in the ability to satisfy his basic vital biological and social needs.

Describing the stressful process, Selye identified three phases:

1) Anxiety reaction - occurs immediately after the impact of any stressor and is expressed in tension and a sharp decrease in the body's resistance. Excitation of the sympathetic nervous system occurs; the hypothalamus sends a chemical signal to the pituitary gland, forcing it to increase the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which in turn enters the adrenal glands with the blood and causes the secretion of corticosteroids - hormones that prepare the entire body for action and a possible fight against damaging factors. Scientists measure the stress response by increasing blood levels of norepinephrine, ACTH, or corticosteroids;

2) The phase of resistance, characterized by the mobilization of the body's resources to overcome stressful situation... Under psychological stress, the sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for fight or flight;

Each person goes through these two stages many times. When resistance is successful, the body returns to normal.

3) The phase of depletion, which corresponds to a persistent decrease in the body's resources. It occurs when the stressor continues to act for a sufficient period of time.

Stress is a non-specific reaction of the body to the action of extreme factors, any difficult or threatening situation. Under stress, the body produces the hormone adrenaline, the main function of which is to make the body survive. Stress is a normal part of human life and is necessary in certain quantities. If in our life there were no stressful situations of elements of competition, risk, desire to work at the limit of possibilities, life would be much more boring. Sometimes stress serves as a kind of challenge or motivation, which is necessary to feel the fullness of emotions, even if it comes about survival. If the totality of these challenges and complex tasks becomes very large, then the person's ability to cope with these tasks is gradually lost.

Anxiety is a state of mind and body associated with anxiety, tension, and nervousness. There are times in every person's life when he experiences stress or anxiety. In essence, anxiety helps a person cope with external dangers by forcing the brain to work intensively and putting the body in a state of readiness for action. When worries and fears begin to suppress and affect a person daily life, so-called anxiety disorders can occur. Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, fear of losing a job, specific fears, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and general anxiety, usually begin to manifest themselves after age. Anxiety disorders are considered chronic diseases that can progress without treatment. At the moment, there are effective methods of treating them.

The main types of stress - studying the enemy, winning the battle

The desire for peace is characteristic not only of any body in the universe, but also of the nervous system. Any external influence on the body triggers an adaptive response - stress. What are the basic types of stress? There are four main groups: eustress, distress, physiological and psychological forms. The classification of stresses takes into account the degree of the harmful influence of stimuli, the ability to cope with the load on its own, and the rate at which the stability of the nervous system is restored.

What are the types of stress?

In psychology, it is customary to divide such a load into two main categories:

The mechanism for triggering stress is necessary for a person to survive, since it is a form of adaptation to a changing world. Short-term stress tones up the body, releasing energy that allows a person to quickly mobilize internal resources. The excitable stage of eustress lasts a few minutes, so the nervous system quickly regains stability and the negative aspects do not have time to manifest.

"Bad" stress in psychology is called an impact with which the body is not able to cope on its own. We are talking about long-term stressful effects, when the mental resources are not enough for adaptation, or we are talking about a violation of physical health. Distress implies a detrimental effect on the body - in critical cases, a person completely loses his ability to work without proper treatment. Prolonged stress depletes the immune system, which in turn leads to a number of chronic or acute diseases.

Physiological stress is an elementary form of adaptation

The classification of stresses is also based on the way in which adaptation processes are triggered. Categories of "simple" stress take into account the minimum set of impacts - factors the environment, physical overload. The result is physiological stress.

This form implies an acute reaction of the body to the aggressive influence of the surrounding world. A sharp drop in temperature, excessive moisture, prolonged absence of food or drinking water, piercing wind, excessive heat or cold - any such factor requires excessive mobilization. The triggers of physiological stress should also include excessive physical exertion, characteristic of athletes, as well as nutritional abnormalities provoked by excessive or insufficient nutrition (gluttony or starvation).

In popular psychology, a special, nutritional form of stress is distinguished, which is provoked by improper nutrition (violation of the regime, inadequate selection of foods, excessive absorption of food or refusal to eat it).

Under normal circumstances, the physiological form passes without a trace due to the high endurance of the human body. However, in the case when a person is in an uncomfortable state for a long time, his body ceases to adapt correctly and a failure occurs at the physical level - a disease arises.

Psychological stress

Psychological stress is a scourge of our time. This form has become a characteristic feature of the era, since it is directly related to the adequacy of human interaction with society. If at the physical level adaptation is the primary guarantee of survival and is facilitated by a powerful mechanism of instinctive reactions, then psychological stress can unsettle a person for a long time.

Characteristics of the psychological form of stress

The "undermined" psyche is the result of an extreme reaction to two types of influence - informational or emotional factors.

1. Information overload. Knowledge workers know from their own experience what are the consequences of the receipt of a large amount of information. Although information processing is a basic function of the cerebral hemispheres, too much data is detrimental. Failure resembles a computer freezing - the ability to concentrate decreases, the thought processes slow down, there are violations of logic, the sharpness of thought decreases, the imagination dries up.
2. Emotional overload. The actual mental form of stress implies emotional overloads of various kinds (positive and negative), which are an integral part of a person's life in society.

1. Interpersonal types of stress. Psychological stress occurs after experiencing intense emotions for which the person was emotionally unprepared. Sudden happiness is just as detrimental to the psyche as sudden grief. Sudden changes in life lead to mental overload and a state of prolonged stress. Often, after achieving the desired goal or frustration (loss of the desired), a person loses the ability to actively act and experience subtle emotions for a long time - such a specific phenomenon as "emotional stupidity" arises. The main medium for the emergence psychological stress is intra-family communication, as well as professional expectations. The creation of a family and career achievements are included in the set of basic human desires, therefore, any changes in these areas will destabilize the psyche.
2. Intrapersonal form. An acute conflict with oneself, caused by the mismatch of reality with expectations, has a detrimental effect on the psyche, as well as age crises caused by the need to move to a new social level and associated with physiological changes (aging).

Psychological stress response - recovery methods

Psychological stress triggers a set of standard responses. At the initial stage, there is a sharp increase in activity and the release of internal psychic resources. Potentially, a person in an acute stage of stress is able to perform all sorts of feats and "miracles".

Examples of acute psychological stress

A typical example of acute psychological stress is a situation where a person finds himself on the verge between life and death. The nervous tension caused by being in a hot spot allows a soldier to not experience pain from a severe wound for a long time. A mother, observing a picture of mortal danger for her child, is able to activate incredible physical strength and easily push a heavy car away from the baby. A frightened person, who in ordinary life is not able to climb even to the second floor without shortness of breath, will easily jump over a two-meter fence when attacked by a dog.

The consequences of acute stress

When the moment of danger passes, the stage of relaxation begins and complete psychological exhaustion is observed. If physical recovery occurs relatively quickly (depending on the presence or absence of injuries, diseases), then the psyche can recover over the years. However, most often the consequences of emotional overload is a serious physical illness caused by an undermined immune system or a malfunction of the internal organs.

Everyday stress is an office sickness

The nastiest type of emotional overload is chronic stress. The loads on the psyche are not particularly intense, but they occur cyclically - every day a person has to face a number of unpleasant and rather monotonous problems. Lack of vivid impressions, change of scenery, violation of the daily routine and the constant receipt of negative emotions leads to a state of chronic stress.

In the absence of proper treatment, a number of mental disorders may occur - depersonalization, neurosis, depression. A person who does not have deep knowledge of psychology is not able to cope with chronic stress on his own. It is necessary to consult an experienced psychologist who will select the primary treatment. However, in the initial stages (before the onset of anxious apathy and a sense of the meaninglessness of life), a change of situation (vacation) and the normalization of the daily routine help.

Very effective method the fight against chronic stress is sufficient physical activity, as well as frequent walks in the fresh air. In a situation where serious personal changes are observed, it is wiser not to self-medicate, but to ask for help from a specialist.

Stressors - types, classification, impact

Every day a person is faced with many stressful situations. There is no escape from this, which is why psychology offers people ways to avoid or deal with stress.

From what stressors surround a person, and how a person reacts to them, a general picture of his psychophysical and emotional state is formed.

Types of stress - good and bad

The principle of action of stressors on the body

Stress is the body's response to stimuli called stressors. In psychology, there are concepts such as beneficial and harmful stress. They are distinguished by their effect on the human body and by the consequences that occur after a while.

Distress has a destructive effect on the nervous system and on the internal organs of a person. It is he who becomes the cause of depression, chronic diseases and mental disorders. Besides it, there is eustress - a positive form of stress. It does not have a destructive effect and is often associated with joyful moments in a person's life.

Stressors can be any factors that surround a person in everyday life.

Some have short-term and insignificant effects on the subject, while others act for a long time, which leads to chronic manifestations of stress.

One way or another, it is impossible to completely get rid of them. In order to reduce the influence of stressors on the body, psychologists have developed special techniques and trainings to increase the resistance of individuals to stress.

Stages of development of stress

Classification of stressors according to L.V. Levy

According to the works of L. V. Levy, a person is constantly in a state of stress. This is due to any external influence or processes within the body. Levy divides stressors into two types: short-term and long-term.

Short-term stressors

They can occur suddenly or repeat after a certain period of time. They have little effect on the nervous system and cannot become chronic. These include:

1. Failures, mistakes, mistakes. Signals can also come when a reminder of a stressor. If a person independently recalls a past bad experience or someone reminds him of it, then the force of stress can be as strong as at the moment of the event. Basically, the severity of the reaction to memories diminishes over time.
2. Noise, bright light, unpleasant swings, temperature changes. The impact of external stimuli on an individual while performing any work leads to a decrease in concentration of attention.
3. Fear, fear. Expectation and fear of physical pain, fear of hurting others, criticism or ridicule of him lead a person into a state of stress. If a person experiences these feelings for a long time, then they become long-term stressors.
4. The discomfort. The influence of external factors on the human body, such as heat, cold, dampness, etc., causes a reaction of the defense system, which is quite normal.
5. Speed, haste, high pace. When the subject is rushed, forced to do something faster than he is used to, he is exposed to a stressor.

Long-term stressors

Their prolonged exposure not only makes adjustments to a calm and measured life, but can also significantly affect the subject's health.

Stressor - military service

Long-term ones include:

1. Complete restraint or isolation. For example, imprisonment, total parental control, military service, or a regular diet. Any infringement of the body in its usual needs has an effect on the nervous system.
2. Hazardous work or extreme lifestyles. People who do their duty by risking their lives are exposed to long-term stressors. Love for extreme sports or adrenaline addiction contribute to the manifestation of stressors.
3. Background exposure. With a constant need to resist in any of the spheres of life, a person suffers from his psychophysical state. The reason for this may be enmity with some subject or military action.
4. Overwork, prolonged performance of the same type of work. Activities that lead to mental or physical fatigue can significantly affect the functioning of organs and systems.

In order to reduce the influence of surrounding irritants, you need to avoid collision with them or change your attitude towards them.

Influence of different types of stressors

Family stressors

The main stressors of the environment lie not in the outside world at all, but in the family. The influence of stressors on the psychophysical state of a person is classified according to two parameters: they distinguish between normative and non-normative stressors.

The first is a natural stage in the life of any individual. Like any violation of the boundaries of current reality, they cause a stressful state. Most often, eustress appears here. But distress is just as common.

Family stressors - parental quarrels

Crisis moments of a regulatory nature are:

• creating your own family;
• expectation of the first child;
• raising a child, etc.

In addition to such stages in life, other incidents can occur that leave an imprint on all family members. This could be:

• illness or death of a loved one;
• divorce;
• division of children and property;
• treason;
• domestic violence;
• change of residence, etc.

Every family experiences stressful situations that can strengthen or destroy it. Regardless of the age and social status of family members, difficulties will certainly arise. Only the nature of their origin and the reaction of household members to them differ. Poor communication between relatives only increases the impact of stressors on their lives.

Among other things, there are horizontal and vertical stressors in family stress.

These are the lines of development of stressful situations that have an impact not only on the current situation, but also on the future life of people. This fact once again confirms that people, for the most part, repeat the life of their parents.

What can be a stressor - checklist

Stressors by degree of control

Depending on the events taking place in a person's life, his further destiny is formed. But the main thing that the body takes out of any stress is memory. Lack of stress resistance is compensated by aggressiveness and conflict attitude towards others. Over time, the subject becomes so accustomed to this state of affairs that he does not see any other response options at all.

Psychologists have compiled a gradation of types of stressors: from those that can be influenced by a person to stressors that are not subject to the will of the subject. This helps to better understand the nature of the origin of stressors and develop principles for dealing with them.

2 types of stressors

The classification of stressors according to the degree of control can be considered using the following example:

• A torn off button on a favorite suit - this factor can be completely corrected by the forces of the subject himself;
• The lack of money or other material values ​​can also be corrected. But you have to make more effort and spend a significant amount of time;
• Quarrels in the family - to rectify the situation will require a mutual desire of opponents, it is very problematic to resolve the situation on your own;
• Illness - such a stressor cannot always be changed even with a great desire and aspiration;
• Country of residence - can be corrected, but it will take a lot of effort for this, without a certain material base, this stressor cannot be excluded;
• A human government alone cannot change this fact;
• The era - such a stressor cannot be changed in any way.

Illness is a serious stressor

If you look at this list, it becomes clear that it is precisely those stressors that a person himself can influence cause more discomfort. From this, we can conclude that avoiding most distress is not so difficult.

Occupational stressors

Labor activity is the root of most disorders of the psychophysical state, as well as chronic neuroses in middle-aged people. Unbearable loads, as well as pressure from the leadership, put the subject into a stressful state. The person lives this story day after day, and the stress becomes chronic.

Occupational stressors - types

Labor stressors look like overload and underload at work:

• Excessive work activity has an extremely negative effect on the body. It leads to the depletion of a person's physical and psychological resources.
• The lack provokes problems with the perception of the usefulness of one's "I". Low self-esteem and irritability are possible.

Excess and lack of labor activity have almost the same effect on the body.

Job stressors manifest themselves at the moment when the requirements for him become incomprehensible to a person. Uncertainty causes feelings of anxiety and self-inferiority.

Career stressors are nothing more than a promotion or, conversely, its absence, or dismissal. The influence is also exerted by such a factor as injustice in relation to employees. Personality factors indicate problems in reconciling work and personal life.

Conclusion

Using the example of various types of stressors, the influence of the characteristics of the impact of stress resistance can be considered. The higher it is in a person, the less distressed he is.

Depending on the subject's lifestyle, various stressors act on him. Their influence can be reduced, but it is simply unrealistic to avoid them completely, because stress is an integral part in the process of human life. It is thanks to stressors that his habits and instincts are formed, which are passed from generation to generation and determine the behavioral reactions of various groups of people.

Types of stress

The concept has two meanings - "stress caused by positive emotions" and "light stress, mobilizing the body."

A negative type of stress that the body cannot cope with. It undermines human health and can lead to serious illness. The immune system suffers from stress. When stressed, people are more likely to become victims of infection, since the production of immune cells decreases markedly during periods of physical or mental stress.

Emotional stress refers to the emotional processes that accompany stress and lead to adverse changes in the body. During stress, the emotional response develops earlier than others, activating the autonomic nervous system and its endocrine supply. With prolonged or repeated stress, emotional arousal can stagnate, and the functioning of the body can go wrong.

Psychological stress, as a type of stress, is understood differently by different authors, but many authors define it as stress caused by social factors.

What is stress from a practical point of view? To understand this, let's look at the main symptoms of stress:

A constant feeling of irritation, depression, and sometimes for no particular reason.

Bad, restless sleep.

Depression, physical weakness, headache, fatigue, unwillingness to do anything.

Decreased concentration, making it difficult to study or work. Memory problems and decreased thought process speed.

Inability to relax, to put aside your affairs and problems.

Lack of interest in others, even in best friends, in family and friends.

Constantly arising desire to cry, tearfulness, sometimes turning into sobs, melancholy, pessimism, self-pity for a loved one.

Decreased appetite - although it happens the other way around: excessive absorption of food.

Nervous tics and obsessive habits often appear: a person bites his lips, bites his nails, etc. There is fussiness, distrust of everyone and everyone.

Selye later introduced the concept of "positive stress" ( Eustress), and designated "negative stress" as distress.

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

Under the influence of stress, the indicators of intellectual abilities increase, because the brain makes more neurotrophins, which keep neurons alive and provide communication between them

Stress strengthens the immune system, because the body, feeling its effect, 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 for the emotional system and psyche. When a person faces stress and solves related problems, they become more resilient to more serious problems.

Stress forms motivation... Such 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 the children of women who have experienced mild to moderate stress during pregnancy develop motor activity faster and motor skills

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, because it enhances a living being's ability to survive

Stress promotes blood clotting, which prepares the body for injury (but the flip side of the "coin" is that blood clots can occur due to frequent stress)

How to deal with stress?

Many prevention methods can be performed without the help of a specialist. For example, for those who constantly live in a nervous environment and face stressful situations on a daily basis, psychotherapists advise:

to relate easier to ongoing events and not take them to heart;

learn to think positively by finding positive features in every incident;

switch to pleasant thoughts. If you are overcome by any negativity, force yourself to think about something else;

laugh more. As you know, laughter not only prolongs life, but also helps to get rid of nervous tension;

study physical education since sports are good at helping to get rid of negativity and cope with stress.

Avoid unnecessary stress.

All stressful situations cannot be avoided. There are, of course, those that, in spite of their nuisance, must be resolved. However, there is a huge amount of stress in life that can still be avoided.

Try to change the situation.

If you can't avoid a stressful situation, try changing it. Find out how you can change things so that this problem does not arise in the future. This is often due to changes in interpersonal communication and work in your daily life.

Stressor adaptation

If you cannot change the stressful situation, then change your attitude and adapt to it. Look at stress from a slightly different angle.

Accept what you cannot change

Some sources of stress are inevitable. You cannot prevent or change the stress caused by severe illness or death of a loved one, crisis, etc. In such cases, the best way to deal with stress is to accept these situations as they are.

Take time to relax and have fun

Making time for relaxation and fun on a regular basis means you will be better protected from the inevitable stressful situations.

Lead a healthy lifestyle

You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.

Stress types and stages

The set of various adverse reactions that mainly arise in the human body due to the influence of negative factors are called stressful situations or stress. In simple terms, stress is a psychological, physiological and moral disorder of a person, which occurs due to the influence of the following factors:

These are just a few of the main causes of stress, but in fact there are many more, which is very unfavorable for a person. Every day, stress accompanies each person, this unfavorable malaise affects everyone and everyone, therefore it is important to know the main types and stages of such disorders, as well as ways to combat and prevent.

Types of stress

The end result of the development of stress entailed dividing it into two types:

These types of stress have opposite characteristics, so let's take a closer look at them.

1. Eustress is an influence on the human body mainly from the positive side. In this case, the disorder is justified by positive emotions, for which the person is ready and confident that he can cope with them. Eustress is also called the awakening reaction, since positive emotions are the main driving force of a person to positive actions. This type is a kind of adrenaline rush that a person receives due to any positive emotion or joy. Eustress is not a dangerous form of the disease and has predominantly positive properties.
2. Distress is the reverse reaction of eustress to the body. Distress occurs as a result of exposure to critical overvoltage on the body. It is distress that is the main type of stress state and, accordingly, a person's psychological disorder. Distress is also called harmful stress, since it only contributes to a negative effect on the body and the development of other types of diseases in humans.

Distress is subdivided into the following subtypes:

Each of the presented species has a negative effect on humans, thereby causing various disorders and diseases. Stress can arise either spontaneously, in the event of unfavorable news, or build up over the years. The accumulated type is the most dangerous, since against its background the development of a chronic disease is carried out, from which it is impossible to get rid of.

Let's take a closer look at what each subtype of distress is.

• Psychological and emotional distress. This ailment is associated exclusively with experiences against the background of various emotions. The consequences of the psychological type of the disease are unfavorable relations with society. The emotional appearance occurs when the body is influenced by both positive emotions (eustress) and negative (distress). Emotional types include, for example, an increase in wages, a promotion, the death of a loved one.
• Physiological distress. This type occurs through the negative impact on the body of the following factors: heat, hunger, thirst, cold, love and others. In the case of exposing his body to one of the above factors, a person is forced to harm himself. Even after the cessation of exposure to these factors, a person continues to develop an unfavorable condition. As a result of the impact of negative factors, the following series of negative consequences arises: lack of sleep, stomach problems, overwork, and others.
• Chronic distress. This type is the most dangerous, since a person is negatively influenced on a daily basis, even without the presence of appropriate reasons. The consequences in a chronic species are the most unfavorable, as they lead to the development of suicide, depression, a nervous breakdown, etc. Often, people diagnosed with chronic stress end up in a mental hospital. The disease does not respond to treatment, which makes it even more dangerous.
• Nervous distress. This type occurs mainly under the influence of excessive stress. It can affect both an absolutely healthy person and people diagnosed with anxiety neurosis. The development of this species is mainly influenced by the individual states of the human nervous system.

There are also two additional types: managerial and informational stress.

Informational is characterized by the provocation of a disorder due to the lack of information for making an important decision. Very often, on the way, a person has to face moments when he must immediately make a decision and both his future and the future of other people will depend on its result.

The managerial view is something similar to the informational view, but the only difference is the responsibility for the decision.

Thus, knowing the main types of stress, let's consider the causes of their occurrence.

Causes

The main causes of psychoemotional disorders in humans are the so-called stressors. There are three groups of stressors that have their own causes.

1. Uncontrolled. These include the following reasons for the negative impact on a person: taxes, worsening weather, an increase in the exchange rate, inflation. Under the influence of such reasons, a person becomes more and more nervous and worried every day, as a result of which a mental disorder occurs.
2. Subordinate. These are the reasons that a person can correct, but does not do it due to self-doubt and other signs. Examples of such reasons are: inability to plan the day, inability to prioritize, etc.
3. Unauthorized. They are caused by the transformation of everyday life into a problem. A person worries about every little thing, as a result of which everything is deposited in the brain and, over time, gives its negative impact.

The cause of the development of chronic stress is any negative psychological disorder that accompanies a person for a long time.

For your information! Many people consider everyday life stressful and believe that treating nervous disorders is unnecessary. But, few people know that it is precisely all fatal, oncological and mental endings that come from stress.

Symptoms

Almost everyone has psychological disorders, so it is important to know the main symptoms of stress in order to be able to detect it with a view to further treatment. The symptoms of stress for each species are almost identical and are characterized by the following manifestations:

• The person has an increase in anxiety;
• Constant tension, which leads to the impossibility of relaxing a person;
• Manifestation of irascibility, anxiety, nervousness, irritability and aggression.
• The emergence of inappropriate responses to various stimuli;
• Decreased concentration of attention;
• The appearance of apathy, sadness;
• Feeling overwhelmed and depressed;
• Impossibility of getting pleasure from pleasant events;
• Feeling of dissatisfaction and resentment towards others;
• Capriciousness to the smallest details;
• Violation of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract: the patient either loses his appetite, or, conversely, becomes more likely to eat;
• Sleep disturbances, insomnia and early awakening;
• There is a change in behavior for the worse.

All these symptoms are the main signs of the presence of psychological disorders in a person and indicate that you need to immediately consult a doctor.

Stages and symptoms

Stages of stress, or they are also called phases, are divided into three stages, through which psychological illness proceeds. So, the stages of stress are called:

The stage of anxiety arises when an irritant directly influences the human body. As a result of the negative influence, stress hormones are released, which are mainly aimed at protection or flight. The adrenal glands, the digestive system and immunity are involved in the construction of this stage. At the very beginning of the initiation of this stage, there is a sharp decrease in protective function organism, which leads to the manifestation of various diseases. If the stage of anxiety is resolved for a short period of time (i.e. physical struggle, flight, decision-making), then the symptoms of the disease disappear, but there is always a tendency to their appearance. In the case of prolonged influence on the body, its constant depletion occurs. In some critical situations, the initial stage is fatal.

The symptoms of the initial stage are almost invisible, since a person writes off all negative manifestations of fatigue. Often, the initial stage is characterized by nervousness, agitation and a state of constant or intermittent tension.

The stage of resistance. In the case of the prevalence of the strength of the influence of the stressor over the possibility of adaptation of the organism, the signs of anxiety disappear and the level of resistance of the organism increases.

Resistance goes to a higher level, and, in turn, anxiety, nerves and aggression disappear or reduce their manifestations. If you do not solve the problem of stress in time, then the body will not be able to provide long-term resistance and the stage of exhaustion will come.

Symptoms of the second stage are mainly caused by an increase in the body's fatigue, even if the person did not perform physical and intellectual activities. Nervousness, agitation, frequent headaches and even dizziness are also observed. Shortness of breath and tachycardia begin to appear, digestion is disturbed and trembling of the limbs is noticed.

Exhaustion stage. The body's resistance limit decreases markedly and the first stage begins to gain momentum, but already without the possibility of reversible processes. The third stage almost always has a sad outcome, if the stressor acted as a physical stimulus, then the person will face a fatal outcome, and in the case of a psychological aggressor, problems are observed corresponding to this level.

Symptoms of this stage are mainly characterized by the appearance of persistent apathy, bad mood, inability to have fun. Often, in the last stage, a person experiences sleep disturbance, which leads to lack of sleep and drowsiness while awake.

Stages of stress are not yet fully investigated, and their study continues to this day, so medicine does not stand still and is looking for cardinal solutions to the global type of disease.

Prevention and treatment

If we talk about stress prevention, then, unfortunately, this is a rather difficult stage, because even pessimists show these symptoms. To get rid of emotional influence, a person needs to spend more time with his family, enjoy life, praise himself and his loved ones, enjoy life, relax, take breaks and be distracted from problems at work or at home with the help of hobbies and hobbies. Such relief will not only get rid of the signs of stress, but also make life easier.

If, for many reasons, a person does not have the opportunity for such preventive actions, then it is necessary to resort to timely medical treatment. The main helpers will be pills and potions for apathy, nerves and stress. In such situations, tablets and potions based on various medicinal, and, most importantly, natural herbs are especially appreciated.

Important! Before starting self-medication, you should consult your doctor for advice and diagnosis. The doctor, upon detecting problems, will prescribe or recommend medications that will really have a positive effect.

Today, the most popular drugs are:

In the event of an exacerbation of psychological disorders, treatment with more serious medications will be required: tranquilizers, non-steroids or benzodeazepines and beta-blockers.

Of great importance in the prevention and treatment of stress is the place and the conduct of a healthy lifestyle, which is the key to health and longevity. Learn to be happy and you can get rid of many problems and diseases.

Types of stress and classification - description, features and consequences

Anyone is faced with stress. On the way to work, during the work day, and upon returning home, people face stressful situations.

For some, this way of life becomes habitual, they gradually adapt to it, and this is sad. After all, the consequence of nervous overstrain can be various physical and mental pathologies.

Stress: concept, types

As a result of events that occur in people's lives (conflicts, haste, troubles at the workplace, difficulties with money), phenomena arise that affect the activity of the body. The complex of these symptoms is called stress. This is a combination of physiological and psychological reactions... To prevent such conditions, to successfully cope with them, you should have a clear understanding of stress, types, causes of this phenomenon.

There are several different classifications of this concept. According to one of them, eustress and distress are distinguished. The first category is a situation that affects a person more positively than negatively. With eustress, even anxiety and emotional stress are accompanied by the realization that the obstacles that have arisen can be overcome. Such a phenomenon as a whole has a positive effect on the body, and its presence in life is necessary. Unlike the first type, the second - distress - is a violation of psychological balance. This phenomenon has a negative effect on the state of the body.

Harmful stress types

So, nervous overstrain does not always negatively affect a person. With eustress, people channel their energies and use their inner reserves to get results. When the goal is achieved, they feel joy and satisfaction. However, in distress, the situation is the opposite. This phenomenon occurs suddenly or develops gradually. In any case, it leads to the emergence of diseases, mental disorders. Types of emotions, stresses of this nature provoke only negative ones. So, the following types of overvoltage have a destructive effect on the human body:

If a stressful state is constantly present in a person's life, it becomes more and more difficult for the body to resist overstrain and cope with it. This leads to a decrease in immunity, severe pathologies and even death.

Physiological overstrain

This is a type of stress that occurs due to negative influence factors external environment... This can be hypothermia, overheating, lack of sufficient drinking water and food. In the case when people consciously condemn themselves to such tests, they must understand what consequences these phenomena can cause. Even after the negative influence of environmental factors has ceased, a person needs a recovery period. Physiological stress includes the following types:

1. Chemical (arises from the influence of certain substances on the processes occurring in the human body).
2. Biological (due to the presence of viral, infectious or other pathologies).
3. Physical (associated with intense sports by professionals).
4. Mechanical (caused by injury to an organ, part of the body, or by surgery).

Among the types of stress that are common today, overexertion associated with eating disorders is highlighted. However, if dietary restrictions do not last long, they do not cause severe harm to the body.

Psychological and emotional stress

This phenomenon represents overstrain due to circumstances that cause anxiety and intense experience. Sometimes a person tends to invent problems for himself and feel anxiety about non-existent difficulties. However, psychological stress occurs even in this case. This phenomenon is short-lived. In some situations, mobilizing the body's resources can save a person's life. Short-term distress occurs suddenly and is associated with danger. It usually goes away quickly and does not have a negative effect on the body. Chronic distress is constant emotional stress. It affects the body and psyche of people negatively, provokes feelings of fear, depression and even suicide attempts. There is also nervous distress. This is a condition that accompanies people with neuroses. Such people need the help of a specialist.

Types of stress in psychology

This phenomenon occurs as a result of experiences associated with a personal crisis or interaction with others. There are the following types of psychological stress:

1. Personal (arises from the lack of harmony of a person with himself).
2. Interpersonal (appears as a result of quarrels in the family, tensions within the work collective).
3. Emotional (arises from strong feelings, accompanies long-term or chronic overstrain).
4. Professional (appears as a result of problems in work).
5. Informational (arises due to the fast pace of life, a large number of tasks that a person is forced to solve and with which it is difficult for him to cope).
6. Environmental (appears due to the negative effects of environmental factors).

Various stressful situations inevitably arise in everyone's life. Otherwise, human existence would be meaningless. However, psychological stress is often associated not so much with the current situation as with how a particular person reacts to it.

Stages of development of stress reactions

So, the human body in a certain way responds to the effects of factors that cause overvoltage. There are several phases of stress responses. It is customary to consider the following stages:

1. Anxiety phase (involves the activation of defense mechanisms and the mobilization of the body's resources to combat overvoltage).
2. The stage of resistance (involves a decrease in the activity of mechanisms that help fight stress). If the body cannot withstand the action of a strong irritant, it weakens.
3. Exhaustion phase (characterized by severe fatigue, decreased activity, painful symptoms).

Almost all types of psychological stress involve the passage of these stages. The intensity of the body's reactions depends on how strong the overstrain is and how long a person experiences it.

Signs of stress

Severe emotional stress is accompanied by the appearance of a number of symptoms. Signs of stress include:

1. Increased excitability.
2. Constant experiences, inability to distract from them.
3. Deterioration of cognitive functions.
4. Irritability.
5. Passivity.
6. Depressed mood.
7. Sleep disturbances.
8. Decreased or increased appetite.

Such symptoms indicate that a person has mental disorders and needs the help of a specialist.

Psychological characteristics and their influence on the occurrence of stress reactions

It is known that some individual characteristics of a person explain how he behaves in conditions of overvoltage. As a result of many years of observations, specialists have been able to establish the relationship between psychological characteristics and demeanor in difficult circumstances.

People with a melancholic type of temperament feel intense fear and anxiety when stressed. They tend to blame themselves for the situation, panic, and cannot show willpower.

Choleric people in critical situations demonstrate aggression, break down on others. Often, due to increased excitability, they develop pathologies such as peptic ulcer, high blood pressure, heart problems. Persons with a choleric temperament find it difficult to come to terms with the current situation, they cannot accept it.

Phlegmatic people, as a rule, try to be balanced in difficult circumstances. They are looking for salvation from stress in food, and this provokes the problem of excess weight. When overstrained, phlegmatic people often show withdrawal, drowsiness, lethargy, unwillingness to cope with difficulties.

Sanguine people in stressful situations try to think positively, to maintain self-confidence. They are able to exercise willpower and deal effectively with overexertion.

The reaction to different types of stress, the emotional response to it, is largely laid down in childhood. If the mother and father taught the child not to panic, to adequately assess himself and his capabilities, he will be able to resist the negative influence of difficult life circumstances in the future.

Acute stress reactions

Such phenomena occur when a person finds himself in critical situations that threaten his life, or becomes a witness to them. These can be military actions, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, accidents, road accidents, crimes. Such situations have a negative impact not only on those who have suffered physical and mental damage, but also on their family and friends. The types of acute reactions to stress are as follows:

1. Overexcitement, increased physical activity (manifested against the background of severe fear, panic, when a person is not able to control his actions).
2. Inhibition (decreased activity, lethargy, indifference to what is happening, lack of desire to talk and take any action).

Often, people who have become participants in or witnesses to any traumatic event experience such a strong emotional stress that they need medical attention.

Types of stress in professional activity

Anyone who works faces emotional stress. It is connected both with work activity and with communication and between superiors and subordinates, within the team. Occupational stress types include:

1. Communicative (associated with interpersonal relationships between people working in a team).
2. Professional stress of achievement (arises from the fear of doing the job wrong, not achieving the set goals).
3. Professional stress of competition (striving to be better than colleagues, unjustified sacrifices for this).
4. Stress of success (a feeling of meaninglessness of those efforts that were aimed at achieving a result).
5. Submission stress (fear of responsibility, fear of bosses, increased anxiety in the performance of duties).
6. Overstrain associated with routine (a phenomenon typical for office workers who have to solve rather monotonous tasks, lack of novelty, positive emotions).

Experiences associated with professional activities, often lead to mental disorders and the development of depressive disorders. Sometimes rest, doing what you love, sports, or traveling can help you cope with the problem. But if stress has acquired a chronic course, the help of a psychologist is needed.

How to prevent emotional stress?

Having an idea of ​​the types of stress and its symptoms, many people ask the question about methods of dealing with this phenomenon. Coping with overvoltage is not easy, because it is not always possible for people to prevent or avoid situations that provoke it. However, if you adhere to general recommendations (get enough sleep, play sports, carry out free time with loved ones, think positively), you can significantly reduce overstrain. But not everyone is able to deal with stress effectively. If the situation is too difficult, you can seek medical help. Typically, sedatives can help relieve unpleasant experiences. However, medications should only be taken as directed by your doctor. If there is chronic stress in a person's life, he must develop tactics to deal with it, since this phenomenon is dangerous because it provokes health problems.

People say that all diseases are from the nerves. And this statement is partly true. The impact of stress on human health is one of the most serious and pressing issues today. The fast pace of life, psychological stress and the desire to have time for everything make themselves felt. People often get sick, citing overwork or stress. What is it and what are

What do we know about stress?

Stress has long been an integral part of life, perhaps, of every person. Psychologists mean by this word a special and neuropsychic stress. In modern conditions, it is almost impossible to avoid it. At the same time, different people have different reactions to the same load. So, for example, one group reacts actively, that is, their work performance continues to grow to the maximum possible limit (psychologists call this type of "lion stress"). Another group of people shows a passive reaction, i.e. their work productivity drops immediately (this is "rabbit stress").

In addition, stress can be acute. That is, it happens once and is characterized by severe physical and mental shock. An example of this form would be accidents. A person once gets into then rehabilitation comes. However, there is a long-term form, when stress gradually builds up, overwhelming a person. These can be long-term family conflicts or a typical workload.

Stress and health are interrelated components. Finding the key to recovery from ailments requires understanding the underlying causes of stress.

Causes

The causes of stress are external stimuli, or stressors. These are uncomfortable situations in which a person finds himself at work, at home, at school, etc. They have a different nature, degree of impact, consequences.

Stressors include any changes in a person's life. But not all situations can be regarded as negative, oppressive, embarrassing. The severity of stress is deeply individual. And its root lies in uncertainty and loss of control over the situation. In many ways, the impact of stressors depends on a person's awareness of personal responsibility and the setting of personal participation in the created setting of affairs.

Classification

Experts divide the factors that cause stress into two main groups: physiological and psychological. This classification is based on the nature of the stressors. In terms of the degree of manifestation, stressors are a kind of limitation. They can be real and possible (or potential).

The types of stressors in the second category depend on psychological attitudes and individual abilities of a person. Simply put, does he know how to adequately assess the degree of load and correctly distribute it without prejudice to his health.

However, stressors are not always external stimuli. Sometimes stress arises from the discrepancy between the desired and the reality. That is, the stress factor focuses on the very collision of the inner and outside world person. From this position, stressors are divided into subjective and objective. The first corresponds to incompatibility genetic programs with modern conditions, incorrect implementation of conditioned reflexes, incorrect communication and personality attitudes, etc. Objective stressors include living and working conditions, emergency situations, interaction with people.

Physiological

Physiological stressors include:

Pain effects

Extreme temperatures, noise and light exposure

Taking excessive amounts of certain medications (for example, caffeine or amphetamines), etc.

The group of physiological stressors includes hunger, thirst, isolation. Depending on the degree and duration of exposure, these stressors can cause both significant and minor harm to health.

Typical responses to physiological stress include increased heart rate, muscle tension, tremors (tremors) in the extremities, and increased blood pressure.

Psychological

According to experts, psychological stressors are the most destructive for the human body. They are conventionally divided into informational and emotional:

Threat to self-esteem or the immediate environment.

The need for an urgent decision.

Excessive responsibility for someone or for something.

Conflict situations (various motives).

Danger signal, etc.

Emotional stressors are known to be the deepest in terms of their impact. They form resentments and fears in a person, which, over time, without an adequate assessment of the situation, like a weed, will only grow. Thus, stress and health will become a single, destructive mechanism.

Professional

Occupational stressors are a mixed group. They combine psychological and physiological stressors. These are external stimuli and stress that each person experiences at work. Consider the example of a rescue worker. It most vividly accumulates the maximum level of stressors. Namely, with high responsibility, mental stress of readiness, negative environmental factors, information uncertainty, lack of time for decision-making and danger to life.

It is noteworthy that stressors tend to "infect" the masses. Using the same example of a rescue worker, you can see that not only the performer of the task is exposed to stress, but also the team and the family of the employee. This is due to the psychological factors of interaction, trust, solidarity in society. Thus, when distributing internal load and reserves, a person gets rid of the accumulated stress.

The effects of stress

The impact of stress on human health, regardless of its degree of impact, is a negative phenomenon and has a fairly wide range of psychological, physical and social consequences. All of them can be divided into:

• Primary- manifest themselves at the psychological and intellectual level in connection with the occurrence of extreme situations (loss of attention, fatigue, psychoneurotic states).
• Secondary- arise as a result of unsuccessful attempts to overcome the maladaptive state. Among these consequences are emotional "burnout", abuse of nicotine, alcohol or sedatives, decreased performance, aggressive or depressive states.
• Tertiary- combine the psychological, social, intellectual and physical aspects. They can be expressed in personality deformation, an increase in conflicts with people around them due to internal disorder, in the rupture of family and work ties, loss of work, school, pessimism and social apathy. The extreme degree of tertiary consequences is suicide.

Life situations, events that

Chapter 12. Stress and conflict

can be systematized according to the intensity of the negative impact and the time required for adaptation. In accordance with this, a distinction is made between:

Everyday difficulties, troubles, difficulties. The time to adapt to them ranges from several minutes to several hours;

Critical life, traumatic events. Adaptation time - from several weeks to several months;

Chronic stressors that can last for years.

In accordance with the identified types of occupational stress, stress factors of labor activity can be classified as follows:

I. Production related to working conditions and workplace organization:

Overload;

Monotonous work;

Working room microclimate (noise, vibration, illumination);

Interior, room design;

Organization of an individual workplace;

Inconvenient work schedule, overtime;

Safety.

P. Factors related to the profession:

Understanding of the goals of the activity (clarity, inconsistency, reality);

Professional experience, level of knowledge;

Professional training, retraining;

Possibility of manifestation of creative abilities;

Role status;

The psychological climate in the team (relationships with colleagues, clients, interpersonal conflicts);

Social responsibility;

Feedback on performance results; III. Structural:

Organization management (centralization, the ability to participate in the management of employees);

The ratio of structure and function, goals of the organization;

Violation of subordination, incorrectly built hierarchy;

Specialization and division of labor;

Personnel policy, promotion (too fast or too slow);

Interpersonal relationships with leadership, conflicts;
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12.1. Stress

IV. Personal:

Moral maturity and sustainability;

but purposefulness and discipline, accuracy;

a satisfaction of expectations and performance results (correlation of expectations and goals);

but frustration, inability to meet needs;

but personality traits (emotional instability, inadequate self-esteem, anxiety, aggressiveness, propensity to take risks, etc.);

but the peculiarities of the mental state (the presence of fatigue);

Features of the physiological state (the presence of acute and chronic diseases, biological rhythms, bad habits, age-related changes).

PSYCHODIAGNOSTICS OF STRESS

A key role in the process of stress management belongs to the control of their level, based on tracking the characteristic signs of stress. Although stress manifests itself externally at the bodily and behavioral level, it is often impossible to determine the presence of a stressful state only by external signs, since stress in some people, even at critical moments, may not be pronounced.

Changes as a result of stress are manifested in all areas of the psyche. In the emotional sphere, a feeling of anxiety arises, a heightened perception of the significance of what is happening. In the cognitive - the perception of the threat, the assessment of the situation as uncertain, the awareness of the danger of the situation. In the motivational sphere - a sharp mobilization or complete demobilization of all forces and resources. In the behavioral sphere - a change in the usual pace and rhythm of activity, the appearance of "stiffness" in movements. All these changes have something in common: all of them are characterized by a change in the intensity of the processes in a given sphere towards a decrease or increase.

Stress control and assessment can be carried out using various tests, one of which may be the “stress symptom inventory” test.

To effectively manage an enterprise or a firm, it is necessary to take into account organizational stress, i.e. mental stress associated with the performance of professional duties in the structure of the organization. To assess and measure resistance to organizational stress

Chapter 12. Stress and conflict

stress associated with the ability to communicate, respond appropriately and assess the situation, etc., you can use the scale of organizational stress. The lower the total indicator of organizational stress, the higher the resistance to it, and the higher it is, the stronger the predisposition to experiencing distress and various syndromes arising from a stressful situation, such as the syndrome of professional burnout.

To assess neuropsychic stress, you can use the scale of psychological stress, the purpose of which is to measure stressful sensations by somatic, behavioral, emotional characteristics. The technique was originally developed in France and was widely used in practice. psychological research in Canada, England, USA, Japan. The developed test examines in detail the state of a person exposed to a stressful situation.

Using the scale below, you can assess the general state of the body. It is better to choose those values ​​that most closely correspond to the state of the last 4 - 5 days. There are no erroneous or incorrect answers here.

TABLE 12.1 Psychological stress scale

Under stress factors - stressors(stressors) - understand a set of stimuli, affecting the psychophysical state of a person and his behavior. They are also defined as any external stimulus or event, which cause mental stress or excitement in a person. In psychology, stressors are unfavorable, significant in strength and duration. external and internal influences, leading to the occurrence of stressful conditions.

In psychophysiology, a stressor (stress factor, stress situation) is an extreme or pathological stimulus, significant in strength and duration, an adverse effect that causes stress. An irritant becomes a stressor either by virtue of the value attributed to it by a person (cognitive interpretation), or through the lower cerebral sensory mechanisms, through the mechanisms of digestion and metabolism.

Stressors include: danger, threat, pressure, severe physical and mental trauma, blood loss, great physical, mental and communication stress, infections, ionizing radiation, sudden changes in temperature, many pharmacological effects, cavity surgery, extreme situations and other factors. In a number of classifications, they include largely similar psychological states - conflict and frustration.

Exist different classifications of stressors, in which they are divided into physiological stressors (excessive pain and noise, exposure to extreme temperatures, taking a number of medications, such as caffeine or amphetamine) and psychological (information overload; competition; threat to social status, self-esteem, the immediate environment, etc.). There are other grounds for qualifying stressors. These can be environmental factors (toxins, heat, cold), they can be psychological (low self-esteem, depression) or social nature (unemployment, death of a loved one). Stressors can be categorized in another way. They can be global, affecting the population, the nation as a whole (lack of stability in the way of life in the whole state, people's uncertainty about the future), and personal, associated with problems in their personal life, loss of work, loss of a loved one, conflicts at work.

Usually stressors are divided into physiological(pain, hunger, thirst, excessive physical activity, etc.) and psychological(danger, threat, loss, deception, information overload, etc.). The latter, in turn, are subdivided into emotional and informational.

Currently there is no single classification stress factors. At the heart of various classifications, their parameters are distinguished as backbone: the nature and nature of stress stimuli (psychological, social, physical and other influences); their intensity and exposure (duration); features of the conditions and the complexity of the impact. The types of irritants associated with professional, industrial and personal activities are distinguished.

Life events are also considered as stressors, which can be systematized according to the value of negative valence and the time required for readaptation. Distinguish microstressors (daily hassles)- everyday difficulties, difficulties, troubles; macrostressors - critical life (traumatic) events and chronic stressors of both situational (long-term divorce, chronic illness) and interpersonal nature (communication with persons suffering from serious illnesses, such as schizophrenia, cancer).

For penitentiary stressology the most acceptable is the classification of stress factors based on the practical experience of psychologists in the armed forces and various divisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (GS Chovdyrova et al.).

This classification provides for the separation of stressors according to the following criteria:

I. By the nature of psychosocial motivation:

• 1. Stressors of daily intense professional activity.
• 2. Stressors of activity in extreme conditions (ES):
  • a) emergency stressors (ER);
  • b) stressors of emergency situations (ES);
  • c) stressors of emergencies (PE).
• 3. Stressors of family life (wedding, divorce, childbirth, illness or death of loved ones, etc.).
• 4. Stressors of a moral and moral nature (remorse, responsibility for the life and health of both innocent people and criminals, the need to use weapons and other means of destruction).
• 5. Stressors social conditions of mixed origin: prolonged isolation from the usual environment (military service, being held hostage, being in prison), the need to resign and adapt to other living conditions, sexual disharmony, illness, the need for surgical intervention, unmet material needs, etc.

II. By the time of action:

• 1. Stressors with short-term effects (from several hours to several days):
  • a) causing anxiety and fear (meeting with an armed enemy, taking hostages, actions in conditions associated with large human losses, with a real threat to life);
  • b) causing unpleasant physical sensations (pain, fatigue, caused by unfavorable meteorological conditions - fires, floods, toxic substances);
  • c) in terms of pace and speed (the need to process a large flow of information and make a decision, the need to show the maximum speed and speed of movement);
  • d) to distract attention (tactical maneuvers of the enemy);
  • e) with an unsuccessful result (miscalculation in the assessment of situations, an error in the technique of movement).
• 2. Stressors with long-term effects (from several months to several years):
  • a) long-term loads that generate fatigue (long shifts associated with a certain risk and danger, protection of valuables, special objects, monotony of working conditions, the need to constantly fulfill the requirements of superiors in a limited time);
  • b) isolation (service in the Ministry of Internal Affairs troops, serving a sentence in places of deprivation of liberty, associated with a long separation from family and familiar conditions, long business trips in tense conditions, service in places of deprivation of liberty);
  • c) wars (conducting long-term hostilities).

III. By the nature of the impact on the senses:

• 1. Stressors of the visual-psychological series (death in front of loved ones, colleagues, contact with a large number of wounded, crippled, panicked people; destruction of buildings, equipment, structures, landscape; fires, explosions; type of corpses, blood, etc.).
• 2. Stressors of the auditory row (hum, roar, rumble, shooting).
• 3. Stressors of the tactile-olfactory series (vibration, blows of an air wave, concussions, smells of gas and corpses, cold, heat, electric current, etc.).

This classification of stress factors is conditional, since in each specific area, these factors can affect the personality in the complex. For example, participants in special operations to free hostages are more or less affected by the following stress factors:

• - Immediate and highly probable threat to life and health;
• - responsibility for the life and health of the hostages, the constant risk of harm to them by their inaction or wrong actions;
• - wide public resonance of each specific case, especially close attention to the actions of law enforcement agencies, the socio-political significance of their mistakes;
• - the absence or inconsistency of information about the criminals, their psychological characteristics;
• - extreme dynamism and unpredictable nature of changes in the situation in connection with the peculiarities of the behavior of criminals;
• - the need for long-term containment of natural, extremely negative emotions in the process of direct contact with criminals;
• - constant overload of psychophysiological functions, due to the need to analyze and forecast the development of the situation, make responsible decisions, organize and carry out clear and coordinated actions in a tight time limit;
• - moral and ethical experiences associated with the need to use weapons or other means of destruction against the criminal as a person.

At the same time themselves external factors stress, acting in a particular extreme situation, are not decisive without correlating them with the internal characteristics of each person, his spiritual and physical fitness.

The stressors to which the human body has adapted in the course of evolution are a variety of factors that violate safety or require adaptation. Some stressors require immediate physical activity to avoid injury or damage. Other stressors also encourage fight or flight, even if an immediate physical response is impossible or unacceptable to the environment. These stressors can be called symbolic. These include the loss of social status, decreased self-esteem, overwork, etc. While the nature of stressors varies, they can trigger in the body genetically determined non-specific defense reaction. From this point of view, there is no need to use any adjectives in combination with the term "stress". Summarizing the presented material, we can conclude that a stressor is an external or internal stimulus that can trigger a fight or flight response.

It should be noted once again that adjectives such as "emotional", "professional", "penitentiary" and others are used more often in order to emphasize nature stressors or ways to "induce" stress. At symbolic threat As in the case of the action of real stressors, the products of the activity of stressor mechanisms accumulate. But in modern society the fight or flight response is rarely used. “Products” of stress accumulate, and a person cannot use them. As a result, an increased stress response becomes protracted leading to the development of distress and various diseases. In other words, unacceptable for the individual is that information (stimulus, situation) that awakens or intensifies the need arousal, but does not give the individual the opportunity to take active actions in the direction of the realization (and therefore discharge) of this excitement. At the same time, of the two characteristics - the duration and strength of the action of the stressor - duration is more important. The longer the stressor acts on a person, the stronger the distressing disorder.

In psychophysiology, stress reactivity is understood as the magnitude of the flight response, it is strictly individual and genetically determined. Stress reactivity at the physiological level is manifested in increased muscle tension, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and nervous excitement, increased sweating, changes in the wave (electrophysiological) activity of the brain, redistribution of blood in the body, etc. In the most simplified form, all these changes prepare the body for quick action and are due to the production of biologically active substances, and if the latter are not used, this leads to a health disorder. Stress reactivity is closely related to stress tolerance. Stress tolerance is the individual ability of the body to maintain normal performance during the action of a stressor, which can be improved through training.

Thus, considering the above definitions of stress, it should be assumed that stress in its most generalized form is understood not as a reaction, but as a state of homeostasis that ensures the necessary human activity in certain environmental conditions. Stress response - changes in the level of activity under the influence of certain stressors, and distress- such an overstrain of the work of psychophysiological (primarily neuroendocrine) mechanisms, which causes a violation (functional or morphological) of the activity of various structures of the body and the development of pathology.