Physical and psychological stress. What is stress? Stress on the mental level

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Features of the condition

Psychological stress can arise not only from past events, but also from those that may occur.

For example, a student waiting to start an exam or defend a diploma. If a person subconsciously evaluates a situation as a sign of anxiety, then this is where stress comes from. And the higher this rating, the stronger the experience.

Because there are so many stressors, it is difficult to accurately diagnose psychological stress.

To distinguish psychological stress from biological stress, it is worth answering one question: “Does stress harm the body?” If the answer is yes, then you are dealing with biological stress; if the answer is negative, then it is psychological stress.

1. Full sleep;
2. Proper nutrition;
3. Moderate physical activity;
4. Don't take everything to heart;
5. Be sure to rest;
6. Don't get overwhelmed with work;
7. Learn to manage your emotions (in some cases it is useful to ignore the negative, or close your eyes to what is happening);

Mental stress is a state of the psyche (primarily), not the body. Mental stress is a more intense state than ordinary motivational stress. It usually requires the perception of threat to occur. The phenomena of mental stress occur when the normal adaptive reaction is insufficient.

Since mental stress arises mainly from the perception of a threat, its occurrence in a certain situation can arise for subjective reasons related to the characteristics of a given individual.

Here a lot depends on the personality factor. In the “man-environment” system, the level of emotional tension increases as the differences between the conditions in which the subject’s mechanisms are formed and the newly created ones increase. Thus, certain conditions cause emotional stress not because of their absolute rigidity, but as a result of the inconsistency of the individual’s emotional mechanism with these conditions.

With any imbalance in the “person-environment”, the insufficiency of the individual’s mental or physical resources to meet current needs or the mismatch of the system of needs itself is the source anxiety. Signs of anxiety:

Feeling of vague threat;

A feeling of diffuse apprehension and anxious anticipation;

Uncertain anxiety is the most powerful mechanism of mental stress (which follows from what has already been mentioned, which is the central element of anxiety and determines its biological significance as a signal of trouble and danger).

Anxiety can play a protective and motivational role comparable to the role of pain. An increase in behavioral activity, a change in the nature of behavior, or the activation of intrapsychic adaptation mechanisms are associated with the occurrence of anxiety. But anxiety can not only stimulate activity, but also contribute to the destruction of insufficiently adaptive behavioral stereotypes and their replacement with more adequate forms of behavior.

Unlike pain, anxiety is a signal of danger that has not yet been realized. Prediction of this situation is probabilistic in nature, and ultimately depends on the characteristics of the individual. In this case, the personal factor often plays a decisive role, and in this case the intensity of anxiety reflects the individual characteristics of the subject rather than the real significance of the threat.

Anxiety, which is inadequate in intensity and duration to the situation, interferes with the formation of adaptive behavior, leads to a violation of behavioral integration and general disorganization of the human psyche. Thus, anxiety underlies any changes in mental state and behavior caused by mental stress.

Stress(from English stress - “pressure, tension”)

A state of an individual that arises as a response to various extreme types of influence from the external and internal environment that unbalance the physical or psychological functions of a person

Chronic stress presupposes the presence of a constant (or one that exists for a long time) significant physical and moral stress on a person (long-term job search, constant success, clarification of relationships), as a result of which his neuropsychological or physiological state is extremely tense.

Acute stress- a person’s state after an event or phenomenon, as a result of which he lost his psychological balance (conflict with his boss, quarrels with loved ones).

Physiological stress occurs from physical overload of the body and exposure to harmful environmental factors (high or low temperature in the workroom, strong odors, insufficient lighting, increased noise levels).

Psychological stress is a consequence of a violation of the psychological stability of the individual for a number of reasons: offended pride, work that does not correspond to the qualifications.

In addition, such stress can be the result of a person’s psychological overload: performing too much work and responsibility for the quality of complex and lengthy work. A variant of psychological stress is emotional stress that occurs in situations of threat, danger, or resentment.

Information stress occurs in situations of information overload or from an information vacuum.

In addition, today there is the so-called “ managerial type of stress", it is determined by many factors related to the activities of managers and their relationships with people in complex market conditions.

When the environment and market conditions change dynamically, competition intensifies, and therefore it is necessary to make prompt, adequate management decisions to ensure the sustainable development of the enterprise and its competitiveness.

Mental stress is a state of the psyche (primarily), not the body. Mental stress is a more intense state than ordinary motivational stress. It usually requires the perception of threat to occur. The phenomena of mental stress occur when the normal adaptive reaction is insufficient.
Since mental stress arises mainly from the perception of a threat, its occurrence in a certain situation can arise for subjective reasons related to the characteristics of a given individual.
Here a lot depends on the personality factor. In the “man-environment” system, the level of emotional tension increases as the differences between the conditions in which the subject’s mechanisms are formed and the newly created ones increase. Thus, certain conditions cause emotional stress not because of their absolute rigidity, but as a result of the inconsistency of the individual’s emotional mechanism with these conditions.
With any imbalance in the “person-environment”, the insufficiency of the individual’s mental or physical resources to meet current needs or the mismatch of the system of needs itself is the source anxiety. Signs of anxiety:
- feeling of an uncertain threat;
- a feeling of diffuse apprehension and anxious anticipation;
- vague anxiety is the most powerful mechanism of mental stress (which follows from what has already been mentioned, which is the central element of anxiety and determines its biological significance as a signal of trouble and danger).
Anxiety can play a protective and motivational role comparable to the role of pain. An increase in behavioral activity, a change in the nature of behavior, or the activation of intrapsychic adaptation mechanisms are associated with the occurrence of anxiety. But anxiety can not only stimulate activity, but also contribute to the destruction of insufficiently adaptive behavioral stereotypes and their replacement with more adequate forms of behavior.
Unlike pain, anxiety is a signal of danger that has not yet been realized. Prediction of this situation is probabilistic in nature, and ultimately depends on the characteristics of the individual. In this case, the personal factor often plays a decisive role, and in this case the intensity of anxiety reflects the individual characteristics of the subject rather than the real significance of the threat.
Anxiety, which is inadequate in intensity and duration to the situation, interferes with the formation of adaptive behavior, leads to a violation of behavioral integration and general disorganization of the human psyche. Thus, anxiety underlies any changes in mental state and behavior caused by mental stress.

The desire for peace is characteristic not only of every body in the universe, but also of our nervous system. Any external influence triggers an adaptive reaction in the body - stress. What are the basic types of stress? There are four main groups: physiological and psychological form. The classification of stress takes into account the degree of harmful influence of stimuli, the ability to independently cope with the load and the speed of restoration of stability of the nervous system.

Classification of stress by influence

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

• “Good” form (eustress);
• “Bad” form (distress).

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

“Bad” stress in psychology is an impact that the body is not able to cope with on its own. We are talking about long-term stress, when mental resources are not enough for adaptation, or we are talking about a violation of physical health. Distress involves a detrimental effect on the body - in critical cases, a person completely loses working capacity without proper treatment. Long-term stress contributes to the depletion of 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 stress is also based on the way adaptation processes are triggered. Categories of “simple” stress take into account a minimum set of influences – environmental factors, physical overload. The result is physiological stress.

This form implies an acute reaction of the body to the aggressive influence of the surrounding world. Sudden temperature changes, excessive moisture, prolonged lack of food or drinking water, piercing wind, excessive heat or cold - any such factor requires excessive mobilization. Triggers of physiological stress should also include excessive physical activity, typical of athletes, as well as dietary deviations provoked by excessive or insufficient nutrition (gluttony or starvation).

Popular psychology identifies a special food form of stress, which is provoked by poor nutrition (violation of the regime, inadequate selection of foods, excessive consumption of food or refusal of 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 remains in an uncomfortable state for a long time, his body ceases to adapt correctly and a malfunction occurs at the physical level - a disease occurs.

Video: Natalya Kucherenko, psychologist “A series of lectures on psychology. Lecture 12: stress"

Psychological stress

Psychological stress is the 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.

A “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 the consequences of receiving a large amount of information can be. Although information processing is a basic function of the cerebral hemispheres, too much data leads to detrimental consequences. The failure is reminiscent of a computer freezing - the ability to concentrate decreases, thought processes slow down, logic violations are observed, the acuity of thought decreases, and the imagination dries up.
2. Emotional overload. The actual mental form of stress involves emotional overloads of various kinds (positive and negative), which are an integral part of a person’s life in society.

Interpersonal stress

Psychological stress occurs after experiencing intense emotions for which a person was emotionally unprepared. Sudden happiness has the same detrimental effect on the psyche as sudden grief. Sudden changes in life lead to mental overload and a state of prolonged stress. Often, after achieving a desired goal or frustration (loss of what is desired), a person loses the ability to actively act and experience subtle emotions for a long time - a specific phenomenon such as “emotional dullness” arises. The main environment for the occurrence of psychological stress is intra-family communication, as well as professional expectations. Creating a family and career achievements are part of the set of basic human desires, so any changes in these areas destabilize the psyche.

Intrapersonal form

An acute conflict with oneself caused by the discrepancy between reality and expectations, as well as age-related crises caused by the need to move to a new social level and associated with physiological changes (aging), have a detrimental effect on the psyche.

Psychological stress causes a set of standard reactions. At the initial stage, there is a sharp increase in activity and the release of internal mental resources. Potentially, a person in acute pain is capable of performing all sorts of feats and “miracles.”

Examples of acute psychological stress

A typical example of acute psychological stress is a situation when a person finds himself on the brink 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 her baby. A frightened person, who in ordinary life is unable to climb even to the second floor without shortness of breath, can easily jump over a two-meter fence if attacked by a dog.

Consequences of acute stress

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

Everyday stress - office sickness

The most disgusting type of emotional overload is. The stress on the psyche is not particularly intense, but occurs cyclically - every day a person has to deal with a number of unpleasant and rather monotonous problems. The lack of vivid impressions, a change of environment, disruption of the daily routine and 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 primary treatment. However, in the initial stages (before the onset of anxious apathy and a feeling of the meaninglessness of life), a change of environment (vacation) and normalization of the daily routine helps.

A very effective method of combating 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.

Introduction

Concept and types of stress

The main causes of stress

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

The term stress became one of the symbols of medicine of the twentieth century, and then went beyond the boundaries of this science into related areas of biology, psychology, sociology, and simply ordinary consciousness, becoming fashionable, commonplace and ambiguous.

G. Selye. found out that without understanding the neurophysiological characteristics of the functioning of the human brain, as well as emotional and cognitive processes, moral attitudes and personal values, it is impossible to predict and manage human stress reactions. Thus, the increasing role of theoretical and practical psychology in creating a unified interdisciplinary concept of stress becomes obvious.

1. Concept and types of stress

In recent decades, stress has been a relevant subject of research in various branches of science: biology, medicine, psychology and sociology. Hans Selye proposed his concept of stress. We can say that it was revolutionary for science in the mid-twentieth century. At that time, the prevailing opinion among biologists and doctors was that the reaction of a living organism to environmental factors is of a purely specific nature and the task of scientists is to detect and record the differences in reactions to various influences of the external world. G. Selye began to look for general patterns of biological reactions, as a result of which he discovered a single, nonspecific component of biochemical changes in the human and animal bodies in response to a variety of influences.

Selye identified three stages in the development of stress:

Anxiety (shock and anti-shock phases). In this phase, the body functions with great tension. However, at this stage, it still copes with the load with the help of superficial, or functional, mobilization of reserves without deep structural changes. Physiologically, primary mobilization is manifested, as a rule, in the following: the blood thickens, the content of chlorine ions in it decreases, there is an increased release of nitrogen, phosphates, potassium, an enlargement of the liver or spleen is noted, but we will discuss the physiological mechanisms of stress in more detail below.

Resistance (the appearance of increased resistance of the body to the effects of stressors). This is the second phase. The so-called phase of maximum effective adaptation. At this stage, there is a balance in the expenditure of the body’s adaptive reserves. All parameters brought out of balance in the first phase are fixed at a new level. At the same time, the body’s response to the influencing textures of the environment is not much different from the norm.

Exhaustion (dystrophic processes develop, up to the death of the body). If stress continues for a long time or the stressors are extremely intense, then a phase of exhaustion inevitably occurs. Since functional reserves are exhausted in the first and second phases, structural changes occur in the body, but when they are not enough for normal functioning, further adaptation to changed environmental conditions and activities is carried out at the expense of the body’s irreplaceable energy resources, which sooner or later ends in exhaustion.

It should be noted that not all exposure causes stress. Weak influences do not lead to stress; it occurs only when the influence of a stressor (an object, phenomenon, or any other environmental factor that is unusual for a person) exceeds the individual’s normal adaptive capabilities.

Thus, stress occurs when the body is forced to adapt to new conditions, that is, stress is inseparable from the adaptation process. People's problems are completely different, but medical research has shown that the body reacts stereotypically, with the same biochemical changes, the purpose of which is to cope with increased demands to the human machine"

According to V.V. Suvorova, stress is “a functional state of the body that arises as a result of an external negative impact on its mental functions, nervous processes or the activity of peripheral organs.”

Close in meaning is the definition of P. D. Gorizontov, who considered stress as “a general adaptive reaction of the body that develops in response to the threat of disruption of homeostasis.”

Therefore, the subject of stress psychology is various types of stress. The concept of “stress” is used both in everyday life and in the literature in various, sometimes slightly interrelated scientific areas.

According to Hans Selye himself, stress can be beneficial, in which case it “tones up” the body’s functioning and helps mobilize defenses (including the immune system). In order for stress to take on the character of eustress, certain conditions must be present. The problem of human adaptation to critical environmental factors has long attracted people. The interest of modern science in this problem has increased in recent decades due to the rise of so-called stress diseases. The problem of stress and stress resistance remains acute and relevant both for each person and for society as a whole (A.Yu. Aleksandrovsky, L.I. Antsyferova, V.A. Bodrov, T.B. Dmitrieva, A.B. Leonova, V. D. Mendelevich, V. Ya Semke, N. V Tarabrina, etc.).

There is difficulty in developing and studying the problem of stress and stress resistance. This is primarily due to the fact that there is no single definition of stress in the literature and there are many theories and models of stress that reflect the process of adaptation disorders.

Stress is inherently a type of emotional state. This condition is characterized by increased physiological and mental activity. Moreover, one of the main characteristics of stress is its extreme instability. Let's consider several options for defining the concept of "stress." This term, which has become so widespread these days, was first introduced into scientific use in relation to technical objects. In the 17th century The English scientist Robber Hooke used this term to characterize objects (for example, bridges) that experience load and resist it. In accordance with these ideas, stress is considered as a physiological syndrome, consisting of a set of nonspecific caused changes as a nonspecific reaction of the body to the demands placed on it. Stress is a neuropsychic overstrain that occurs as a result of an extremely strong impact (stressor), an adequate response to which even has not been formulated, but must be found in the current situation. The essence of the stress reaction lies in the “preparatory” excitation and activation of the body necessary for readiness for physical stress. Consequently, it can be assumed that stress always precedes a significant waste of the body’s energy resources, and then is accompanied by it, which in itself can lead to the depletion of functional reserves.

The causes of stress in humans are more diverse than the causes that cause adaptive reactions in animals. Thus, stressors for a person can be both physical and social stimuli, both actual and probable. Moreover, a person reacts not only to actual physical danger, but also to a threat or reminder of it. In recent years, indications have appeared of the possibility of developing stress not only under the influence of an excess of stressors, but also when there is a lack of them. The experiment obtained data on the formation of stress under conditions of artificially created isolation, sharp restriction of external signals (a condition called sensory deprivation), and stay in unusual, unfamiliar environments (hydronauts, astronauts). Consequently, emotional stress states can be caused by a deficiency of sensory experiences: they are especially painfully experienced by people of an active, active type.

2. Main causes of stress

Stress is a very common occurrence in our lives. In modern life, stress plays a significant role. They affect a person's entire life. Stress is a state of excessively strong and prolonged psychological tension that occurs in a person when his nervous system receives emotional overload. Stress can be caused by anything. Stressors are anything that can excite us, misfortune, a harsh word, an undeserved insult, a sudden obstacle to our actions or aspirations. stress anxiety resistance exhaustion

Stressful situations occur both at home and at work. From a management perspective, of greatest interest are the organizational factors that cause stress in the workplace. Knowledge of these factors and paying special attention to them will help prevent many stressful situations and increase the efficiency of managerial work, as well as achieve the goals of the organization with minimal psychological and physiological losses to personnel. According to psychologists, stress is the cause of many diseases, and therefore causes significant harm to human health, while health is one of the conditions for achieving success in any activity. Therefore, the work also examines personal factors that cause stress. In addition to the causes of stress, the stressful state of the body is analyzed - stress tension, its main signs and causes.

According to G. Selye, stress is a nonspecific (i.e., the same to different influences) response of the body to any demand presented to it, which helps it adapt to the difficulty that has arisen and cope with it. Anything that disrupts the normal course of life can cause stress. Stress is a common and common phenomenon. We all experience it from time to time - maybe like the feeling of emptiness in the pit of our stomach when we stand up to introduce ourselves in class, or like increased irritability or insomnia during an exam session. Minor stress is inevitable and harmless. Excessive stress is what creates problems for individuals and organizations. Stress is an integral part of human existence, you just need to learn to distinguish between an acceptable degree of stress and too much stress. Zero stress is impossible.

Forms of stress

Psychological stress can manifest itself in various forms. There are several ways to classify stress reactions; they are divided into behavioral, intellectual, emotional and physiological manifestations of stress (in this case, biochemical and hormonal processes are also conventionally classified as physiological manifestations).

Manifestations of stress can be divided into four groups:

in excessive muscle tension (especially often in the face and “collar” area);

hand trembling;

changes in breathing rhythm;

decrease in the speed of sensorimotor reaction;

violation of speech functions, etc.

Under the influence of stress, muscles become overly tense, which prevents a person from performing precise and economical movements, and the person spends an excess amount of energy on movements that were previously performed easily and naturally. Excess tension in a particular muscle group is called a “muscle tightness” and can cause back and neck pain, as well as headaches, including migraines. There are several directions and therapies aimed at “relieving” such clamps and relaxing excessively tense muscles: these are progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback and body-oriented psychotherapy.

Also, under stress, the properties of the intellect, such as memory and attention, suffer. Violation of attention indicators is primarily due to the fact that a stress dominant is formed in the human cerebral cortex, around which all thoughts and experiences are formed.

The physiological manifestations of stress affect almost all human organ systems - digestive, cardiovascular and respiratory. However, researchers most often focus on the cardiovascular system, which has increased sensitivity and whose reactions to stress can be relatively easily recorded.

Under stress, the following objective changes are recorded:

an increase in heart rate or a change in its regularity;

increased blood pressure, disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract;

decrease in electrical resistance of the skin, etc.

V. L. Marishchuk and V. I. Evdokimov, describing states of emotional tension (short-term stress), note a sharp increase and disturbance in the rhythm of pulse and breathing, profuse sweating, sudden changes in pupil diameter, vasomotor reactions on the face, a sharp increase in peristalsis, etc. d.

All these objective changes are reflected in the subjective experiences of a person experiencing stress. A person in a state of psychological stress usually experiences various negative experiences:

pain in the heart and other organs;

difficulty breathing, muscle tension;

discomfort in the digestive organs, etc.

Disturbances in the normal activity of individual organs and their systems, on the one hand, and the reflection of these disturbances in consciousness, on the other hand, lead to complex physiological and biochemical disorders: decreased immunity, increased fatigue, frequent ailments, changes in body weight, etc.

Conclusion

Emotional manifestations of stress affect various aspects of the psyche. First of all, this concerns the characteristics of the general emotional background, which acquires a negative, gloomy, pessimistic connotation. With prolonged stress, a person becomes more anxious compared to his normal state, loses faith in success and, in the case of particularly prolonged stress, can become depressed.

Against the background of such an altered mood, a person experiencing stress experiences stronger emotional outbursts, most often of a negative nature. These can be emotional reactions of irritability, anger, aggression, even affective states.

Prolonged or repeated short-term stress can lead to a change in the entire character of a person, in which new traits appear or existing ones intensify: introversion, a tendency to self-blame, low self-esteem, suspicion, aggressiveness, etc. If certain prerequisites are present, all of the above changes go beyond psychological norm and acquire features of psychopathology, which most often manifest themselves in the form of various neuroses (asthenic, neurosis of anxious anticipation, etc.).

Negative emotional states (fear, anxiety, pessimism, negativism, increased aggressiveness) are both consequences and prerequisites for the development of stress.

A study of the characteristics of educational stress showed that fear of the future (as a factor provoking the occurrence of stressful conditions) contributed to the development of such manifestations of stress as increased anxiety, self-doubt, depressive mood, obsessive negative thoughts and a feeling of helplessness. Therefore, the psychology of stress is a very important discipline to study.

Bibliography

1) Arakelov G.G. Stress and its mechanisms // Vesti. Moscow un-ta. Ser. 14, Psychology. 1995. No. 4. pp. 45-54.

)Bodrov V. A. Psychological stress: the development of teaching and the current state of the problem. M.: Publishing house "Institute of Psychology RAS", 1995, 136 p.

3) Zavyazkin, O. V. How to avoid stress / O. V. Zavyazkin. - M.: Stalker, 2000. - 320 p.

) L.A. Kitaev-smyk Psychology of stress publishing house "Nauka" Moscow 1983 370 p.

)Isaev D.N. Emotional stress, psychosomatic and somatic disorders of children - St. Petersburg: Rech, 2005-400s

6) General psychology. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2001. Maklakov A.G. 583 p.

) .Selye, G. Stress without distress G. Selye. - M.: Progress, 1982. - 287 p.

) Psychology ed. A. A. Krylova. - M.: Prospekt, 1998. - 584 p.

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