The phenomenon of stress. Effects on the human body and psyche

Anti-stress measures and their effectiveness

Term Paper , 2004 , 23 Pages , Grade: 2,7

Psychology - Clinical Psychology, Psychopathology, Prevention

The reason to write this paper about stress was obvious to me. Like many students, I also suffer from stress. Whether exam stress, performance or time pressure. All this may not have a positive effect on the life of a student.
The consequences are headaches, inner restlessness, irritability, nervousness, which in turn has a negative effect on performance - a vicious circle.
In my work I would like to deal with the phenomenon of stress in order to learn something for my everyday life and how to deal with stress.
In the first section I will clarify what is generally understood by stress or what stress actually is. Under point 2.1 I will first develop a definition of the term as a basis for further discussion of the topic. Furthermore, in the following section 2.2. I will introduce two of the most well-known stress models or theories. On the one hand there is the General Adaptation Syndrome according to Selye and on the other hand the Transactional Stress Model according to Lazarus. Finally, I differentiate the four levels of stress reaction in section 2.3.
In section 3 I show different stress reactions and their possible negative consequences on health. To mention are at this point not diminished arousal, chronic load, weakened immune authority as well as health risk behavior.
In the last part of my work I deal under point 4 with various anti-stress methods. I will present different methods of stress management or prevention, such as physical exercise training, muscle and breath relaxation, hatha yoga and autogenic training.
Finally, I will comment on the topic of stress as well as on the described anti-stress measures.

Table of contents

1. Introduction

2. What is stress?
2.1. Definitions
2.2 Stress models
2.2.1 General adaptation syndrome according to Selye (phases of stress response)
2.2.2 Transactional stress model according to Lazarus
2.3 Levels of stress response
2.3.1 Cognitive-emotional level
2.3.2 Behavioral level
2.3.3 Vegetative – hormonal level
2.3.4 Muscular level

3. Stress reactions and health consequences
3.1 Undegraded excitation
3.2 Chronic stress
3.3 Weakened immune competence
3.4 Health risk behaviour

4. Antistress – Models (measures)
4.1 Physical de-tension
4.2 Physical exercise training
4.3 Muscle relaxation
4.4 Breath relaxation
4.5 Hatha Yoga
4.6 Autogenic training (AT)

5. Conclusion

6. Bibliography

1. Introduction

The reason to write this term paper about stress was obvious to me. Like many students, I suffer from stress. Whether exam stress, performance or time pressure. All this may not have a positive effect on the life of a student.

The result is headaches, inner restlessness, irritability and tension, nervousness, which in turn has a negative effect on performance – a vicious circle.

In my work, I would now like to deal with the phenomenon of stress in order to learn something for my everyday life and how to deal with stress.

In the first section, I will clarify what is meant by stress in general or what stress actually is. Under point 2.1, I will first develop a definition as a basis for further discussion of the topic. Furthermore, in the following section 2.2., I present two of the best-known stress models or theories. On the one hand, there is the general adaptation syndrome according to Selye and on the other hand the transactional stress model according to Lazarus. Finally, under point 2.3, I differentiate the four levels of stress response.

In section 3 I show various stress reactions and their possible negative effects on health. At this point, non-degraded arousal, chronic stress, weakened immune competence and health risk behavior should be mentioned.

In the last part of my work, I deal with various anti-stress methods under point 4. I will present different methods of stress management or prevention, such as physical exercise training, muscle and breath relaxation, Hatha yoga and autogenic training.

Finally, I will comment on the issue of stress and on the anti-stress measures described.

2. What is stress?

Many people complain of stress e.g. when they feel overworked or when they are faced with a seemingly insurmountable task. In the following section of my term paper, I would first like to give a scientific definition before I will further discuss the physiological as well as the psychological effects of stress on humans. Next, I will briefly present the four phases of the stress reaction (general adaptation syndrome according to Selye). Finally, an examination of the four levels of the stress response follows.

2.1. Definitions

In everyday language, the term stress is used to express pressure, intense stress, frustration, emotional tension or excessive requirement. In most cases, it is also associated with suffering (physical / psychological), such as headaches, inner restlessness, insomnia, etc..

Basically, it should be said at this point that stress is to be divided into two types. A distinction is made between "distress", the stress perceived as unpleasant and harmful to health in the long term, and "eustress", which if you like "good stress", which can have a motivating and stimulating effect positively. In this work, however, I will focus on "distress" and its effects on humans.

The term "stress" has become very popular, among others, by Hans Selye, especially in the last twenty years.

According to Weinert, stress is an "adaptive response caused by interindividual differences and/or by psychological processes resulting from environmental activities, situations or events that place excessive psychological or physical demands on a person" (quoted: Weinert, 1998, p. 234).

Stress is therefore to be understood as a reaction or as a state.

Triggers (stressors) can be physical (noise, heat,...), physical (pain, hunger disability), informational (information overload) or psychosocial (competition, bullying, death of a friend, interpersonal relationships) burdens (cf. Kaluza, 1996, p. 15ff.).

Selye puts it this way: "Stress is the nonspecific reaction of the organism to every requirement." (quoted: Selye, 1976).

It is important to mention at this point that stress reactions are always individual, i.e. different from person to person (cf. Kaluza, 1996, p. 27)." Some react aggressively and violently to stressful situations, while others fall into depression or withdraw. Another widespread stress reaction is the abuse of drugs such as alcohol, sedatives, etc. to free oneself from the "unpleasant side effects" of stress, such as inner restlessness or insomnia, at least temporarily.

Abbildung in dieser Leseprobe nicht enthalten

(Source: http://medwell24.at/CDA_Master/1,3008,3087_5515_13861,00.html)

2.2 Stress models

In the following section, I will present two of the best-known stress models and stress concepts. Firstly, the general adaptation syndrome according to Selye and secondly, the transactional stress model according to Lazarus.

2.2.1 General adaptation syndrome according to Selye (phases of stress response)

According to Selye, a person's stress response (defense) takes place in three phases: Alarm, resistance phase, exhaustion stage (cf. Selye, 1974). The defensive reactions are as general since the stressors act on the different areas of the human body. The defensive reactions are adaptive, because protective mechanisms are triggered, which help the body to deal with the unpleasant stimuli.

In the first phase (alarm phase), the reaction can usually be described as intense, almost panic-like. Here it is decided whether the person reacts with curse or fight.

In the second phase (resistance phase) resistance is offered. An attempt is made to cope with the "stressful" situation.

In the third phase (exhaustion stage), the energy required for resistance is used up. This is the time when man stops defending himself. He gives up.

At this point it should be mentioned that long-lasting stressors can weaken the immune system, diseases become probable and even sudden death from heartbeat or strokes can be a consequence (see 3.2; 3.3).

Weinert (1998, p. 235f) cites the following example of a manager who is at the mercy of stressors:

"An executive has to prepare a longer report or extensive budget planning for the following day. In the event that the stressor is extremely strong, the person may not be able to deal with it effectively. In most situations, however, the person will try to gather all their physical and psychological powers to resist the negative influences of the stressor. Therefore, the person will calm down after a while and will get to work. ... In the event that, for example, the manager succeeds in completing the report or budget planning within the given time - or even earlier - this resistance phase would conclude the ... (General adaptation syndrome).".

2.2.2 Transactional stress model according to Lazarus

The American emotion researcher Richard Lazarus speaks of stress when external environmental requirements and or internal demands claim or exceed a person's adaptive means, i.e. the totality of all the characteristics of the person that enable them to cope with the demands or prevent possible negative consequences (cf. Kaluza, 1996, p. 27).

Environmental requirements refer to external events that make adaptive processes necessary and lead to negative consequences in the event of failure. Internal requirements are desired goals, values, obligations of the person whose non-fulfillment or postponement also cause negative consequences.

The decisive factor in this model is that stress is understood as a certain relationship between requirements (stressors) on the one hand and the person's reaction capacities on the other.

The term transaction is used to characterize more precisely "the person-environment relationship as a reciprocal interaction" (cited in Kazula, 1996, p. 27). This means that not only the environment affects the behavior of people, but also the environment is influenced or changed by the actively acting person. Cognitive processes such as subjectively evaluative perceptions, thoughts and conclusions are of crucial importance here. It follows that it is only through the same evaluation processes by the person concerned that potential stressors become currently effective stressors.

The concept of evaluation or assessment is at the heart of Lazarus' stress theory.

He distinguishes here three categories of evaluation processes: primary evaluation, secondary evaluation and re-evaluation.

The primary assessment refers to the assessment of the situation as irrelevant, pleasant-positive or stress-related. The stress-related assessment is further divided into harm/damage loss, threat and challenge. In order to be able to speak of stress in psychological significance, one of these evaluations must be present in the current person-environment transaction. The "damage loss" rating refers to damage that has already occurred, such as the loss of a friend. Contrary, "threat" refers to damage that has not yet occurred.

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• College: University of Lüneburg
• Grade: 2,7
• Author: Stefan Dannheiser (Author)
• Publication Year: 2004
• Pages: 23
• Catalog Number: V1190345
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346606686
• Language: English
• Tags: effects, anti-stress