Stress Coping Strategies - Essay Example

Stress and Coping Introduction Stress is a health hazard (Roy, 2005). This medical problem is common and has serious implications for health including behaviour, psychology and medical condition. However, the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) model identifies it in three different stages in which stressor react differently. However, certain stress coping strategies have been developed to tackle this problem. GAS Selye’s Model The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) reflects body’s reaction to stress (Chandan, 2009). Griffin and Moorhead (2014) describe that the GAS is consisted of three stages: alarm, resistance and exhaustion. In the initial stage, the body’s response (resistance) remains below the standard level throughout this stage; in the second stage, the resistance takes place above the normal level; in the last stage of exhaustion, the resistance abnormally declines below the normal levels (Griffin and Moorhead, 2014). Based on this theoretical model, it can be deduced that the body does not perform normally and experiences abnormal changes in its behaviour and reaction to the problem of stress, which is primarily a mental or psychological activity in which brain feels the negative impacts of issues that are beyond understanding or control of human action or reaction. As a result, stress puts different types of effects on health of human body. General Effects on Health Stress creates behavioural, psychological and medical problems (Turner and Schieman, 2008). Behaviourally, violence, excessive use of alcohol and intolerance will be visible symptoms of stress. Under this condition, stressor finds it hard to work and perform normally and he does not act or react in a normal manner. As a result, tendency towards violence is increased and the violent means are used to get tasks done and this effect mainly impacts on the social relationship including spouse, friends, neighbours and other relatives. At the personal level, the stressor consumes unusual amount of alcohol and finds the alcohol as a way to reduce or avoid confronting the pressing issue causing stress. Moreover, at the personal level, the psychological effects of stress also create problems, such as insomnia and migraine. Psychologically, the cause of stress constantly hammers the normal psychological activities and processes and that pressure makes them largely weak and dysfunctional (Rathus, 2012). In that situation, the stressor becomes a victim of insomnia which again triggers the ensuing effects of stress. Subsequently, the stressor will not be able talk or work normally and there will be more chances of error while doing any personal, social or professional activity. And even in this process, the effect of migraine further adds fuel to the fire of stress and puts serious and complex effects on the overall health of the stressor. As a result, the medical problems prompt cardio diseases, high blood pressure or diabetes. Coping Strategies Stress can be eliminated from a person’s life (Robbins et al., 2010). And this can be done by treating cause which will eliminate effect. In the field of medicine, it is a standard practice that before treating a disease or illness, prime cause is first identified and highlighted. Subsequently, if the cause is cured, the effect (i.e. disease) will not remain the same. In the same context, stress can be caused by personal or organisational factors. For example, if a person remains under stress because her boss does not leave a single chance of criticising her. As a result, she faces the problem of self-respect. Under this situation, she must first try to meet a psychologist and discuss the matter and she must follow the recommendations provided by the psychologist. Additionally, it is reasonable for her to determine a stress tackling strategy in which she should find out ways to avoid the effects of stress. For this purpose, the first strategy would be that she should openly talk with the boss and realise him that the professional matters can be resolved without criticism. In this case, if the boss changes the attitude which would eliminate the cause of the stress, the stress would be reduced. However, if the boss is reluctant, she should either change the job or she could decide to increase her tolerance level which would enable her to accept the boss criticism and subsequently avoid the effects of stress. On the other hand, humour has been identified as a way to cure the effects of stress (Tanay et al., 2013). However, it can be contended that humour may not be fully effective by taking away the effects of stress but can decrease the effects for time being (Tanay et al., 2013). Relevance to Nursing Practice The GAS model is useful for nursing practice. This model highlights the complex stages and effects of stress on body and brain. First, for a nurse, the understanding of this model is highly necessary and essential as the frequency of stress-related cases is growing nationally and internationally as well. Most of the time, stress is mainly caused by poverty and inadequate access to the basic human needs and this phenomena is globally rising as the gap between the rich and the poor is increasing day by day. In other words, the nursing practice, which is more closely attached with patient care and their look after, nurses should also be able to know the stages of the GAS and they should be in a position to provide related care to the patients or should be able to take proper medical or psychological measures for reducing the abnormality and the effects of abnormality on the normal activity of patient. As a result, this model enhances the professional capability of nurses when a primary care health nurse shifts caring responsibility of a stressor to a community-based nurse (Wilson, 2004). Conclusion Stress puts serious and complex effects on human health. Behaviourally, violence and excessive alcohol are two main impacts whereas psychologically insomnia and migraine cripple the stressor and these symptoms may further trigger medical condition in which the chances of high blood pressure, diabetes and other medical conditions are dangerously higher. However, stress can be controlled by identifying the cause of stress and taking necessary steps to reduce their impacts. References Tanay, MA, Roberts, J, & Ream E (2013), Humour in adult cancer care: a concept analysis, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 69(9), 2131-2140 Chandan, JS (2009), Organizational Behaviour, 3rd edn, New Delhi: Vikas Publishing Griffin, RW, Moorhead, G (2014), Organizational Behaviour: Managing People and Organizations, 11th edn, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Rathus, SA (2012), Psychology: Concepts and Connections, 10th edn, California: Wadsworth Cengage. Robbins, SP, Judge, TA, and Sanghi, S (2010), Essentials of Organizational Behaviour, 10th edn, New Delhi: Pearson Roy, S (2005), Managing Stress, Berkshire: New Dawn Press Turner, HA, and Schieman, S (eds.) (2008), Stress Processes Across the Life Course: Advances in Life Course Research Volume 13, Oxford: JAI Press. Wilson, V (2004), Supporting family carers in the community setting, Nursing Standard, 18 (29), 47-53 Read More