Effects of Stress on Individual - Term Paper Example

A Report on Stress and Wellbeing Defining Stress and Stressors Whenever the body undergoes some changes, stress occurs typically as a reaction. The reaction to stress can cause mental, emotional, or physical changes. Thus, in its context, stress can be defined as a reaction within the body to any change that may require a response or an adjustment. Stress can be experienced from the environment one is in the thoughts of a person or the body. Elsewhere stressors are best defined as agents whether biological or chemical, external stimulus, environmental condition or even an event that causes stress to a person or an organism (Chiesa, and Serretti, 2009, 595). Stressors require the utilization of resources. Effects of Stress on an Individual Positive effects of stress occur when a person can remain alert, ready to avoid danger and motivated as a result of stress (Bond, and Bunce, 2000, 156). On the other hand, negative effects of stress to a person occur when a stressed person continues to face challenges without relaxation or relief between stressors. Whether positive or negative, these effects occur along the biological pathway, physiologically, and psychologically to a person experiencing stress. When one is in a stressful situation, the body activates biological pathways in preparation to respond to the stressful situation. A cascade of stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline hormones is triggered. Upon perceiving stress, hypothalamus, a small area of the brain sends to the pituitary gland a chemical message which then allows the brain to send a new chemical message to adrenal glands (Lupien, McEwen, Gunnar, and Heim, 2009, 434). The stress hormones have to take part in the binding of receptors which receive the chemical message carried by stress hormones. Thus, when the body of a person is under stress, the biological pathways tend to be activated especially when the stress hormones are produced. The release of these stress hormones ensures availability of energy stores for immediate use of the body. Further, it emerges a new pattern of energy distribution that allows the diverting of energy to the tissues. The tissues then become more active as the personal experience stress. At the same time, immune system cells become activated migrating to the battle stations (McEwen, 2008, 180). The blood pressure levels increases at the same time certain blood vessels are contracted as other dilated to see the distribution of energy to the organs that need it most increased. Similar, an individual having stress will experience physiological effects, the heart pound and breathing quicken up as the beads of sweat appear. There is an area in the brain which makes the contribution to the emotional processing, amygdala, first sends a distress message signal to the hypothalamus (Crnic, Greenberg, Ragozin, Robinson, and Basham, 1983, 214). The hypothalamus also signals the pituitary gland and autonomic nervous system starting the process of producing stress hormones that produce epinephrine. This allows the process of the body accessing energy that allows it to move from danger causing stress (Winkel-Shirley, 2002, 220). Also, the autonomic nervous system controls blood pressure, breathing, and other involuntary body functions. The body experiences muscle tension which occurs as a reflex reaction to stress. Once the stress passes, the muscles tend to release their tension after tensing up during the stressful situation. Other physiological effects caused by stress to an individual involve one breathing harder. Even though breathing harder does not occur as a problem for most people, it is often difficult for those with health issues such as asthma and emphysema, a lung disease (Dhabhar, and McEwen, 1999, 1060). Elsewhere, one with stress can have rapid breathing or hyperventilation. A stressed person often eats more or less compared to the usual way of eating. Likewise, the brain of a stressed person is more alert to sensations in the stomach that makes the stomach to react with nausea or pain. The nutrients absorbed by the intestines and the entire digestion system are affected by stress. An individual that is in a stressful situation also experiences a lot of psychologically related issues. These issues range from delusions, depression, anxiety, cognitive problems, bipolar disorder, and personality changes. As stress occurs, a person tends to produce stress hormones in return whose byproducts function as sedatives (Obradović, Bush, Stamperdahl, Adler, and Boyce, 2010, 280). In chronic stress, these byproducts will occur in large amounts a situation likely to cause depression. Sometimes, people who are depressed may experience a persistent feeling that might interfere with their ability to work or perform their activities. A stressful person may as well experience anxiety disorders. This may include feet tapping, biting their fingernails, and fidgeting. When the condition of anxiety persists in a person for an extended period, the affected people tend to worry very much about situations that are up-coming (Kim, Guy, Manocha, and Lin, 2012, 59). Also, as more stress hormones continue to be released, the functioning of neurons makes people to experience confusion, problems with concentrating, trouble with learning, and decision making. Stressed people as well experience personality changes making them grow hostile, angry, and aggressive. Models of Stress There are multiple numbers of stress models explaining the occurrence of stress, the causes, how it affects individuals and the management process. One such a model is the General Adaptation Syndrome that depicts a three-stage response that the body has to stress. The model was developed by Hans Selye through which he expresses how stress affects a person as one goes through aging and other body processes that are natural. Selye through his observation noticed that the biological pattern of the body allows it adapt to external stressors (Selye, 1956, 2). This allows the body to restore and maintain the internal balance. Thus, the body makes use of the hormonal system to resolve things faster and with ease. Therefore, General Adaptation Syndrome explains three stages which express the physiological changes the body undergoes when in stress. The first stage identified is the alarm reaction stage which refers to the initial signs that the body of a person portrays when stressed. It is a natural reaction which prepares one to take an act of protecting oneself or fleeing the dangerous situations. The rate of the heart increases, cortisol is released as the body receives adrenaline boost increasing energy. The second stage is the resistance stage where the body starts to repair itself. Everything starts to normalize including blood pressure and heart rate as the amount of cortisol reduces. At this level, if stress is not resolved and the body remains on high alert, it develops mechanisms to live with stress. The longer resistance stage leads to exhaustion which the third stage. The exhaustion stage occurs as a result of struggling with stress for longer periods which may drain mental, emotional, and physical resources. General Adaptation Syndrome occurs in all types of stress. It helps in understanding that life events which result in psychological stress can cause similar physical reactions. Understanding that these situations may cause General Adaptation Syndrome is beneficial. Another model of stress is the transactional model which forms a framework that emphasizes the standard upon which threat, harm, and challenges are evaluated. As a result, the body can cope with the events leading to stress. The transactional model of stress and coping was developed by two theorists, Richard S. Lazarus, and Susan Folkman. The two wanted to find out why stress is common in human. Majorly, the theory examines the relationship between the person and the environment as the transaction relating to stress. The person has demands which depend on the environment for resources. Thus, stress depends on the number of resources available to meet the needs (Laubmeier, Zakowski, and Bair, 2004, 48). Therefore, from the model, the stressors of a person come from the environment they exist which appraises the stressful situation and provides coping activity. The model became essential in helping people manage the stress by considering the coping strategies the environment offers. Measuring Stress People experience different levels of stress, and several methods can be used to measure the level of stress in a person. One come method used to measure stress is the self-report questionnaires. In this method of measuring stress, an individual answers questions about their state whether physical or mental (Goh, Sawang, and Oei, 2010., 15). Holmes and Rahe, medical doctors suggested that the significant potential stressors are the life events (Cohen, Kessler, and Gordon, 1997, 12). Thus, they found out that there exists an association between stress, live events, and illness. This made them develop the self-report method to help measure life events. Physiological measures of stress have been found effective providing indications on the level at which sympathetic nervous arousal occur. Biofeedback has been found as a common physiological method in measuring stress. The technique of biofeedback involves recording the actions that take place during the body’s response to stress by the physiological systems (Cohen, Kessler, and Gordon, 1997, 15). The individual can manage the physiological arousal they experience at the right time thus be in the position to control it. The machine upon which a person is attached provides feedback on the physiological activity. The method has been significant and effective especially when it comes to reducing daily life stress and helping individuals develop a sense of control on stress. Managing Stress For one to live a happier life, they must learn how to manage stress which involves preventing the occurrence of stress and relieving it. There are various techniques used in managing stress which includes increasing hardness and mindfulness. Mindfulness is an effective way to handle stress bearing in mind that stress is connected to the habits of mind (Seaward, 2017, 13). Thus, by being mindful, one learn how to train their attention to stay away from the things that happened in the past and those that are likely to occur in future. These happenings are what result in stress as some of them are unmanageable. Thus, mindfulness brings the mind into the moment at present helping in finding relief from stress. It is essential for people to learn how always to return to the present moment since it helps reduce stressful thinking. Hardness, on the other hand, involves an individual being able to sustain and withstand challenging moments likely to lead to stress. Some hard circumstances may be unavoidable and may only require that a person remains hard and increases the level of hardness (Matteson, and Ivancevich, 1987, 16). It is true that almost everyone experiences stress in a way or the other, but it is rare to notice the same in some people. Such people have developed mechanisms that help them withstand stress by remaining hard. Thus, both mindfulness and increasing hardness have been found essential in managing stress. References Bond, F.W. and Bunce, D., 2000. Mediators of change in emotion-focused and problem-focused worksite stress management interventions. Journal of occupational health psychology, 5(1), p.156. Chiesa, A. and Serretti, A., 2009. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for stress management in healthy people: a review and meta-analysis. The journal of alternative and complementary medicine, 15(5), pp.593-600. Cohen, S., Kessler, R.C. and Gordon, L.U. eds., 1997. Measuring stress: A guide for health and social scientists. Oxford University Press on Demand. Crnic, K.A., Greenberg, M.T., Ragozin, A.S., Robinson, N.M. and Basham, R.B., 1983. 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