Distance Learning and Stressful Experience - Essay Example

Stress has been a common term in our contemporary society and may sound normal whenever it is discussed. However, stress is a serious matter as it carries with it extreme and detrimental effects on those who experience it. Stress could be positive in some ways but only in very rare circumstances especially during danger when it triggers flight for safety. In the real sense, the most prevalent aspect of stress is that it causes serious mental and psychological depreciation as well as physical and physiological disorientations. In extreme development stages, stress can easily result in deaths without manifestation of any physical or physiological problems. In spite of the threats that come with stress, there are numerous ways especially psychological methods of treating and managing stress. The most stressful experience in my life occurred due to lack of adequate sleep (insomnia). During this time I encountered a lot of problems and challenges that were not easy to overcome. I was forced to stay for periods during nights before feeling any impulse to sleep. If in any case I forced myself to bed, I could stay awake for most of the night without any slight closure of eyes. Insomnia forced me to adopt detrimental trend of waking from sleep very early when other people were still asleep. Every time I woke I felt no refreshment or relief as happens to individuals with normal health conditions. Stress of insomnia which I experienced was caused by drug misuse and excessive intake of alcohol. Whenever I failed to take alcohol or abuse drugs, I endured serious illnesses occasioned by headaches and body shivering. Insomnia was also caused by role ambiguity since after school I had to accomplish various duties including performing home chores and school assignments and personal revisions. My sleeplessness also resulted from delegation of duties (Gerrig, Zimbardo, Desmaraise and Ivanco 320). At home, parents expected and assigned heavy duties, which I had to accomplish before moving to any other activities. In addition, the development of insomnia was accelerated by lack of proper support and supervision. I had no one to assist or direct me in accomplishing the assigned duties. No individual could stay late with give me clear instructions on the adaptable and efficient steps in performing the duties so that I retire to bed at the right time. Another possible factor that might have led to poor sleep was lack of adequate self esteem. I lived a life full of doubts and boredom and did everything not to perfection but to meet particular threshold. In my attempts to cope with insomnia, I had to resort to somewhat challenging but practical trends that helped me to overcome severe effects of inadequate sleep. First, I stopped using or alcohol and adapted to sober life. I was also forced to change my sleeping time and could go to bed very late in the night. Doing this helped me ensure that I only stayed in bed when exhausted and asleep. In addition, I avoided day naps so that I could accumulate sleep for night time. Furthermore, I used to avoid going to bed or even my bedroom at the time when I felt no sleep. The bedroom became a place only set for absolute sleep and could only go there when sleep came. I also avoided staying in bed for long hours after waking. Daytime activities also involved serious work and exercises that drove me to exhaustion during night hours. Y usual domestic chores were also reduced, and with psychologist’s help I convinced my parents to ensure proper delegation of duties alongside good supervision to reduce time spent in doing house chores. Reviewing of the Chapter 13 of the Psychology and Life Second Canadian Edition has furnished me with invaluable ideas on how to detect and manage stress. The book has enabled me realize that fatigue and anxiety are among the crucial symptoms of stress. The book has also enabled me to realize that stress could also develop from repeated anger triggered by unpleasant event taking place within the environment. Furthermore, the fact that lack of self-esteem could result to stress is a new discovery that has been clear in this book. From my personal experience of the causes and effects of insomnia, I could apply the following strategies to manage the effects of stress. First, I could approach my parents and open a discussion concerning delegation of duties and reduction of responsibilities that made me stay awake until late before going to sleep. With respect to drug and substance abuse, I could approach a health professional and psychologist and seek direction on how to stop the uncontrolled use of the drugs. In addition, I could resort to taking medicines that could induce and drive into sleep. Positive psychology is perhaps one aspect of psychology that can help in fighting and eliminating stress. Martin Seligman is one of the most influential psychologists who had a hand in the development of positive psychology (Gerrig, Zimbardo, Desmaraise and Ivanco 332). Martin proposed that it is easier to become happy in spite of one’s feelings and temperament. In so doing, Martin Seligman lists among others, self congratulation as one of the ways to achieve happiness. With self congratulation, individuals need to tell and appreciate themselves about how great and successful they are. Happiness in one’s life can also be achieved through sharpening of perception and accepting to be totally absorbed in various social issues. Happiness can also be achieved when individuals avoid repeated indulgence in particular activities and acts (Gerrig, Zimbardo, Desmaraise and Ivanco 443). Sharing with others is another strategy that can lead to achieving happiness as far as positive psychology is concerned. Positive psychology as explored by Martin Seligman is adaptable and offers opportunity for individuals to exercise total and rightful cognitive behavioral therapy without necessarily relying on psychologists. Positive psychology is also another convenient and efficient tool to avoid stress and live a comfortable and happy lifestyle. However, positive psychology in the representation of Martin Seligman is not practically viable in certain circumstances especially when individuals are faced with more personal issues that are not easy to disclose and share with others. The strategy of self congratulation may at times become deceptive and make one misunderstand and convince oneself in a wrong manner. The manner in which positive psychology seeks to address psychological is basically different from other methods of counseling. While other techniques of counseling like motivational interview and reality therapy requires the expertise of a psychologist in helping a victim to recover, positive psychology lets the burden on the individual victim. Unlike other techniques of counseling that are applied at the solution stage after occurrence and prevalence of the stress, positive psychology advocates for ways tom avoid particular stresses. Positive psychology only and slightly compares to cognitive behavioral therapy that demands individual efforts of the victim in the recovery process. Work cited Gerrig, Richard, Zimbardo Phillip, Desmarais Serge and Ivanco Tammy. Psychology and Life, Second Canadian Edition. Ontario, CN: Pearson Education, 2012. Print. Read More