Effects of Stress - Research Proposal Example

? Effects of Stress al Affiliation The term stress has become a regular term in the contemporary world. Everyone from the young to the old is ever complaining about being stressed. It is however important to understand that not all stress comes from negative aspects in one’s life. Stress can also be caused by positive events happening in a person’s life. There are variations that exist when it comes to dealing with stress. This paper gives an example of a stressful situation regarding a divorce and describes the psychological changes that occur in the brain in response to stress. It also discusses the emotional and cognitive effects that might occur due to a stressful situation, and whether these effects would be different if the situation was occurring in the life of someone from the opposite sex, or someone older or younger. The effects of stress on physical health are also highlighted, as well as strategies to reduce the effects of divorce stress. Keywords: Stress, Stress Response, Divorce, Emotional Effects, Cognitive Effects, behavioral strategies, Ethical Considerations A Stressful Event Currently Occurring in my Life Most of the time, we often hear people use phrases like “I feel stressed” or “am so stressed” and these phrases have become a cliche in our day to day lives. I will give an event that is currently occurring in my life that is really stressing me out to an extent that I feel like I cannot do this anymore. I tend to ask myself if I should keep holding on or if I should just despair? I have been married for ten years and have been blessed with two beautiful kids, a boy and a girl. My first years of marriage were great that I even wondered why people always complain about marriage, but little did I know what the future had in store for me. For the last four years, I and my husband, or let me say my ex-husband and I have been battling for the custody of our kids after he filed for a divorce. The reason why our marriage could not work any longer is because my husband claimed that he no longer loved me, and that he was in love with another woman who he wanted to marry. My husband was the breadwinner of the family because I had opted to stay at home, and raise our two kids. After he filed for a divorce, I had to move out of the house leaving my kids with him because I didn’t have a job to maintain them. It is very hurting and heartbreaking to leave your kids under the care of a person who you no longer trust. I have been looking for well paying jobs so that I could take my kids before the final verdict, but all I can find are jobs like working in cafeterias as a cashier where the pay is not enough for my bills and paying my lawyer. I really feel desperate because I cannot see any hope in getting custody of my kids as my husband has even gone to the extent of staining my reputation that I was working as hawker in streets, which is not true. He has an advantage over me because he has a lot of money, and I suspect that he bribed all the parties involved in our case. Right now, I feel so stressed because in the first place, I have lost the love of my life, a man whom I thought I would be there to protect me from all the nasty things in the world. The fact that I cannot see my beautiful kids whom I love so much anytime I want is even worse. Right now, it seems my body and especially my brain is affected as I tend to be absent minded, and I also experience very severe headaches. Describe the physiological changes in the brain that occur due to the stress response The ability of the body to adapt to external and internal factors that challenge the self-regulation of biological systems is very essential to the survival of human beings. Stress usually comes or is derived from many sources; it can be associated with divorce, sickness, or any event or situation which is not in normal routine with the human body. Stress therefore refers to pathophysiological state associated with specific physiological changes that could be induced by different stimuli as mentioned before (Steckler, Kalin & Reul, 2005). The term stress is also said to be a short form of the term distress meaning to pull apart. The stress response is a complex phenomenon encompassing automatic, physical, and behavioral changes. Individuals vary in their response to stress and several factors contribute to that (Steckler, Kalin & Reul, 2005).There are certain physiological changes in the brain that occur due to the stress response. Stress is usually dealt with by the primary area of the brain known as the limbic system. It is often referred to as the emotional brain because its great influence on emotions and memory (The Franklin Institute, 2004). Whenever a threat is perceived or even imagined by an individual, the limbic system immediately responds through the automatic nervous system that is, the complex network of endocrine glands that automatically regulate metabolism. The sympathetic nervous system then prepares the individual in dealing with what is perceived as a threat. There are hormones which are released so as to initiate the metabolic processes, to allow one to cope with the stressing situation. These hormones are such as epinephrine, which is released by the adrenal gland and other hormones that are responsible for increase in breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. As this happens, more blood rich in oxygen is moved to the brain, and this enables an individual to fight the stress. Other hormones shut down the functions that are unnecessary during the period. The blood flow to the skin is also reduced and that is why a stressed person is likely to become sick (The Franklin Institute, 2004). What emotional and cognitive effects might occur due to this stressful situation? Emotional effects When an individual is going through a stressful situation, he or she may exhibit feelings of helplessness. Stress’ great effect is seen on the emotional aspect of an individual. A person may find it difficult to cope with the situation, and such thoughts of despair worsen the stress that person is suffering from (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). The following are the emotional effects that might occur during this stressful situation: Stress can cause anger and irritability. The person becomes easily irritated and is not able to control his anger. The result might be violence to the individual himself or the people who are around him. There are times the person experiences certain outbursts of anger (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). Isolation: When a person is undergoing stress, he or she end ups isolating himself or herself from the rest of the world (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). Mixed emotional feelings: When a person is experiencing stress, the feelings of anxiety, frustrations, and feelings of hopelessness are intensified. There may also be the increase of misery and distress (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). Cognitive effects Over the years, researches have shown that the cognitive functioning is altered when and individual is undergoing stress. It is said that acute stress is manageable, but constant stress causes damaging effects to a person’s cognition. The behavior, concentration, and memory are the ones especially affected (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). The following are the effects of stress on cognition: Poor judgment and memory problems: During the stress period, the individual usually experience inefficient thought process and this leads to him or her being unable to make decisions. Also, the person usually has some memory problems to an extent that he or she easily forgets things a lot (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). Constant worry: Stressed individuals often worry too much without a concrete basis, and feel fearful about losing control over everything (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). Anxious and easily distracted: Additionally, when an individual is undergoing stress, he or she is frequently irritated, impatient, and often gets distracted (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). Sleep disorder and headaches: In periods of stress, individuals also experience sleep disorder, which is insomnia, or generally experience lack of sleep. In addition to this, individuals usually have severe headaches and this can lead to permanent mental disorder (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). Would the above changes (physiological, cognitive, or emotional) be any different if the same stress were being experienced by a person of the opposite sex, or someone much older or younger than you? It is very true to say that if the same stress was being experienced by a person of the opposite sex, things would be different. According to Ruskin and Talbott,“responses to stress do indeed differ across race and gender in younger individuals, research on the interactive effects of these variables with age is clearly warranted” (1996, p. 186). One of the most significant reasons why men and women react differently to stress is because of the hormones. There are three hormones that are involved during stress. These are cortisol, epinephrine, and oxytocin. When stress strikes, the hormones cortisol and epinephrine are responsible for raising the blood pressure and circulation of blood sugar levels. The difference arises with the hormone oxytocin. In women, when the cortisol and epinephrine rush through the blood stream during stress, oxytocin which is released in high amounts comes into play. It is released from the brain and it counters the production of the other two hormones and also promotes nurturing and relaxing emotions. In men, the secretion of oxytocin is usually in much smaller amounts and this leaves them on the short end when it comes to stress coping; in other words, they tend to be more affected. Additionally, if the same stress was being experienced by persons of different ages there would be variations. As people age, achieving relaxation becomes very difficult after a stressful event. Aging usually wears out the systems in the brain that responds to stress, to an extent that they become inefficient. This is unlike the effects on a younger person whose brain system is very alert. If the situation continues, how might your physical health be affected? Everyone in one way or another undergoes stress; whether there are negative happenings or even positive happenings like getting married. In both situations, the result of stress can affect both the mind and the body. In a situation of a stressful event like the one on page one regarding a divorce, there are effects on the physical wellbeing of a person such as aches and pains, diarrhea and constipation, nausea and dizziness. The person also experiences chest pains and rapid heartbeats. It can also lead to loss of sex drive and frequent colds (Smith, Segal, R. & Segal, J., 2013). Describe 3 behavioral strategies that you could implement to reduce the effects of this stressor and how they cause changes in the brain physiology Exercising regularly: This works best both for the physical and mental health. It helps the body release endorphins, which increases overall well-being. It also improves blood flow to the brain, bringing additional sugars when the brain is intensely working. When one thinks intensely, there are wastes that are released and the blood pumped is responsible of removing these wastes. Also, through exercise, there is secretion of serotonin, which is a chemical in the brain that gives a calming effect. Getting enough sleep: Sleep is very important for everyone’s physical and mental wellbeing. When does not get enough sleep, this can have very great negatives effects to the ability to handle stress. Sleep offers the brain a time to relax by regulating the brain system and offers a person an escape from stress. Maintaining proper nutrition: It may sound very untrue, but a poor diet usually makes a person more vulnerable to stress. Food like a bowl of oatmeal usually boosts the levels of serotonin, which is a calming brain chemical, while other undeserving foods can cut down the release of adrenaline and cortisol, which increases stress in the body. Would there be any ethical considerations you would have to keep in mind as you seek to implement these behavioral strategies to reduce the effects of this stressor? How would you ensure your strategies do not negatively impact other aspects of your life or those in your life? When dealing with the stress I would ensure that I become disciplined to the routines that will help me reduce it. If it comes to regular exercise, I will make it a habit that I exercise thrice a week and also take note on the kind of food I eat. I would also ensure that I sleep for correct number of hours. For these strategies not to impact negatively on other aspects of my life, I would make sure to make a time schedule that I would follow day in day out. If it is exercising, I would make sure that if it is jogging, I do it before work or after work. I will also ensure not to waste much of my time in unconstructive things, so as to get enough time to sleep and also cook healthy food. Reference List Ruskin, Paul E. & Talbott, John A. (1996.). Aging and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc. Smith, M., Segal, R. & Segal, J. (2013.). Stress Symptoms, Signs and Causes. Retrieved November 2, 2013, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm. Steckler, T, Kalin, N. H & Reul, J. M. H. M. (Eds.). (2005.). Handbook of Stress and the Brain, Part 1. Amsterdam: Elsevier B.V.  The Franklin Institute. (2004.). Renew-Stress on the Brain. Retrieved November 2, 2013, from http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/stress.html. Read More