Text of the book “Psychology of stress and correction methods”

What is stress

Stress - what is it? Science proposes to define the concept of stress as the body’s cumulative reactions in response to the influence of various unfavorable factors. The definition of stress in psychology means mental tension that arises under the pressure of difficult life conditions .

So what is stress? This is a complex response of the body, often accompanied by simultaneous tension in both the psyche and physiology of a person, which occurs under extreme demands of the external environment, in most cases having a negative orientation.

Consequences

Scientists believe that stress is the root cause of most diseases. Among the most common consequences:

• migraine;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• pain in different parts of the body (especially often in the back);
• impotence, frigidity, infertility;
• diabetes;
• sensorineural hearing loss;
• skin diseases: scabies, nervous allergies, psoriasis, eczema;
• hair loss up to baldness (and presumably early gray hair);
• Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases;
• rickets and slow growth in childhood;
• gastritis and stomach ulcers;
• obesity.

Scientists suggest that it is stress that increases the risk of developing cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.

As a result of severe psychological trauma or constantly recurring stressful situations (participation in hostilities, physical injury, sexual violence, threat of death), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop - a severe mental condition.

Prolonged stress is a provocateur of neuroses, depression and many mental disorders of personality and behavior.

On the other hand, we should not forget that sometimes stress leaves behind short-term positive consequences. In conditions of danger, it forces you to make the only right decisions, improving your thinking processes. There is also an increase in physical abilities: strength and endurance. Motivation appears to cope with difficulties, character is strengthened. But all these moments appear only at the moment of an acute stressful state, but not protracted.

This is no joke! Stress is called the “silent killer” for a reason. It slowly but surely disrupts the functioning of the heart, causing tachycardia, hypertension, heart failure, stroke and heart attack.

Kinds

Stress in psychology is divided into types depending on its final result (eustress and distress), direction (types of stress such as managerial and informational), spheres of influence (physiological and emotional stress) and duration (acute and chronic stress).

Stress

Pre-stress state

Under the influence of various stress factors, a person is in nervous tension, experiencing anxiety and discomfort. However, the state of stress itself has not yet occurred, and measures can be taken to prevent it .

Eustress

Useful types of stress that arise under the influence of strong positive emotions . It is considered the main active force pushing a person towards development. Mobilizes the body's strength in order to effectively overcome the situation.

You can read more about eustress in the article “Eustress - what is it, causes, symptoms, the difference between eustress and distress.”

Distress

Usually, when we talk about the negativity of stress and its impact on the human body, we mean distress. However, stress and distress are not equivalent concepts . The general concept of stress includes both its negative and positive orientation, while distress in psychology means destruction, a state of negative impact on the body, and the main difference between distress is that it disorganizes human activity and behavior .

You can read more about distress in the article “Distress - what is it, types and phases, causes, symptoms, prevention”.

Physiological stress

This type is characterized by an overstressed state of the body during heavy physical exertion , or when the body is exhausted due to lack of normal nutrition and proper rest.

Emotional stress

Characterized by the body entering a stressful period under the influence of negative emotions:

• fear
• anger
• sadness
• anxiety

In this case, the provoking factor is precisely excessive emotions, and not the stressful situation that caused them.

Acute stress

Short-term emotional stress, which was facilitated by a sudden stress factor . It is accompanied by both a sharp entry and a sharp exit from the situation. Most often it passes without consequences, but in susceptible people, nervous system dysfunction may develop as a result.

Chronic stress

Long-term exposure to various stressors. Chronic stress is characterized by long-term psycho-emotional stress, which negatively affects both the quality of a person’s life and the functioning of his body . In the long term, there is a risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and other serious diseases.

Management stress

It manifests itself in people vested with the power to make responsible decisions that can cause serious changes in various areas of life/work.

Information stress

A type of stress that occurs when there is insufficient or excessive amount of information , making it difficult to make the right decision.

Symptoms

The clinical picture of stress is quite varied, since its manifestation is individual in nature.

With an unstable psyche and poor control of the emotional sphere, all the symptoms are clearly visible. Some people are able not to show their feelings, no matter how strong they are. But that doesn't mean they don't feel anything. On the contrary: those who try to keep all the pain inside suffer even more from its destructive effect. But the signs still manifest themselves a little later and often in the form of irreversible consequences.

Physiological

Mainly:

• bruxism (teeth grinding);
• tachycardia, pressure surges;
• labored breathing;
• pain: headache, muscle, joint, behind the sternum, in the back, in the stomach;
• sleep disorders;
• decreased libido;
• heartburn, nausea, stool disorders;
• frequent urination;
• ringing in the ears, fog and spots before the eyes;
• dry mouth;
• rash, itching of the skin;
• hot flashes, hyperhidrosis;
• frequent infectious diseases;
• weight loss or weight gain, eating disorders;
• tremor of the limbs.

Psychological

Emotional:

• moodiness, irritability, outbursts of anger and aggression, impulsiveness;
• fear, anxiety, phobias, suspicion, panic, causeless worry, obsessive negative thoughts;
• tearfulness;
• deceit;
• guilt;
• nervous laughter;
• pessimism, concentration on negative and bad events, hopelessness, melancholy;
• touchiness;
• the appearance of suicidal thoughts;
• insomnia, nightmares.

Social-behavioral:

• unkempt appearance;
• lack of interest in family, work, hobbies;
• alcoholism, drug addiction, drug dependence;
• breaking of previous connections, reluctance to make new acquaintances, divorce, restriction of communication with friends and relatives;
• workaholism;
• social maladjustment, conflict, hostility towards others, closedness, desire for loneliness;
• inappropriate behavior;
• rude speech.

Intelligent:

• memory impairment;
• decreased concentration, inability to concentrate;
• constantly occurring errors in work;
• difficulties in learning new material;
• decreased IQ;
• systematic repetition of what has already been said;
• problems with speech: lack of words, stuttering, excessive emotionality;
• difficulty making a decision.

At the moment when a person first finds himself in a stressful situation, the symptoms manifest themselves most clearly. Gradually, they either fade and become weaker, or, conversely, intensify and begin to pose a threat to health. There are also regressive outbreaks when something reminds of the problem or it reoccurs.

This is interesting! Stress is part of the evolutionary engine. Some scientists claim that it was he who allowed people to survive in the most difficult conditions. After all, at the moment of its occurrence, the body activates all protective reserves. This causes a short-term sharpening of consciousness, thought processes, speed of reaction and increased performance.

Stages of stress

The stages of stress (some sources call them stress phases) are divided into three stages that characterize a person’s state in a tense, long-term stressful situation.

Alarming

At the first stage of stress, the human body processes information received by it about various changes in the environment . Drastically changed living conditions contribute to acute reactions with a very wide range of action - a person may begin to fuss or, conversely, freeze in shock. All body systems work at maximum intensity, using available reserves.

Resistant

At the second stage, a person persistently resists external influences, making attempts to adapt and cope with the situation . If adaptation to new conditions is successful, this type of stress is called eustress. If adaptation fails, distress appears, characterized by a decline in physical and emotional strength. Whatever the outcome, during this stress phase the human body works to the limit, using the maximum of its capabilities. Therefore, the third stage comes very quickly.

Exhaustion stage

The course of this phase of stress development depends on what the human body achieved at the previous stage. If you managed to get out of the situation without losses (eustress option), then there is a high probability of consequences in the form of severe fatigue, the person may feel sleepy, or he begins to feel empty . In the case when it was not possible to cope with the problem (distress), a feeling of hopelessness and melancholy develops, and depression or other mental disorders may begin.

This is interesting

Stress after trauma can cause changes in the brain—it shrinks a part of the limbic system called the hippocampus. This part of the brain is also responsible for retrieving and storing memories, and under severe stress, the mechanism of memory consolidation is disrupted. This is why, in the post-traumatic period, people often cannot remember the exact course of events.

How stress occurs

Hans Selye identified three stages in the body's response to any stress. The speed of their occurrence depends on the strength of the stressor and the state of the central nervous system of a particular person:

1. Anxiety stage . A person ceases to control his thoughts and actions, and the preconditions are created for the weakening of the body. Behavior becomes the opposite of that which is characteristic of this person.
2. Resistance stage . The body's resistance increases so that a person can make a decision and cope with the situation that has arisen.
3. Exhaustion stage . It develops under prolonged stress, when the body is “no longer able” to maintain the stage of resistance. It is at this stage that damage to internal organs develops - it is different for everyone.

There is also a more extended description of the stages, made after Selye’s work. There are 4 stages here:

• Mobilization: a person’s attention and activity increases; energy is still spent sparingly. If at this stage the process fades, then it only hardens and does not destroy the person.
• Stenic (active) negative emotion. Anger, aggression, rage arise. To achieve the goal, forces begin to be spent uneconomically, and the body takes the path of exhaustion
• Asthenic (that is, passive) negative emotion. It arises as a result of excessive expenditure of one’s own forces at the previous stage. The person is sad, does not believe in his own strength and that this situation can be resolved. He may become depressed.
• Complete demoralization. It occurs when the stressor continues to affect the body. The person resigns himself to defeat, becomes indifferent, and does not want to solve either the stressor task or any others. A person at this stage of distress is said to be “broken.”

Causes of stress - who is at risk

We are all stressed to one degree or another. Also, each person has his own emotional and physical threshold, beyond which the influence of external conditions begins to cause negative feelings . Let's highlight the main stressors that affect people.

Problems in personal life

In our personal lives, emotions rule over us. And where there is emotional tension, there is always a place for irritants that contribute to an increase in the level of stress and its development.

Finance

The causes of stress, according to experts, are in first place in terms of “popularity” . The external social environment often requires a person to have a certain status and income. Financially insolvent people, as a rule, not only have a large number of internal conflicts, but are also very dependent on the negative opinions of people around them.

Opportunity for self-expression

Every person needs a goal in life, through the achievement of which he could realize himself as a person . Some people manage to express themselves, while others do not, and dissatisfaction with this fact develops into a source of constant stress.

Family

The causes of stress often lie in the family and in relationships between loved ones. Lack of understanding, tension and tension in relationships are all common causes of stress and psychological difficulties .

Own problems

A characteristic of many people is the desire to keep everything under control. However, when control is impossible or weakened, this becomes a cause of anxiety and a feeling of helplessness - fertile ground for the development of manifestations of stress.

Safety

Questions about one's own safety can easily drive a person into a stressful state . This is especially true for moments of real danger to life and health, since our body is primarily tuned to self-preservation. Security types include:

• Personal – psychological safety;
• Physical – absence of a pronounced physical threat.

Job

An inexhaustible source of stress . Moreover, it is connected not only with problems at work, but also with its priority for a person. Some people prioritize getting a certain position, and for them, not moving up the career ladder is stressful in itself, while others, for example, do not consider work to be the main thing in their life, but in the end it acts as the main obstacle in life, since stressful work situations constantly require the search for solutions .

Death of pets or loved ones

The loss of a loved one is always a huge stress . With the death of loved ones comes the fear of loneliness, because they cannot be replaced. Losing a pet can also be scary, especially if the person had a strong attachment to it.

Personal

Each person takes part in a variety of activities that are in no way related to the immediate work or organization. Various private events that are significant to specific people can potentially contribute to the development of stress .

Organizational

Primarily related to work issues. Such reasons may be:

• immature and weak leadership;
• lack of normal organization of working conditions;
• excessive loads;
• the requirement for exclusively non-standard solutions in difficult circumstances.

Physiological

The influence of stress can develop various mental disorders in a person, but there is also an inverse relationship: people with pre-existing psychological problems are more likely to be exposed to stress. These include:

• Depression . A person who is in a depressed depressive state is easily thrown off track. It is, in principle, more sensitive, which means it is easily exposed to stress factors;
• Hypochondria . People who tend to look for non-existent diseases are more susceptible to stress than those who are confident in their own health or simply practice preventive examinations;
• Congenital developmental disorders (dementia, mental retardation) . Such people perceive the world differently; for them it is full of various dangers and stressors, which can be any event or life situation that does not pose a danger to people without deviations;
• Autism . For people with this disease, any departure from a familiar and comfortable environment is a very pressing phenomenon on the psyche;
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) . A fairly common disorder that is more often diagnosed in children. At the same time, a child’s lack of ability to engage in any activity for at least a short time leads to difficulties in development, and therefore adds unrest to his life and the lives of those around him.

There are also different psychotypes of people with greater or less resistance to stress:

• internal (a self-confident person who does not need support) – practically not subject to distress;
• external (a person who relies more on fate, lacks self-confidence and needs encouragement and support) – has a higher level of stress and anxiety.

Text of the book “Psychology of stress and correction methods”

Literature

Main:

1. Kitaev-Smyk L. A.

Psychology of stress. M., 1983, p. 5-56.

2. Selye G.

Stress without distress. M., 1992, p. 104-109.

3. Shcherbatykh Yu. V.

Stress and happiness are the same letter. Rostov n/d: Phoenix, 2010, p. 10-23.

Additional:

4. Bodrov V. A.

Cognitive processes and psychological stress // Psychological journal. 1996. T. 17. No. 4, p. 64-74.

5. Wayne A. M.

Preface to the collection of scientific works devoted to emotional stress // The role of emotional stress in the genesis of neuropsychiatric diseases. M., 1977, p. 3-4.

6. Gorizontov P. D., Belousova O. P., Fedotova M. I.

Stress and the blood system. M.: Medicine, 1988, p. 5-79.

7. Greenberg J.

Stress management. St. Petersburg: Peter, 2004, p. 29-30.

8. Kaluev A.V.

Problems of studying stress behavior. Kyiv, 1999, p. 6-39.

9. Marishchuk V. L., Evdokimov V. I.

Human behavior and self-regulation under stress. SPb.: Publishing house "September". 2001, p. 52-60; 81-85.

10. Meerson F. 3.

Adaptation of the body to stressful situations and prevention of cardiac arrhythmias // Advances in physiological sciences. 1987. T. 18. No. 4, p. 56-79.

11. Moikin Yu. V., Kikolov A. I., Tkhorevsky V. I., Milkov L. E.

Psychophysiological basis for the prevention of overexertion. M.: Medicine, 1987, p. 3—256.

12. Nozdrachev A.D., Shcherbatykh Yu.V.

Physiology and psychology of fear // Nature. 2000. No. 5, p. 61-67.

13. Pryazhnikov N. S., Pryazhnikova E. Yu.

Psychology of work and human dignity. M.: Academy, 2004, p. 243.

14. Simonov P.V.

Reflection theory and psychophysiology of emotions. M.: Nauka, 1970, p. 8-48.

15. Simonov P.V.

Psychophysiological stress of space flight // Fundamentals of space biology and medicine. M.: Nauka, 1975. T. 2. Book. 2, p. 158-172.

16. Suvorova V.V.

Psychophysiology of stress. M: Pedagogy, 1975, p. 3—208.

17. Sudakov K.V.

Systemic mechanisms of emotional stress. M.: Medicine, 1981, p. 5—232.

18. Sudakov K.V.

Individual resistance to stress. M., 1998, p. 3—268.

19. Khananashvili M. I.

Information neuroses. L.: Medicine, 1978, p. 3—143.

20. Cherkovich G. M.

Experience of reproducing neurosis in monkeys by experimentally changing the daily routine // Bulletin of Experimental Biology. 1959. T. 48. No. 8, p. 21-24.

21. Shcherbatykh Yu. V.

Examination and student health // Higher education in Russia. 2000. No. 3, p. 111-115.

22. De Quattro VL

Stress overload-and catecholamine response-demand neutralizing antihypertensive therapy // Heart and Circ. 1988. V. 3, Suppl. No. 2. P. 6-7.

23. Folkman S., Schaefer C, Lazarus RS

Cognitive processes as mediators of stress and coping / V. Hamilton, DW (Eds.) Human stress and cognition: An information processing approach. NY: Willey, 1979. P. 265-298.

24. Lannone V.

Stress und Krankheit // Raum und Zeit. 1990. V. 9. No. 4. P. 60-62.

25. Lazarus RS, Launier R.

Stress – related transactions between person and environment // LA Pervin, M. Levis (Eds.). Perspectives in reactional psychology. NY: Plenum, 1978. P. 287-327.

26. Stewart-Brown S., Layte R.

Emotional health problems are the most important cause of disability in adults of working age: A study in the four counties of the old Oxford region //J. Epidemiol, and Community Health. 1997. V. 51. No. 6. P. 672-675.

Chapter 2

Forms of manifestation of stress and criteria for its assessment

2.1. Forms of stress

Psychological stress can manifest itself in changes in various functional systems of the body, and the intensity of the disturbances can vary from a slight change in emotional mood to such serious diseases as a stomach ulcer or myocardial infarction. There are several ways to classify stress reactions, but for psychologists the most promising is to divide them into behavioral, intellectual, emotional

and
physiological
manifestations of stress (in this case, biochemical and hormonal processes are also considered to be physiological manifestations). Previously, a similar classification of body reactions was used to study the state of anxiety, which often accompanies psychological stress. Thus, D. Nutt identifies four components that play an important role in the formation of a state of anxiety:

+

mood (eg, excitement);

+

cognitive sphere (unpleasant memories, making negative forecasts);

+

physiological manifestations (tachycardia, sweating, tremor);

+

behavioral reactions @@@@@21#####.

In accordance with this approach, we will also separately consider the behavioral, intellectual, emotional and physiological manifestations of stress, naturally understanding that there are close objective connections between these forms of stress.

2.1.1. Changes in behavioral responses under stress

For ease of study, the entire variety of behavioral manifestations of stress can be divided into four groups, as shown in Fig. 5. Psychomotor disorders can manifest themselves:

+

in excessive muscle tension (especially often in the face and “collar” area);

+

hand trembling;

+

changes in breathing rhythm;

+

voice trembling;

+

decrease in the speed of sensorimotor reaction;

+

violation of speech functions, etc.

Rice. 5. Behavioral signs of stress.

Under the influence of stress, muscles become overly tense, which prevents a person from performing precise and economical movements, and the person spends an excessive amount of energy on movements that were previously performed easily and naturally @@@@@7#####. Excess tension in a particular muscle group is called a “muscle tightness” and can cause back and neck pain, as well as headaches, including migraines. There are several directions and therapies aimed at “relieving” such clamps and relaxing excessively tense muscles: these are progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback and body-oriented psychotherapy.

Violations of the regime

days can be expressed in a reduction in sleep, a shift in work cycles to the night, the abandonment of good habits and their replacement with inadequate methods of compensating for stress.

Professional misconduct

can be expressed in an increase in the number of errors when performing habitual actions at work, in chronic lack of time, in low productivity of professional activity. The coordination of movements, their accuracy, and the proportionality of the required efforts deteriorate.

Violations of social role functions

under stress, they are expressed in a decrease in the time spent communicating with loved ones and friends, an increase in conflict, a decrease in sensitivity during communication, and the appearance of various signs of antisocial behavior. At the same time, a person under prolonged stress takes less into account social norms and standards, which can manifest itself in a loss of attention to his appearance. Distress also has a detrimental effect on the individual’s social connections with other people. When experiencing deep stress, relationships with loved ones and work colleagues can deteriorate significantly, up to a complete break, while the main problem remains unresolved, and people experience severe feelings of guilt and hopelessness. Psychology students who assessed behavioral signs of stress caused by intense study identified decreased performance and increased fatigue as the most pronounced manifestation of stress. Negative consequences of educational stress also included sleep disturbances and haste caused by constant lack of time. Violations of social contacts and problems in communication were noted by students among the consequences of academic stress, but the severity of these phenomena was not very great. At the same time, the degree of decrease in performance and the development of fatigue under stress depended on some objective and subjective factors.
…

In our studies, there was a significant positive correlation between a decrease in students’ performance and such factors as “heavy academic load”, “strict teachers” and “living away from parents” (correlation coefficients 0.41–0.43 with a significance level of less than 0.01) . Subjective factors contributing to a decrease in performance include “an overly serious attitude towards studying,” “shyness and self-consciousness,” and “problems in personal life,” which aggravate the manifestations of educational stress.

Inadequate attempts to compensate for stress are expressed in more intensive alcohol consumption, increased daily smoking rates, excess food intake, etc. (Fig. 6). According to our data, the most common method of relieving stress among students is tasty food, followed by TV, cigarettes and alcohol. It also turned out that people often try to reduce the increased level of stress through aggressive impulses, “throwing out” negative emotions on other people. Similar data were also obtained from people working as accountants and economists.

Inadequate methods of stress relief are mainly characteristic of people who look for the causes of their problems and stress in the external environment, and to a greater extent this relates to the desire of such people to use alcohol as a “universal anti-stress method.”

At the same time, there was a pronounced correlation between the frequency of use of alcoholic beverages and smoked cigarettes (r =

0.44;
p <
0.001), as well as between food and TV (r
=
0.31; p
<
0.01).
Thus, “paired” adaptation habits are identified, one of which can lead to alcoholism and lung diseases, and the other to the appearance of excess weight. At the same time, a negative correlation was noted between the use of cigarettes and television, which act as alternative ways to reduce stress (r = -0.32; p <
0.01).
Our studies also noted that inadequate methods of stress relief were more often used by people who complained of a constant lack of time and the inability to maintain their usual daily routine. At the same time, disruption of life activity during stress often manifested itself in an increase in the level of aggressiveness towards others (r =
0.33; p
<
0.01).

Rice. 6. Inadequate methods of stress suppression. The frequency of use was assessed by the subjects using a 10-point system, where 1 means not at all typical, 10 means I always use it.

Some authors do not clearly distinguish the concepts of “emotional stress” and “emotional tension”, noting that both phenomena are characterized by changes in facial expressions, manifestations of stiffness of movements, changes in phonation and articulation of speech, tremor of the muscles of the face, arms and legs, such behavioral reactions, like fussiness or, conversely, stupor @@@@@3#####.

It should be noted that an analysis of the situations cited by these authors (fire, parachute jump, airplane flight) shows that we are talking more about short-term emotional tension than about “classical” stress, which has a fairly long dynamics of development and manifestation. Nevertheless, the results and conclusions obtained by these authors are of undoubted value for the study of psychological stress. For example, they give an interesting classification of behavioral manifestations of emotional tension, which also occur during stress:

+
impulsive
(excitable) form, associated with excessive excitation and decreased activity of the inhibitory process, temporary deterioration of differentiation. In this case, erroneous hasty actions predominate, fussiness appears;

+
the inhibitory
(“torpid”) form is caused by general inhibition based on the development of protective inhibition due to a significant decrease in the resources of the nervous system;

+
generalized
(“hypobulic”) form, characterized by unpredictability, panicky actions, and the desire not to fight danger, but to avoid it in any way. At the same time, illogical decisions and disorderly behavior take place, including reverse actions (“actions in reverse”) - actions contrary to common sense @@@@@3#####.

2.1.2. Changes in cognitive processes under stress

Under stress, all aspects of cognitive activity usually suffer, including such basic properties of intelligence as memory and attention. Violation of attention indicators is primarily due to the fact that a stress dominant is formed in the human cerebral cortex, around which all thoughts and experiences are formed. At the same time, concentrating voluntary attention on other objects is difficult and increased distractibility is noted.

Memory function suffers to a slightly lesser extent. Nevertheless, the constant workload of consciousness by discussing the causes of stress and searching for a way out of it reduces the capacity of RAM, and the hormonal levels changed during stress disrupt the process of reproducing the necessary information.

It should also be noted that there is a possible disruption of the normal interaction of the cerebral hemispheres during severe emotional stress towards greater dominance of the right, “emotional” hemisphere, and a decrease in the influence of the left, “logical” half of the cerebral cortex on human consciousness. All of the above processes are not only a consequence of the development of psychological stress, but also prevent its successful and timely resolution, since a decrease in thinking potential makes it difficult to find a way out of a stressful situation.

V.L. Marishchuk and V.I. Evdokimov write that many phenomena of disturbance of thought processes under stress can be explained based on the physiological concept of dominance. According to these authors, during mental tension caused by acute stress, the dominant, according to the law of negative induction, temporarily extinguishes other centers of excitation, which are the physiological substrates of other opinions, more substantiated motives, and true knowledge. On this occasion they write:

…

“If we use psychological terms, then a special psychological attitude arises, through the prism of which existing and newly incoming information is comprehended (as through a “distorting mirror”). Past experience, knowledge, and motives are temporarily extinguished, and the assessment of the situation is measured only against the standard of a given attitude, even if it is deeply false. Everything that is subject to comprehension can be seen in a false light, assessed tendentiously, and at the moment it seems to a person that he is right (after all, all other sources of internal information are temporarily extinguished).

The matter is complicated by the fact that the dominant (as long as it functions and is supported by emotions) is less vulnerable. As Academician A. Ukhtomsky noted, the dominant acts according to special laws - it intensifies regardless of whether positive or negative influences are directed at it.

In the language of psychology, this means that convincing arguments are sometimes rejected, and erroneous motives triumph. It is characteristic that when the tension ceases, when the negative induction from the dominant focus ceases to have its effect and everything that was in rational experience begins to be reproduced in consciousness, we seem to “see the light” from “emotional poisoning” and sometimes cannot understand how we passed by the obvious arguments why we were stubborn, why we were rude, and sometimes committed negative actions contrary to our own value orientations” @@@@@3; With. 89—90#####.

Rice. 7. Intellectual signs of stress.

Intellectual changes that occur during stress are shown in Fig. 7.

2.1.3. Changes in physiological processes under stress

Physiological manifestations of stress affect almost all human organ systems - digestive, cardiovascular and respiratory @@@@@4, 5, 7#####. However, researchers most often focus on the cardiovascular system, which has increased sensitivity and whose reactions to stress can be relatively easily recorded. Under stress, the following objective changes are recorded:

+

an increase in heart rate or a change in its regularity;

+

increased blood pressure, disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract;

+

decrease in electrical resistance of the skin, etc.

The authors mentioned above - V. L. Marishchuk and V. I. Evdokimov, describing states of emotional tension (short-term stress), note a sharp increase and disturbance in the rhythm of pulse and breathing, profuse sweating, sudden changes in the diameter of the pupil, vasomotor reactions on the face, a sharp increase in peristalsis, etc. @@@@@3#####.

All these objective changes are reflected in the subjective experiences of a person experiencing stress. A person in a state of psychological stress usually experiences various negative experiences:

+

pain in the heart and other organs;

+

difficulty breathing, muscle tension;

+

discomfort in the digestive organs, etc.

Disturbances in the normal activity of individual organs and their systems, on the one hand, and the reflection of these disturbances in consciousness, on the other hand, lead to complex physiological and biochemical disorders: decreased immunity, increased fatigue, frequent ailments, changes in body weight, etc. ( Fig. 8).

Rice. 8. Physiological signs of stress.

…

According to self-reports of students describing the manifestations of exam stress, it manifests itself most strongly in the form of a headache (5.7 +

0.4 points), rapid heartbeat or discomfort in the heart (4.2
+
0.4 points), in the form of excessive muscle tension or tremors (3.9
+
0.4 points).
Slightly less stress manifests itself in the form of problems with the gastrointestinal tract (3.5 +
0.3 points) and in the form of difficulty breathing (2.8
+
0.3 points) (Fig. 9).

The severity of physiological manifestations of stress correlated very strongly with the internal preconditions of psychological stress (r =

0.45;
p <
0.001). Psychosomatic manifestations of stress were more pronounced in individuals who noted shyness, timidity, pessimism, self-consciousness, fear of the future, and obsessive thoughts about possible troubles. These traits are typical for introverts, people with increased sensitivity and people with a weak type of higher nervous activity.

Rice. 9. Physiological manifestation of exam stress. The intensity of subjective manifestations was assessed by the subjects using a 10-point system.

2.1.4. Emotional manifestations of stress

Emotional manifestations of stress affect various aspects of the psyche. First of all, this concerns the characteristics of the general emotional background, which acquires a negative, gloomy, pessimistic connotation. With prolonged stress, a person becomes more anxious compared to his normal state, loses faith in success and, in the case of particularly prolonged stress, may become depressed @@@@@7#####.

Against the background of such an altered mood, a person experiencing stress experiences stronger emotional outbursts, most often of a negative nature. These can be emotional reactions of irritability, anger, aggression, even affective states.

Prolonged or repeated short-term stress can lead to a change in the entire character of a person, in which new traits appear or existing ones intensify: introversion, a tendency to self-blame, low self-esteem, suspicion, aggressiveness

etc.

Given certain prerequisites, all of the above changes go beyond the psychological norm and acquire features of psychopathology, which most often manifest themselves in the form of various neuroses (asthenic, neurosis of anxious expectation, etc.).

Negative emotional states (fear, anxiety, pessimism, negativism, increased aggressiveness) are both consequences and prerequisites for the development of stress. A study of the characteristics of educational stress showed that fear of the future (as a factor provoking the occurrence of stressful conditions) contributed to the development of such manifestations of stress as increased anxiety, self-doubt, depressive mood, obsessive negative thoughts and a feeling of helplessness @@@@@18## ###. The variety of emotional changes encountered during stress is shown in Fig. 10.

Rice. 10. Emotional signs of stress.

2.2. Stress level assessment

2.2.1. Objective methods for assessing stress levels

Assessment of the state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body

Among the actual physiological research methods, the most commonly used are the following:

+

registration of heart rate (HR);

+

determination of blood pressure (BP);

+

electrocardiography (ECG);

+

determination of the functioning parameters of the respiratory system (frequency and depth of breathing, gas composition of exhaled air, etc.).

Recently, comprehensive methods for studying stress have become increasingly popular. This is due to the fact that the body’s response to the influence of a stressor is itself complex and systemic, covering all hierarchical levels of the body. Therefore, the interaction of various systems: nervous, humoral, cardiovascular, muscular, etc. is of particular interest.

…

In this regard, the conclusion of Bulgarian scientists from the Institute of Hygiene in Sofia is interesting, who came to the conclusion that an independent study of individual body reactions to stress (changes in heart rate, blood pressure and respiration) is less informative than an analysis of their interaction. In their studies, they showed that in subjects with a low stress response of the body, the wave-like activity of the vital functions of the body is highly synchronized. The high information content of correlations between breathing and the rhythm of cardiac activity when studying individual susceptibility to stress was also shown by domestic authors @@@@@15#####.

The simplest and fastest method for assessing a person’s functional state under stress is to measure his heart rate (pulse).

…

For example, according to the results of one of the studies of psycho-emotional stress, the average pulse rate of first-year students before exams increased from 79 to 98 beats per minute (as during moderate work), which once again emphasizes the influence of psychological factors on the physiological state of the body @@@@ @5#####. The results obtained in the course of this work are consistent with the data of other authors @@@@@9, 13, 14, 16#####, who noted significant tachycardia in students during exams.

The frequency distribution of pulse values ​​in students obtained in our studies is shown in Fig. 11. It shows that the frequency distribution of heart rate indicators differs under normal conditions and under conditions of examination stress. Firstly, the average heart rate of the student population under stress shifts to higher values, which reflects the general activation of the sympathetic system, and secondly, the dispersion of the distribution increases (the curve becomes flatter and more elongated). This means that individuals are identified in the population whose heart rate values ​​under stress differ significantly from the average values. In a state of exam stress, 3.8% of students had pulse values ​​in the range of 120-150 beats, which indicates a pronounced reaction of the sympathetic system to the exam procedure. On the other hand, 1.3% of students had heart rate indicators shifted to the region of bradycardia, which indicates activation of the parasympathetic system, which thus responds to the depletion of nervous system resources and developing processes of extreme inhibition. Moreover, under conditions of psychological stress, the pulse increased most strongly in students with the initial parasympathetic type of regulation @@@@@5, 16#####, i.e., individuals with a weak type of higher nervous activity, in whom psychological stress is most severe .

Rice. 11. Frequency diagram of distributions of heart rate indicators in students under normal conditions and in a state of examination stress.

Psychological stress associated with anxious anticipation of an important event for the subject, as a rule, leads to an increase in blood pressure. At the same time, a number of studies have noted an increase in the spread of blood pressure indicators compared to the norm in the studied population. This may be due, on the one hand, to the potential tendency to sudden changes in pressure of some people who initially have latent cardiovascular diseases, which manifest themselves under emotional stress, and on the other hand, to the possible multidirectional nature of the response of systemic blood pressure to stress in separate individuals. In addition, the direction of vascular changes depends on the nature of the emotions accompanying stress, as was shown in the classic work of A. Ax, who found that the most characteristic reaction for sthenic negative reactions (anger, rage, resentment, etc.) is an increase in diastolic pressure, and for asthenic (depression, fear) – its reduction @@@@@19#####. The nature of the emotion that arises during stress depends on many factors: the personal characteristics of a person, the type of his GNI, the presence or absence of the necessary information, relationships with people around him, etc., therefore, “adding” or “subtracting” these factors leads to an increase or decrease blood pressure indicators.

The ways in which blood pressure increases during stress, in addition to an increase in heart rate, can be different. This may be an increase in the pumping function of the heart due to an increase in systolic volume or an increase in peripheral blood resistance due to increased tone of the vascular walls. In addition, the lack of a pronounced correlation between heart rate and blood pressure in extreme situations can be explained by individual differences in the initial physical fitness of students. There is evidence that in people who play sports or lead an active lifestyle, an increase in pressure occurs due to an increase in systolic volume, and in physically unprepared people - due to an increase in heart rate.

Symptoms of stress

Symptoms of stress are not always pronounced, especially with chronic stress. Therefore, it is important to learn to recognize them in order to take the necessary measures in time to eliminate this condition . Signs of stress are divided into several groups.

Cognitive

Such symptoms of stress are also called intellectual , as they manifest themselves in changes in the functioning of thought processes. Frequent examples of these types of symptoms can be seen in students during exam periods. These signs include:

• difficulty concentrating on anything;
• weakening of memory;
• obsessive thoughts that you constantly return to;
• Difficulty in making decisions independently.

Emotional

The process of stress formation often leads to the development of changes in the emotional sphere. Their fundamental difference from other symptoms is that a person is able to influence the sphere of emotions and, to some extent, regulate it . However, bright manifestations are difficult to hide:

• a state of irritation, anxiety, restlessness, often in the absence of a real reason;
• decreased self-esteem, devaluation of one’s own achievements, increased demands on oneself;
• negative emotional background - a constant feeling of sadness, melancholy, loneliness and guilt, a tendency to depression;
• lack of vital interests, passivity, refusal to take responsibility for oneself, shifting it onto the shoulders of others;
• chronically increased tension.

Physiological

Signs of stress that manifest as changes in the normal functioning of the body.

• Pressure surges, arrhythmia, increased heart rate;
• Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, changes in digestion and eating habits - decreased or increased appetite, stomach pain, stool disorders;
• Feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath;
• Muscle hypertonicity, spasms, convulsions;
• Skin allergic rashes often appear, sweating increases;
• Decreased libido.

This is interesting

Under stress, hormonal changes disrupt the normal functioning of the genital organs, and as a result, libido decreases. However, the solution to this problem is not to give up regular sexual relations.

Sex itself helps lower stress hormone levels. But if you decide to abstain from sexual relations, you risk developing high blood pressure.

Behavioral

Changes in human behavior are external manifestations of stress. Typical behavioral symptoms include:

• The tendency to increase the consumption of alcoholic beverages and nicotine is one of the most common patterns of behavior, which not only leads to nothing, but also aggravates the existing situation;
• Immersion in work . Zealous workaholism can help you “switch”;
• Decreased attention to your work and your appearance , absent-mindedness, absorption in your thoughts;
• Due to the instability of emotions, there is often a tendency to “inflate” conflicts , both at home and at work.

External

External signs by which one can determine that a person is under stress include noticeable tension in various muscle groups . Signs noticeable to the eye:

• The person purses or compresses his lips tightly;
• “Nodules move across the face” and the cheekbones are “tense” - the chewing muscles are tense;
• Shoulders are forward, raised, tight;
• The man stoops greatly, although this has not been noticed before.

Symptoms of chronic and acute stress

Symptoms of chronic stress and signs of acute stress are also distinguished separately. Chronic is accompanied by the following symptoms:

More than 9,000 people have gotten rid of their psychological problems using this technique.

• Persistent physical and psychological fatigue, lack of vital energy;
• Lack of joy from communicating even with loved ones. Every day the desire to see someone becomes less and less;
• Constant negative thoughts, dissatisfaction and anger at yourself and others;
• Problems concentrating on something, memory loss, decreased performance;
• Deterioration of health and general condition.

Acute stress most often manifests itself at the physiological level, since the psyche is not able to restructure itself so dramatically. Main symptoms:

• Headache, chest pain;
• Nausea;
• Increased heart rate, tremor;
• A sharp increase in aggressiveness;
• Emotional numbness.

Causes

So, information stress occurs as a result of either an overabundance of information or because of its negative content. Psychologists have divided the factors that can cause it into several groups.

Semantic reasons:

• lack of information (no material to prepare for the exam);
• inconsistency (on one channel they say that no one was injured during the natural disaster, on the other - that there were dead);
• redundancy (to prepare for the exam you need to learn 100 tickets in 2 days);
• misperception (subjective interpretation of material that does not correspond to objective truth);
• the overwhelming complexity of the task at hand (when a humanist is asked to compose the canonical equations of a straight line, which he hears about for the first time).

Temporary:

• lack of time (write a term paper in 3 days);
• high pace of presentation of information flow (the teacher explained 10 topics at once in one lesson);
• inconsistency in the presentation of the material (the lecturer first covered the events of the 16th century, then the 9th century);
• effect of surprise (they were informed that, in addition to tickets, the exam will also include tasks);
• progressively increasing flow of information or rate of presentation.

Organizational:

• information not submitted on time (subordinates did not provide reports to the boss on time);
• incorrect selection (the student found too much material for the course work, half of which turned out to be superfluous);
• low concentration of attention (failed to hear and write down what was needed due to absent-mindedness);
• combining several types of activities at once (carrying out someone else’s duties, simultaneous employment in another place).

Technical:

• failure of technical systems (computer breakdown, as a result of which all materials were lost);
• distortion, falsity, contradictory information (working with unreliable sources);
• poor structuring.

Most often, information stress occurs under conditions of either time pressure, procrastination and inability to properly manage time, or psychological immaturity and unpreparedness to perceive the material.

Ways to respond to stress

The human response to stress goes through several stages. Depending on the state of the body and the ability to withstand stress, conscious and unconscious reactions are distinguished .

Unconscious Reaction

Such reactions represent special types of psychological defense . These include:

• Repression of thoughts and memories;
• Denial of the reality of a fait accompli;
• Psychological regression is a return to a previous or even earlier stage of development;
• Sublimation of energy - transfer of forces accompanying negative manifestations into constructive activity;
• Finding rational explanations for what happened;
• Re-identifying oneself as a way to resolve a conflict by accepting the opponent’s worldview.

It is noteworthy that the last three types can be either an unconscious reaction or a balanced conscious decision of a person trying to find a way out of a stressful situation.

Conscious response

The conscious response is to accept your condition . Then the person either looks for logical ways out of it, or resigns himself and goes with the flow. Conscious reactions include:

• Finding behavioral or intellectual ways to solve a problem;
• Attempts to find social support;
• Avoiding a problem after accepting the fact of its existence;
• Slipping into pity and sympathy for oneself and one’s situation;
• The release of emotions through actions that allow you to “let off steam.”

There are also categories of people, systematized by the types of their reactions:

• "Rabbit" . Passive experience, avoiding problems;
• "A lion" . The reaction to events is violent and expressive;
• "Ox" . A person with this type of reaction is able to operate at the limit of his capabilities for a long time.

Interesting fact

Reactions to stress are typical not only in humans, but also in animals. For example, when a shock muscle reaction occurs, the body not only freezes, but becomes hard, resembling rigor mortis.

The American opossum successfully takes advantage of this fact - at the moment of danger, it falls “dead” to the ground. And after the threat to life has passed, he comes to his senses.

Recommendations

In order for the fight against stress to be short-lived and not have health consequences, in addition to visiting a psychotherapist and taking medications, you need to work on yourself every day.

The first way to relieve stress and nervous tension is to free yourself from negative emotions and destructive experiences:

• perform a set of physical exercises;
• dance;
• draw a problem or your emotions;
• describe them on paper, which you then tear or burn;
• shout loudly, sing;
• beat a punching bag (a regular pillow would be an excellent replacement);
• crush an anti-stress toy;
• tell someone about a painful situation.

Method two is to switch your attention:

• think about something good;
• present a picture that is pleasing to the eye;
• take on work that requires maximum concentration and is not associated with a stressor;
• talk to someone about unrelated topics;
• turn on the movie and force yourself to follow the plot.

Method three - relaxation will help fight stress:

• ventilate the room;
• turn off your mobile phone, computer, TV;
• dim the lights;
• Relaxing music will help you relax (without words, for auto-training or yoga);
• turn on the aroma lamp;
• sit down more comfortably (even better - take a semi-lying position);
• relax all parts of the body one by one;
• imagine a beautiful picture that evokes positive emotions;
• think about good things;
• relaxation time - from 5 to 15 minutes.

Method four is to reduce cortisol levels and increase serotonin production:

• take a walk in the fresh air;
• eat a few slices of dark chocolate or a banana;
• slowly drink a glass of cool water;
• listen to your favorite music;
• communicate with a pleasant, loved one, in whose company you feel comfortable;
• take up your favorite hobby.

If self-relief from stress does not bring results and the condition continues to worsen, a visit to a psychotherapist is mandatory.

Proven! Laughter reduces the body's production of cortisol, epinephrine and adrenaline, which are the main markers of stress. Therefore, to cope with it, laugh more often and from the heart!

Features of stress

The ease of stress does not depend on gender. This condition is not easy for both men and women. However, there are some features of the course associated with a person’s gender .

Treatment

Medication

A psychotherapist prescribes medications for stress that a person cannot cope with on his own. They calm the nervous system so that it stops overreacting to what is happening. Which tablets have proven to be the most effective in this matter:

• antidepressants: Amitriptyline, Fluoxetine, Heptral, Prozac, Nefazodone, Nialamid;
• psychostimulants: Caffeine, Phenamine, Cititon, Lobelin, Sidnocarb, Strychnine, Bemitil;
• any sedative (calming) medicine: motherwort, valerian, Persen, Validol, Barboval, Valocordin;
• anxiolytics (eliminate symptoms of the autonomic nervous system): Afobazole, Nitrazepam, Phenazepam;
• nootropics (neurometabolic stimulants): Piracetam, Glycine, Actovegin, Vinpocetine, Pantogam, Semax, Cerebrolysin;
• normothimic drugs (to normalize mood): Olanzapine, lithium drugs, Oxcarbazepine, Lamotrigine, L-thyroxine, Carbamazepine, Risperidone, Quetiapine;
• tranquilizers (powerful sedatives): Diazepam, Bromazepam, Lorazepam chlordiazepoxide, Atarax;
• neuroleptics (have an inhibitory effect on the central nervous system): Sonapax, Azaleptin, Haloperidol, Fluspirilen, Tiapride.

Novo-Passit, Tenoten, Sympatil, Glycine, Adaptol, Quattrex are also often prescribed. Among herbs, it is recommended to brew and drink lemon balm, St. John's wort, mint, ginseng, hops, and fireweed.

Certain vitamins help normalize the condition and have a calming effect on the nervous system. First of all, this is niacin and almost the entire group B. They are prescribed as individual drugs or in combination. Among the multivitamins, it is worth noting Doppelherz aktiv Antistress, Complivit Antistress, Unipharm Vitrum Superstress.

Psychotherapeutic

To help the patient get rid of stress, there are various psychotherapeutic techniques: Gestalt therapy, hypnosis, anchoring techniques from NLP, Rozhnov’s emotional stress psychotherapy, group and family therapy, autogenic training, the “zebra principle” from rational psychotherapy and many others.

But coping strategies and stress-vaccination therapy are most often used.

Coping

First of all, as part of psychotherapy, the patient is taught coping strategies. These are behavioral, emotional and cognitive actions that help cope with stress and various problematic situations that arise in life. This concept is widely used in American psychology. In Russian there is a synonymous term - experience (overcoming). The work is carried out in two directions - problem-oriented and emotion-oriented. In the first case, the problem itself is comprehended, a way out is actively sought, and actions are taken to eliminate the stressor. In the second, one’s own internal state is normalized through control over emotions.

Stress vaccination therapy

Other names: vaccination training or stress vaccination. Behavior correction method used in cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. The author is Canadian psychologist and psychotherapist Donald Meichenbaum. It involves learning self-control techniques that can help you cope with any stressful situations. The work is carried out in 4 stages:

1. The conceptual phase is an explanation of what stress is and how the body reacts to it.
2. Formation of new skills and abilities - training in coping strategies.
3. Application of new skills and abilities - role-playing games, creating problem situations to practice acquired skills.
4. The final phase is the issuance of universal instructions on how to behave in stressful situations.

This technique is an excellent way to develop stress resistance and survive the most difficult situation with the help of a professional.

Did you know that... antidepressants make shrimp crazy? The popular drug Prozac, often used to treat stress, drives them into a real frenzy. It increases serotonin levels and thereby eliminates the feeling of danger. In this state, they swim to the light, where they become victims of predators. But it has been proven that shrimp die happy.

Consequences of stress

The consequences of stress are very diverse not only in terms of types, but also in the strength of their severity. They also depend on the person’s character, his physical and psycho-emotional state, and whether he has the ability to cope with a difficult situation. Identify the positive and negative effects of stress.

Positive

A positive consequence of stress is the short-term effect on the body of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. It is important to understand that this effect remains positive for a short time , since a constantly elevated level of these hormones does not have a good effect on the body. Also, positivity here has a biological meaning - that is, the reaction must ensure survival.

The effect of adrenaline is a chain reaction:

• The body itself warns a person of danger, under the influence of adrenaline increasing feelings of anxiety and restlessness;
• Through rapid breathing, the blood is actively saturated with oxygen;
• An increased heart rate helps improve blood circulation;
• Arterial blood, which supplies the brain with information, flows more often and in large volumes, which contributes to the rapid development of mental abilities;
• Also, active blood supply to the muscles increases their tone and increases strength;
• Glucose levels increase, giving cells additional energy;
• Activation of metabolic processes contributes to a surge of energy;
• There is an outflow of blood from the skin and internal organs, which makes them less vulnerable to bleeding.

Effect of cortisol:

• Metabolism accelerates, as a result of which strength and vigor appear;
• Inflammatory processes in the body are suppressed by the immune system;
• The rate of clotting in the blood increases, causing bleeding to stop faster;
• The activity of functions perceived by the body as secondary decreases;
• The risk of allergic reactions is reduced;

In addition to those already listed, it should be noted that in general, the consequences of short-term stress are beneficial for the body. This is, to some extent, prevention, giving the body models of behavior in future situations.

Eustress gives the necessary shake-up and impetus for further development, mobilizes strength and unused resources. Positive psychological stress promotes personal development and enriches life experiences.

Interesting fact

A group of scientists in the early 80s made a statement: the psychology of stress is such that people are more affected by everyday difficulties in life, rather than large-scale individual tragedies.

As a percentage, there are more people who have gone crazy because of small daily problems than there are people who have lost their mind because of one major incident.

Negative

The negative consequences of severe stress on the human psyche and physiology are associated with prolonged elevated levels of stress hormones , which affect primarily the nervous system, and through it the entire body.

The following changes occur under the pressure of stress and distress:

• Attention and memory deteriorate;
• A person fusses when he needs to gather strength, makes rash decisions;
• Against the background of chronic increased fatigue, performance decreases;
• People experiencing prolonged psychological stress are dominated by negative emotions, dissatisfaction with themselves and everything around them;
• Emotional stress is accompanied by aggression and irritability, complicating the situation and delaying its resolution;
• There is a desire to distract yourself with the help of alcohol, psychotropic drugs;
• Self-esteem falls, a person stops believing in himself;
• Problems begin in the sexual sphere and in the family.
• Neurosis and other psychological diseases that require treatment develop.

Effect of stress on physiology:

1. Nervous system:

• Fatigue of the central nervous system due to its overstimulation;
• Problems with blood supply to the brain;
• Nervous stuttering, tics, tremors;
• Overexcitation of the sympathetic nervous system.

1. The immune system:

• The number of antibodies and immune cells decreases, a person is at risk of contracting viral or bacterial infections;
• The body's natural defenses against cancer are reduced, and oncology may develop.

1. The cardiovascular system:

• Sustained increase in blood pressure, development of hypertension;
• Increased pressure on the heart, which causes heart attacks and strokes;
• Heart rhythm disturbances, development of arrhythmia and tachycardia;
• A large number of platelets and increased blood density lead to the formation of blood clots;
• The tone of blood vessels in the circulatory and lymphatic systems decreases.

1. Endocrine system:

• Women may experience disruptions in the menstrual cycle; nursing mothers have problems with lactation due to a decrease in prolactin levels;
• In men, testosterone decreases and problems with potency appear;
• In children, the production of growth hormones may decrease and its rate slows down;
• Impaired insulin synthesis, which eventually causes diabetes.

1. Digestive system:

• Spasms in the throat and esophagus;
• Stomach and intestinal pain;
• Impaired intestinal motility;
• Digestive disorders;
• Gastritis, ulcer.

1. Musculoskeletal system:

• Lack of normal blood supply to muscles and bones;
• Muscle spasms;
• Osteoporosis;
• Weight loss due to muscle breakdown.

1. Skin covering:

• Increased sebum production, resulting in acne;
• Skin diseases such as psoriasis and neurodermatitis can develop due to nervousness.

Why is stress dangerous?

Scientists say: more than 150 thousand people from 142 countries now have health problems precisely because of stress. The most common of them are heart diseases (angina pectoris, hypertension, myocardial infarction). Thus, according to the Russian Academy of Sciences, after the Soviet Union ceased to exist, over 13 years the number of patients with cardiovascular diseases increased from 617 to 900 people per 100 thousand population.

At the same time, the number of smokers, people who regularly drink alcohol, people with obesity and high cholesterol levels - that is, those reasons due to which pathologies of the heart and blood vessels develop - remained within the previous values. Then scientists seriously thought about the influence of psycho-emotional state on health.

In second place are the consequences of living in constant stress are mental illnesses, and in third place is obesity. Chronic stress does not bypass the organs of the digestive and genitourinary systems, but the changes occurring in them are not so fatal. In addition, a person living in constant psycho-emotional stress greatly reduces his own immunity, becoming defenseless in the face of many diseases.

Scientific theories of stress

G. Selye

Hans Selye was a French physiologist who emigrated to Canada before the Second World War. He discovered the general adaptation stress, which he meant by the concept of stress .

According to Selye’s theory, this is not only and not so much a harmful overstrain of the body under the pressure of external circumstances, but a certain training for physical and mental defense mechanisms, a process of adaptation to the situation, designed to increase resistance.

It was Selye who identified three stages of stress: anxiety, resistance and exhaustion..

And although in his work, focusing on the endocrine system, he did not study the mechanisms of stress in the central nervous system, he recognized that its role in this was underestimated.

W. Cannon

Walter Cannon is an American psychophysiologist who first used the term “stress” in his work and developed the famous theory of a universal response called “fight or flight” .

According to his theory, there are four sequential reactions to a stressor :

• "Freeze" . Stage of orientation in the situation, to assess the potential threat;
• "Run" . When a threat is identified, fear, panic, and a desire to avoid danger by flight appear;
• "Beat" . When it is impossible to escape from a threat, aggression and recklessness appear. Attempts are being made to neutralize the problem;
• "Give up" . If it is impossible to cope with the threat, a stage of helplessness and inaction begins.

Cannon proved that these reactions are the body’s abilities, inherent in nature, they are innate, and are characteristic of both people and animals. In some cases, depending on the complexity and severity of the threat, reactions may change the sequence or skip stages .

I. Pavlov

The developments of the domestic scientist I.P. Pavlov indicate that the nervous system works interconnected under heavy loads.

According to Pavlov's theory, in the case when a person is under strong emotional stress, his state can be characterized as being in one of two stages :

• Slow reactions and apathy . A person in this state is inactive, reflexes work with disturbances;
• Hyperactivity . The person is in an excited state, overly active and active, and experiences painful anxiety.

According to Pavlov, it is these stages that make up the concept of stress, and none of them are beneficial for a person’s mental and physical health.

L. Orbeli

Leon Orbeli is the author of the phenomenon of “trophic” action of the sympathetic nervous system . Studies have shown that the nervous system is able to influence metabolism in tissues without using endocrine mechanisms for this, that is, in fact, abandoning the mediation of the endocrine system.

Thus, under the influence of danger in the tissues of the body, instant reactions are possible that bypass hormonal changes.

E. Gellgorn

Ernst Gellhorn developed a theory according to which the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the nervous system not only closely interact with each other, but also generate a common response to various stress factors . The main role here belongs to the hypothalamus, which is responsible for the body’s emotional reactions. In this case, the sympathetic department is responsible for stimulating the cerebral cortex, and the parasympathetic department relaxes and aggravates depression.

R. Lazarus

The name of Lazarus is known in connection with the development of cognitive theories of psychological stress.

He became the founder of the theory of dividing stress into physiological and emotional types . Lazarus argued that stress is not a stimulus or a response, but rather a specific interaction between them when a threat is present.

His conclusions are that there is a direct relationship between stress and an individual’s assessment of stressful events and his ability to adapt to them, since what would be a serious stressful situation for one person is not such at all for another.

V.A.Bodrov

Vyacheslav Alekseevich Bodrov, a famous Soviet and Russian psychophysiologist, is the author of works on informational and psychological stress in work .

The scientist defines this concept as a reaction to the peculiarities of interaction between a person and the world around him. In his opinion, stress is also predominantly the result of mental processes, a certain way of thinking and feeling, the ability to adequately assess the situation, one’s own capabilities and behavioral strategies.

This is precisely the key to understanding the extreme subjectivity of this process and realizing that the conditions of occurrence and characteristic manifestations in one individual will not be the same in another.

Interesting fact

Doing good deeds helps reduce stress. When a person helps someone, he then experiences feelings similar to happiness, which contributes to the production of endorphins. It also reduces tension, relieves negative emotions and helps you relax. However, this effect can only be achieved through selfless deeds.

How stress develops

For the first time, the processes that occur after a person encounters a psychotraumatic situation were described by psychologist Cannon in 1932. A broad discussion of this issue, as well as the term “stress” itself, appeared only in 1936, after an article by the previously unknown physiologist Hans Selye, who called stress “a syndrome that develops as a result of exposure to various damaging agents.”

Selye found that when the psyche is affected by an agent that exceeds the adaptive resources of the body of this person (in other words, exceeding the stress resistance threshold), the following reactions develop:

1. the adrenal cortex increases, where the “stress hormone” is produced, the main glucocorticoid hormone cortisol;
2. the number of lipid granules in the adrenal medulla decreases, the main task of which is to release adrenaline and norepinephrine into the blood;
3. the volume of lymphatic tissue, which is responsible for immunity, decreases: the thymus (the central organ of immunity), the spleen, and lymph nodes develop back;
4. The mucous membranes of the stomach and duodenum are damaged until ulcers form on them (stress ulcers).

Under the influence of the hormones cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine, not only stress ulcers occur on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, but also:

• the level of glucose in the blood increases and at the same time the sensitivity of tissues to insulin decreases (that is, due to chronic stress, you can “earn” type 2 diabetes);
• blood pressure increases;
• heartbeat becomes more frequent;
• the deposition of adipose tissue in the subcutaneous tissue increases;
• tissue proteins break down and glucose is formed from them;
• sodium is retained, and with it water in the tissues, and potassium, necessary for the functioning of the heart and nerves, is excreted faster than necessary;

Due to a decrease in the volume of lymphatic tissue, overall immunity decreases. As a result, the body's resistance to infections decreases, and any virus can cause severe illness and be complicated by bacterial infections.

The threshold for stress resistance is individual for each person. It depends on:

• the type of nervous system (is it one of two strong or two weak), which is determined by the speed of reactions and decision-making, the severity and nature of a person’s emotions;
• a person's life experience;
• mental stability to the influence of unfavorable factors.

Thus, choleric and melancholic people are easily exposed to stress, a balanced sanguine person - less, a phlegmatic person - even less (he needs a greater strength of the stress factor).

Treatment of stress

There are many ways to get rid of stress, but it is important to understand that they are directly dependent on its stage, strength and speed of development. You also need to remember that a specialist must make an accurate diagnosis , so when you feel tired and unable to cope with the problem on your own, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe adequate therapy .

Treatment methods can be non-drug and with the use of drugs.

Non-drug treatment

Even if you do without medication, the necessary measures should be taken on the advice of a specialist. The following types of treatment exist:

• Psychotherapy . There are special psychological techniques that help you get out of a stressful situation. A psychotherapist will select the right one for you;
• Adequate physical activity . Regular physical activity is, in principle, beneficial for anyone, and for a nervous, tired person, sport helps normalize serotonin levels and relieve muscle tension;
• Relaxation techniques . These include massage, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation;
• Normalization of lifestyle . When treating chronic stress, you should never drink alcohol or take drugs, but you should also pay attention to your lifestyle. Regular sleep is necessary in sufficient quantities for rest, nutrition should be balanced and rich in vitamins, you should also avoid drinks rich in caffeine and give preference to herbal soothing preparations.

Drug treatment

This treatment is used when other methods do not help and the problems get worse. Medicines should be used only as prescribed by a doctor .

• Sedatives, including herbal ones;
• Vitamin and mineral complexes;
• Homeopathy;
• Therapeutic drugs related to symptomatic treatment;
• Antidepressants and psychotropic drugs.

The phenomenon of stress is that it is an exclusively subjective phenomenon that has a huge dependence on a person’s personal qualities. There is no medicine that could get rid of its manifestations. In order to get out of a traumatic situation, you need to understand its root cause . However, there are tools and methods that can help you adapt to stress, overcome it and move on with your life.

If you don’t want to give up and are ready to really, and not in words, fight for your full and happy life, you may be interested in this article .

Diagnostics

When establishing and clarifying the diagnosis, differential diagnostics is carried out. The goal is to distinguish stress from related conditions - simple nervous tension (not characterized by duration and such serious consequences) and depression (some experts call it an advanced form of stress). Below we list psychodiagnostic tools.

Formalized methods:

• tests;
• questionnaires;
• projective techniques;
• psychophysiological techniques.

Less formalized methods:

• observation;
• conversation;
• analysis of activity products.

To assess the level of stress, the following are often used:

• PSM-25 stress scale;
• assessment of neuropsychic stress (Nemchin);
• methodology for determining the dominant state (Kulikov);
• “Current status” questionnaire;
• diagnosis of stress (Prokhorov or Shriner);
• inventory of symptoms (Ivanchenko);
• a questionnaire that determines the tendency to experience stressful experiences (Nemchin, Taylor);
• questionnaire “Fatigue / monotony / satiety / stress”;
• test “Degree of tension” (Litvintsev);
• Situational Anxiety Scale (Spielberger).

These diagnostic techniques allow you to identify the level of stress:

1. Strong (maximum), when the body's resources are depleted, the person is depressed and on the verge of depression.
2. Moderate (average), when a person is trying to cope with a problem, and this struggle can affect health both positively and negatively.
3. Low (minimal), when a person most often copes with negative thoughts, and negative emotions take over extremely rarely and do not affect health.

Most often, a stress scale is used to assess the level (there are developments by different authors). It is a long list of all kinds of stressors, against which a person either puts a mark (or points) if they worry him or not.

Depending on what level has been diagnosed, the patient is referred either to a psychologist (when stress has not yet had a destructive effect on health) or to a psychotherapist. In extreme cases, see a psychiatrist.

Diagnosis also involves a complete medical examination to assess damage to physical health.

Scientific research. Scientists have concluded that most often people go crazy not because of major tragedies, but because of stress that accumulates under the influence of daily troubles and chronic fatigue.

Diagnosis of stress

When diagnosing stress, the patient usually first turns to a therapist. He orders an examination:

• Examination and tests to identify diseases of internal organs
• Electrocardiogram
• Hormonal study
• Consultations with specialized specialists, such as a neurologist and endocrinologist. The tasks of a neurologist include excluding similar conditions such as panic attacks that require neurological treatment

Only if during the examination the doctor did not identify organic pathologies and diseases that may be the basis for the patient’s poor health, it is necessary to involve a psychotherapist.

Causes of Chronic Stress

There are a large number of different reasons that lead to the formation of chronic stress, which develops against the background of certain characteristics of the nervous system. Among them:

• Difficulties at work, inability to achieve goals, build the desired career
• Long-term overload, both moral and physical
• Loss of loved ones
• Inability to relax, workaholism
• Serious illnesses
• Problematic relationships in the family, in a team, with friends
• Unsolvable problems that matter to a given person

Signs of stress

Signs of stress include:

• feeling of anxiety and tension;
• feeling of being unable to overcome the current situation;
• sleep problems;
• fatigue and apathy;
• lethargy;
• passivity;
• irritability;
• hot temper;
• inappropriate reactions;
• depression;
• yearning;
• dissatisfaction with oneself, work, other people, the whole world.