Psychological stress. Everything you didn't know about stress

We are accustomed to perceive it as something negative that breaks into our lives, breaks plans and spoils the mood. In fact this is not true. Speaking about what stress is, one cannot fail to note the following - this is not something external, but our own reaction to a situation that is somewhat different from everyday routine. In itself, this concept is neutral, emotionally colored is only our reaction with you.

It should be noted that in small doses, stress has a positive effect. Imagine routine work, the middle of the day, a feeling of slight relaxation, and suddenly you notice a message that a commission is coming with a check. You instantly feel composure and increase efficiency, the rest of the time you will spend working with maximum efficiency. But strong blows of fate, following one after another, can lead to catastrophic consequences for the psyche. Fortunately, to a certain extent, stress can be managed, and we will study this art today.

Definition of stress

So what is stress? It is a way of a physical reaction, a response to an external stimulus. This mechanism is well considered by supporters of the behavioral approach in psychology. "Stimulus-response" - this is how their main postulate is designated. They view the response to stress through the prism of instincts. An animal can have two reactions to stress, that is, the appearance of a real danger to its life. This is an action (flight or battle) or disguise: the animal freezes, falls to the ground, merging with it. The person inherited the same reactions, only the surrounding situation has changed.

Today, if we experience stress, it is rare enough that it poses a direct threat to our lives. Nevertheless, the reaction triggers the same mechanisms as millions of years ago. Blood rushes to the face, the heart is pounding, the pressure rises, breathing quickens. The hormones adrenaline and cortisone are responsible for this, they increase physical endurance and strength, preparing the body for fight or flight. Another option may be the exact opposite reaction: the person turns pale, the blood drains from the face, the skin becomes cold, stupor sets in.

Why are these physiological changes not working for us today? Because the environment has changed. We cannot fight with the boss, nor can we run away from him along the office corridor. Therefore, left without an outlet, the energy begins to harm us.

This is a rough definition of what stress is. But this is only one side of the coin, which considers stress as a one-time, short-term, mobilizing phenomenon. Imagine a situation where a person daily finds himself in peak situations during a month. Difficult relationships at work, problems in the family and the like. The psyche for the time being smoothes Negative influence stress, but then more and more nervousness, insomnia, depressed mood begin to appear. Next comes depression. This phenomenon is called distress, and it is extremely destructive. It is necessary to notice in time that your psyche can no longer fight on its own. And seek help from professionals.

Different Ways to React

Now it is more or less clear what stress is. Go ahead. The reaction to stress is difficult to recognize, because a person often gets used to his condition and does not even notice the severity that constantly presses on him. This manifests itself in excessive irritability, but is attributed to fatigue, relatives who are "to blame", hopelessness: "Well, what can I change, what is, but still work." In fact, you need to learn to recognize when your stress levels are out of control. Conduct a simple experiment, find a corner in your city where there are practically no people, try to get out there for a couple of hours. This may be an abandoned part of the park or the embankment. If voices continue to ring in your head and problems spin around and you want to stay here forever without returning back, this clearly indicates that you are under severe stress.

This condition greatly affects you and has dire consequences. Stress affects mental ability, physical activity, and behavior in many ways. Therefore, the prevention of stress is important point which needs more attention.

How stress can masquerade

It is not always possible to immediately understand that a person is under stress. We have already spoken today about its physiological roots, but the reaction that is inherent in us by nature is socially unacceptable today. And we begin to suppress our emotions, sublimate, rationalize and put forward others. psychological defenses. In fact, it's like putting a lid on a boiling pot. Because of this, we can observe three types of people who are under stress.

Stress prevention

Below we will talk about ways to deal with severe stress, but for now you need to understand what to do in order to prevent its development. First and most important, learn to switch. This is the first step to take when learning about stress management. We have a habit of bringing personal problems to work and professional stresses home. We spoil each other's evening by returning home late at night, which does not contribute to relaxation at all. Therefore, make it a rule: when you cross the threshold of the house, first try to give yourself 15 minutes. You can sit in your favorite position in silence, take a bath, brew aromatic tea and drink it slowly and savoring it. Breathing exercises are a good option. Close your eyes and, counting from one to five, inhale through your nose all the comfort and warmth of your home. You need to feel how warm energy fills you. Now, on a count of one to seven, slowly exhale the air, while directing all the negative energy through the legs to the floor. The state of stress slowly dissipates, and you return home. This daily practice will be the first step towards a healthy life.

Burnout under stress

Day after day, under stress, we change more and more. This is called burnout. Read this list carefully, the more symptoms you note in yourself, the more you need help.

• Intellectual activity suffers. Psychological stress leads to problems with memory, inability to concentrate, a person fixes only on the bad, he has disturbing thoughts, constant anxiety.
• The emotional sphere changes a lot. This manifests itself in capriciousness, irritability and temper for no reason or reason. A feeling of congestion, loneliness joins.
• Behavioral symptoms also do not lag behind, often psychological stress is expressed in eating disorders (malnutrition or overeating). The second point is sleep disturbance. Here, too, not everything is clear: insomnia may appear or, conversely, severe drowsiness. A person isolates himself from others, neglects his duties. Tries to relax with alcohol or drugs. Demonstrates nervous behavior snapping fingers or biting nails.
• Physical symptoms - with them often turn to doctors, trying to find a solution. These are various pains, constipation, nausea, palpitations, chest pains, frequent colds and loss of sexual desire.

Since these symptoms can also be associated with physiological diseases, it is recommended to be examined by a doctor and then seek help from a psychotherapist. Of course, the more symptoms, the easier it is to assume that stress has been developing for quite some time. What do you do if you find yourself in a stressful situation today? How to resolve it today, and not drag it along long years and wait for other stresses to pick up on her? Actually there is a way.

First aid for acute stress

An unpleasant event happened, a penalty at work, did you have a quarrel at home? You need to take a time out and experience this event in order to continue to live from scratch, without secretly "babying" stress.

• Try by any means to leave the territory where an unpleasant event occurred. Go where there are no people, where no one distracts.
• If the situation allows, change the activity to the opposite of what you were doing at the time of the stress.
• Play soothing music or talk to any stranger about a topic that doesn't relate to a stressful situation.
• Try to slow down a rash reaction and carefully inspect the room, noting every detail. The color of furniture, curtains, mentally say to yourself everything you see.
• Go to a place where no one can disturb you and do breathing exercises. Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold your breath for 2-3 seconds and exhale slowly through your mouth.
• A moment of relaxation will also help. Try to relax the corners of your mouth, relax your shoulders, feel how tense they were. Look in the mirror and focus on your facial expression. What does it express? What emotions are hidden in the depths of the soul and reflected in the eyes? Anger, hatred? Show them to your reflection and then smile. Stress management begins with acceptance of yourself, of all the emotions you experience.

Your personal stress bar

She's different for everyone. Someone year after year will live among stressful situations of various intensity, skillfully maneuvering between them. For another person, the very first trouble will seem like a catastrophe that cannot be survived. The ability to tolerate stress is a trait that can be developed to a certain extent, although it depends on the character, the general outlook on life, the reliability of relationships with family and friends. The influence of stress is also due to the individual qualities of a person.

Resilience: what it is and how to develop it

Today it is a buzzword. Such a quality as stress resistance is often asked at an interview, and applicants write about it in their resumes. This is the ability of a person to adequately respond to a stressful situation, effectively perform their tasks and not incur damage to their own psyche. In fact, emotional stress is a phenomenon to which one must prepare and adapt. This is what accompanies us constantly, regardless of whether it is positive or negative.

Knowledge and preparation are the main weapons. In addition to force majeure situations, there are those that we can calculate in advance and play out various scenarios. Whether it's an interview, negotiations or a call to the boss. The more you know, the easier it will be to replay the situation. The second powerful tool is the ability to manage your emotions. A person is very vulnerable when he does not know how to calm himself in a moment if he is worried, afraid or angry. Emotional stress is easy enough to survive with the help of breathing techniques, visualization (as soon as I start to worry, the picture of the most peaceful place on earth turns on in my head) and others, there is no way to describe everything in a short article.

Causes of stress

There are a lot of them, and stress-causing factors can be entry into family life or divorce, employment or job loss, moving to another city, pregnancy and motherhood (paternity), death of the next of kin and dozens, if not hundreds of different events. It is impossible to predict all of them, but you need to be prepared to cope with the consequences. We can only divide the causes into external and internal. The former include major life changes, relationship difficulties, financial problems, and high employment.

The second group of reasons is the lack of self-confidence, the constant striving for excellence, unrealistic expectations, pessimism. If the first group is difficult to control, then the second is completely in your power. If you cannot cope on your own, then contact a psychologist, he will tell you in more detail how to relieve stress.

chronic fatigue syndrome

This is the next step, when many small stresses have gathered into one big one. Now the person's stress has increased significantly, he feels complete apathy, constant drowsiness, and even several days off taken in a row do not help. It requires an analysis of the causes of what is happening, the search for the sources of stress. Diary entries are well suited for this, in which every day a thorough analysis of all situations is carried out. Based on the results of the analysis, it is already possible to draw conclusions on how to relieve stress and what changes must occur for this.

Life in the fight against stress

If you constantly experience nervous stress, and self-help methods (meditation, breathing exercises) no longer work, then it's time to turn to psychotherapists. Cognitive psychotherapy gives particularly good results, it is an effective tool in the fight against anxiety disorders, depression and severe stress. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you feel like you can't handle it on your own.

A detailed explanation of what stress is, what types it is, what are its causes and symptoms, and how to deal with it.

I have long wanted to write an article about what is stress.

Do you know why?

Because with this word, as if with a shield, they often like to cover up their inability to work, solve problems, fulfill their direct duties, lazy, hysterical, cunning and other useless personalities.

I decided once and for all to dot the “and” and explain the history of origin, symptoms, causes, types of stress and ways to deal with it.

Ah, I'm stressed, although I have no idea what it is

It was not by chance that I started talking about unpleasant people who like to hide behind stress.

I worked with one of these. This was the stupidest creature, placed in our company by acquaintance, who could not perform a single task. Her name was Lucy.

And when the task of management seemed especially difficult to her or she was running out of deadlines, Lucy fell into a nervous state and shouted to everyone around: “I'm stressed. I can't do anything."

At one fine moment, the boss realized that even a long-term friendship with Uncle Lucy would not force him to keep this useless creature in his state and, with a rebuke in the style of “yes, you at least know what stress is, lazybones,” fired the young lady.

We all breathed a sigh of relief, because such a valuable cooperation, when you have to do not only your job, but also Lucina, we were all tired.

What is stress and what are its types?

The word "stress" itself is a tracing paper from the English stress, which translates as tension, load, pressure.

That is, stress is a reaction human body, which for a long time is under the pressure of adverse factors and the impact of heavy loads.

Depending on the emotional component (positive or negative), there are:

Eustress is a beneficial stress that gives a positive energy boost to our body.

It's no secret that a small dose of adrenaline is good for the human body, so that it cheers up, shakes up, and finally wakes up.

Distresses are harmful stresses caused by overexertion.

Single distresses do not inflict great harm body, but if you do not get out of this state for a long time, then stress can develop into something more dangerous, for example.

Stress is also classified according to the factors that provoke their appearance:

Psychological.

Most often occurs when a person cannot establish interaction with society.

Emotional.

The reason for its occurrence is excessively strong emotions (both positive and negative), with which a person cannot cope.

• Informational - the reaction of the body to some unexpected information, most often negative.
• Managerial - the trouble of all leaders who have to make important decisions every day.

Who was the first to understand what stress is?

Of course, stress has always existed.

Probably more primitive people, who failed to catch a mammoth for a long time, suffered from nervous tension and stress, although they themselves did not understand the state of their body.

But close study of this problem took up only in the first half of the twentieth century.

For the first time, the Nobel Prize winner Hans Selye managed to understand and describe what stress is in 1936. Before him, the term "stress" was used as a technical one and meant the resistance of some material to external pressure.

Selye decided that all this is applicable to the human body and began research, fortunately, not on humans, but on rats.

Animal advocates will surely call Nobel laureate a sadist and a flayer, and they will be right somewhere, but science is often merciless to our smaller brothers.

Selye's experiments consisted in the fact that he tortured rats in various ways (loud sound, immobilization, current, water), and then did an autopsy of the experimental rodent, which showed that the internal organs of the rat had changed, most often they had a stomach ulcer.

So, Selye concluded that the internal organs of rats are susceptible to pathologies not from the very impact of electric current, water or loud noise, but as a result of the reaction of the organism of rodents to them.

Alas, it was possible to understand what stress is thanks to the inhuman experiments of the scientist.

How do you know if you're under stress?

Stress has its own pronounced symptoms, so covering up your stupidity, laziness, unwillingness to take responsibility with your body's reaction to external pressure means deceiving yourself.

You can safely say that you are stressed if you:

1. You constantly feel tired and overwhelmed.
2. You notice that your ability to remember new information has deteriorated, and you even began to forget what you knew before.
3. They began to sleep badly.
4. Lost your appetite or vice versa absorb huge portions.
5. You can’t get rid of the feeling of anxiety and the obsessive thought that something bad is about to happen.
6. Speak at a fast pace, which was previously uncharacteristic for you.
7. Stopped responding to funny jokes and are depressed.
8. You are never satisfied with the results of your work.
9. Complain of headaches or pain in the stomach.
10. Can't concentrate.
11. You easily fall into a state of rage.
12. They began to perform even simple work much longer than before.
13. You make stupid mistakes.
14. Show stubbornness where it is not necessary to do so.
15. Feel sorry for yourself and think that your life has failed.

Individually, each of these symptoms is not terrible, but diagnosing at least 5 signs from the list in yourself should make you wonder if I'm stressed.

Causes of stress

Of course, the reaction of the human body in the form of stress does not appear by itself.

Stress arises for quite objective reasons:

1. A large number of responsibilities that you can not handle.
2. Inability to rest and sleep for a long time.
3. The bad economic or political situation in the country, so most of the news is negative.
4. A quarrel with someone close to you.
5. Negative changes in personal or professional life: betrayal of the second half, dismissal, divorce, demotion, etc.
6. Deterioration of material condition.
7. Obsessive thoughts about past mistakes, unnecessary self-digging in the past, wrong perception of negative experience.
8. Prolonged illness and poor health.
9. - constant postponing of affairs until the appearance of a blockage that can no longer be cleared.
10. A series of small failures.

how stress affects the human body and whether it can lead to death:

How to deal with stress?

Whatever the cause of stress, you must find a cure to quickly normalize the state of your body and never again suffer from this dirty trick.

The most effective ways are:

1. Healthy sleep and proper rest of the body.
2. Physical activity, meditation and breathing exercises.
3. Proper nutrition: more vitamins (greens, vegetables, fruits), nuts, fish, liver, cereals, honey, dairy products. Less sweets, flour, fatty, fried, smoked.
4. Planning time and making a to-do list to prevent their accumulation.
5. Learn to "step over" problems that you are not able to solve.
   Love the proverb "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger" or "Trials cannot be more than I can bear."

Solve problems before they become unsolvable.

For example, if the car engine makes a strange sound, then you should immediately go to a car service, and not wait until the car becomes and you have to invest huge money in repairs.

Eliminate causes of stress.

Tired - take a break, too many responsibilities - give part to someone, quarreled with your husband - make peace, etc.

6. See the positive even in the negative.

Filter the information you absorb.

You are not responsible for all the negativity of humanity.

7. Believe that everything will be fine with you, because you, like no one else, deserve happiness.

Now you know, what is stress and, I hope, you will not trump this word to the place and out of place.

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Psychology

" Stress - concept,characteristicsa, stages of development"

1. Introduction. 2. The concept, characteristics of stress 3. Characteristics of stressors Physiological Psychological 4. Types of stress Physiological stress Psychological stress Information stress Emotional stress 5. Stages and mechanism of stress development Stage of anxiety (I) Stage of resistance (II) Stage of exhaustion (III) 6. Reactions of the organism to stress Behavioral changes Emotional reactions Changes in intellectual processes Physiological reactions. 7. Protective mechanisms of the psyche 8. Consequences of prolonged stress for the body Physical pathologies Mental pathologies 9. Assessment of the level of stress Objective methods Subjective methods 10. Stress management techniques and its prevention Behavioral methods Physiological methods Cognitive methods Biochemical methods Prevention 11. Unacceptable methods of dealing with stress 13 Conclusion References, sources

1. Vvedenie.

In the last couple of decades, the word "stress" has firmly established itself in our vocabulary, we meet it in daily newspapers, hear it on TV shows, use it ourselves in conversations with friends and relatives. In the layman's view, this is a state of mental stress, or a negative emotional overload, this is the meaning usually put into this word by non-specialists. In fact, the state of mental tension is only one of many constituent parts the concept of "stress", which includes a non-specific reaction of the human body to any effects that violate homeostasis - the internal balance of all systems and organs, and the corresponding state of the nervous system or the body as a whole. This paper will consider the concept and characteristics of stress from the point of view of psychology and physiology, the mechanisms of its occurrence, types and stages of development, as well as techniques for managing and preventing stress.

2. concept, characteristicstress

Psychological dictionary definesstress as a human condition characterized by non-specific defensive reactions (on the physical, psychologists physical and behavioral level) in response to extreme stimuli . Being a complex of reactions, stress is characterized by dynamics and has a logic of its development. There is a kind of adaptation to the changed conditions, and the consequences for the body as a result of the development of stress can be very different: from successful adaptation to disruption of the functioning of adaptive mechanisms and the appearance of serious, sometimes irreversible changes - cardiovascular pathologies, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, mental disorders. The first hypothesis about the existence of stress, called in his general adaptation syndrome(OAS), expressed in 1936 by the Canadian physiologist Hans Selye.He drew attention to the fact that the onset of manifestation of any infection is the same, and is characterized by fever, weakness, loss of appetite. Experiments on rats have shown that their reaction to heat, cold or poison is also the same. Further studies have shown that in response to the impact of a strong irritating factor in the body always changes occur at the physiological level - the adrenal cortex increases, the thymus decreases (thymus glandthat produces cells immune system ), and hemorrhages appear on the gastric mucosaintestinal tract; such a reaction complex was subsequently called the "stress triad".These data allowed Selye to argue that any impact on the body, in addition to a unique specific effect, also causes a non-specific or universal response. This is how one of the main biological functions of all living beings manifests itself - adaptation, that is, adaptation to changing conditions. Thus, stress is designed to protect the body from various dangerous influences, both physical and mental.When a person finds himself in an extreme situation, a complex of certain physiological and psychological reactions is launched in his body, aimed at mobilizing individual resources to overcome the difficulties that have arisen. The reasons that trigger this process can be very different - from participation in sports competitions to natural and man-made disasters.As Selye wrote,from the point of view of the stress reaction does not matter , whether the situation we are facing is pleasant or unpleasant. What matters is the intensity of the need for restructuring or adaptation ". Thus, neffects on the bodycan also be different, depending on individualphysical and mental features . Hans Selye took this into account by expanding the original definition of stress, and introduced additional concepts "eustress " -- positive stress, and "distress "- negative. Eustress is what in everyday life is called a "second wind", a short-term mobilization of the body's resources, thanks to which a person wins sports, successfully passes exams, or detains a criminal as a result of a long chase.This category also includes stress caused by positive emotions - good news, the birth of a child, admission to college, etc.At such moments, cognitive processes and processes of self-awareness are activated., comprehension of reality and memory. At the same time mknown in medicine as "Stendhal's syndrome", expressed in an inadequate emotional reaction to works of art, it is accompanied by tachycardia, dizziness, and even manifestations of hysteria. This is how stress manifests itself from an overabundance of positive emotions caused by the contemplation of exceptionally beautiful phenomena, however, this happens extremely rarely.In case of prolonged orexceptional in terms of its effect on the body irritating factors in a person appear and then intensify various physical logical and mental disorders. TO The extreme severity of this state is called distress. When talking about unfavorable consequences stress, they mean exactly distress.

3. Characterization of stressors

4 . Types of stress

Depending on the type of stressor and the nature of its influencedistinguish different types of stress. V general classification- physiological stress(system) and psychologicalin the latter, separateinformational and emotional stress. Physiological stress is a standard non-specific neurohumoral response of the body to the action of stimuli through a sensory or metabolic process that mobilizes the entire body. Psychological stress is a person's reaction to the features of the interaction between the individual and the outside world. It can also be defined as a process in which the requirements of the environment are considered by a person, based on its resources and the likelihood of resolving the problem situation. This is what determines individual differences in response to a stressful situation. Psychological stress occurs only in humans; its development is dominated by the cognitive component (analysis of the situation, assessment of resources, building a forecast for the development of events). Information stress occurs in a situation of information overload. When solving certain problems, a person processes information and makes a decision based on the results. When the amount of information is too large or it is very complex, and at the same time it is necessary to make decisions very quickly, and the responsibility for them is great, then the total information load can exceed the capabilities of a person, and information overload will occur. Examples of such situations include the actions of leaders at various levels during hostilities or in emergency situations, and the work of air traffic controllers. Also, information stressors can be classified as certain information, the perception of which begins the development of stress. In this case, it is not the information itself that matters, but the meaning that it carries for specific person. The stress mechanism is triggered if: - perceived information is regarded as a threat to physical or mental integrity (sapper's work, conflicts between people), - cognitive dissonance arises, that is, a contradiction between two incompatible thoughts. Emotional stress appears in situations of danger, threats, resentment, etc. It is accompanied by pronounced emotional reactions, and is inherent not only in humans, but also in animals. With emotional stress, certain changes in the mental sphere are noted, including changes in the course of mental processes, emotional shifts, transformation of the motivational structure of activity, violations of motor and speech behavior. It is customary to distinguish three forms of emotional stress: impulsive, inhibitory and generalized. impulsive form associated with excessive excitation and a decrease in the activity of the inhibitory process, erroneous hasty actions predominate, excessive fussiness. Manifestation brake mold is caused by general lethargy due to a significant decrease in the resources of the nervous system. Generalized form characterized by unpredictability, panic, the desire to avoid danger in any way, there are erratic behavior and illogical decisions. It should be noted that the separation of informational and emotional stresses separately is rather conditional. In practice, it is very difficult to separate informational and emotional stressors, most often in a stressful situation they are inseparable, because the formation of feelings is always associated with information processing.

5 . stagesand mechanismdevelopment of stress

First describing the general adaptation syndrome, which we now call stress, Selye identified three stages of its development as a process: -- Iimmediate reaction to the impact (anxiety stage) -- IImaximum effective adaptation (stageresistance) -- IIIviolation of the adaptation process (depletion stage) extreme situations, causing stress divided into short-term and long-term. With short-term stress, "ready-made" response programs are activated, and with long-term stress, adaptive restructuring of the body's functional systems is required. Stage of alarm (I). There is a mobilization of the adaptive capabilities of the body. Stressors are analyzed in the higher parts of the cerebral cortex, after which signals are sent to the muscles responsible for movement, preparing the body to respond to the stressor. The vegetative nervous system - the pulse quickens, the pressure rises, the amount of oxygen supplied to the tissues increases, preparing a person for fight or flight. Signals from the cortex then travel to the hypothalamus and adrenal glands, activating the production of hormones. During observation, the already mentioned triad of physiological changes is fixed: the reactions of the adrenal glands, the immune system, and the gastrointestinal tract. As a result of these changes in the human body, anabolic processes and immunological resistance are enhanced. The hormone of the adrenal cortex adrenaline increases the level of glucose in the blood, improves the functional ability of skeletal muscles, promotes mental mobilization, etc. Another hormone of the adrenal cortex, cortisol, helps preserve the body's energy reserves by increasing the synthesis of glucose in the liver cells, and reducing its breakdown in the muscles. Under conditions close to the maximum permissible, the duration of the first stage of stress can be up to 20-60 days. But if the impact of the stressor is very strong (severe burns, extreme temperatures, large blood loss), due to the limited reserves of the body, death can occur already at the first stage of stress. Stage of resistance (II). The organism adapts to changing conditions. The transition to this stage means that the body has managed to adapt to the stimulus, although this required an increased expenditure of energy and anti-stress hormones. The level of adrenaline and norepinephrine, which is responsible for the speed and volume of blood flow, continues to remain high. The level of corticosteroids, which have anti-inflammatory, anti-shock, antitoxic and desensitizing effects, increases. Signs of anxiety practically disappear, and the level of resistance becomes much higher than usual. This stage can last for months or even years. Stage of exhaustion (III). The transition of the body to this stage means that its physiological reserves begin to come to an end after constant exposure to stress and prolonged resistance to stress. When it comes to psychological stress, this stage corresponds to the phenomena of despair, impotence and frustration, i.e. a special mental state caused by objectively insurmountable difficulties that arose in achieving the goal. At the stage of exhaustion, stress becomes pathological, because both physical and mental resources are absent, after which the development of disease processes occurs, especially in the case of the continued influence of the stressor. Excessive accumulation of hormones of the adrenal cortex in the liquid media of the body leads to a breakdown of most functions, spreading to the nervous and endocrine systems, capturing the heart, blood vessels, and digestive organs. At the physiological level, somatic pathology (stroke, myocardial infarction, hypertension) can develop. Often there are severe depressive reactions that require drug treatment and the help of a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. The duration of these stages and the severity of manifestations of stress depend on individual psychophysiological characteristics. Each person has his own threshold of sensitivity to stress - the level of tension at which the efficiency of activity increases (eustress sets in), and the critical threshold of exhaustion, when the efficiency of activity decreases (distress sets in). Nevertheless, it has been established that the greatest danger to any organism is not strong and short stresses, but long-term, although not so strong.

6. Reactionsorganismfor stress

Stressful situations can cause a wide variety of reactions of the body, both emotional, behavioral, intellectual, and physiological. Behavioral changes. Among the most obvious reactions are psychomotor disorder(change in handwriting, excessive muscle tension, change in breathing rhythm), daily routine violations(reduction or increase in sleep time), professional violations (mistakes and low productivity of professional activity) and violations of social role functions (refusal to communicate with loved ones, increased conflict, antisocial behavior). Emotional responses range from mild arousal (when the event is stressful but manageable) to feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, and depression. The most common response to stress is anxiety, that is, anxiety, tension, fear. Any person feels these experiences from time to time, but in people who find themselves in extreme situations (natural disasters, physical violence), ordinary anxiety can develop into something more, and become a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. Anger, leading to aggression, is another common response to a stressful situation. As a result of frustration, when a person's efforts to achieve a goal are blocked, there often arises a need for aggression, a desire to harm a person or object that is an obstacle. Since it is not always possible to direct aggression directly at the source of frustration, it sometimes shifts: aggressive action turns out to be directed at innocent person or an object that is within reach. This is the reason for family scandals after failures at work, as well as teenage vandalism. Apathy and depression are also very common reactions to frustration. When a person is convinced of the futility of his efforts, he begins to feel his own helplessness, and if the stressful situation persists and remains insurmountable, apathy can develop into depression. This does not happen to everyone; for some people, uncontrollable events present a challenge that must be met with decisive action. However, it is precisely apathy and detachment, as a consequence of stress, that may be the reasons why victims of domestic violence do not leave their tormentors, and abducted and imprisoned people do not try to escape. They decided for themselves that they still could not do anything. Changing intellectual processes. In addition to emotional reactions, under the influence of stressors, a person may experience cognitive impairment. He becomes easily distracted, it becomes difficult for him to concentrate or logically build thoughts. Decreased ability to solve complex problems, worsening performance random access memory narrows the field of attention. As a result of cognitive impairment during a stressful situation, a person begins to act according to a certain rigid scheme, and is not able to deviate from it (during a fire, he cannot figure out that the door opens outward, not inward, etc.) Probably, this is one one of the reasons for the "crowd effect", when in extreme situations people thoughtlessly repeat the actions of others - everyone runs in the same direction, they start breaking shop windows, etc. The extreme degree of cognitive impairment is hyperactivation of thinking and avoidance of stressful problems. The result of hyperactivation of thinking is the appearance intrusive thoughts and fruitless fantasy. "Escape" from solving stressful problems is a replacement of their solution by solving side problems that are not related to the situation, as well as a decrease in the activity of thinking. In extreme situations, exposure to stressors can cause fainting spells or even narcolepsy, an attack of sudden falling asleep. Physiological reactions. As already mentioned, they relate to almost all human systems and organs - digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous and endocrine. Directly during the period of exposure to the stressor, the following objective changes are recorded: an increase in blood pressure, a sharp increase in the frequency and violation of the rhythm of the pulse and breathing, heavy sweating, increased peristalsis. However, it should be noted that physiological reactions to stress have both negative and positive aspects. Of course, the activation of glands and muscles under the influence of nerve impulses, the release of stress hormones and the acceleration of anabolic processes can deplete the body's reserves during prolonged stress. But studies have shown that intermittent exposure stressor helps the body acquire some physiological resistance to stress, this phenomenon is known to us as hardening. With vegetative-vascular dystonia, regular dousing with alternately hot and cold water allows the cardiovascular and nervous systems to adapt, and in the future not to react so sharply to a sharp change atmospheric pressure.

7. Defense mechanisms of the psyche

In the human psyche, there are certain defense mechanisms, an unconscious strategy that allows you to overcome negative emotions and thereby reduce the impact of the stressor. Of course, such a strategy does not change the stressful situation itself, but only the person's ideas about it, so there is an element of self-deception in such a protective mechanism. However, in some cases, such unconscious techniques help to cope with a stressful situation, and indicate a person's inability only when they become the main form of response to problems. Let's list some of them:- Vrepression / suppression, in which too frightening or painful memories are excluded from the contents of consciousness. Repression occurs at an unconscious level, and repression is the process of consciously pushing away unwanted memories. The danger for the psyche is that repressed or repressed memories may later come back with greater force and cause great anguish. -- Rationalization, that is, attributing logical or socially approved motives to one's actions so that the actions seem to be done rationally. Rationalization has two functions: it alleviates disappointment when the goal is not achieved, and it provides acceptable motives for behavior. -- Intellectualization I am an attempt to break away from a stressful situation by considering it in an abstract intellectual form. Used by people in professions that Everyday life often face life and death issues - doctors, rescuers, policemen. -- Negation- refusal to accept an unpleasant reality. In a serious crisis, such a strategy of behavior can give a person hope and time to gradually realize the sad facts, but it is dangerous in situations relating to one's own health and the need for treatment. -- substitution- giving a motive that cannot be satisfied, a different form. This defense mechanism reduces anxiety and at the same time satisfies an unacceptable motive (caring for a pet after the death of a loved one).

8 . Consequenceslongstressfor the body

It has been proven that the body's attempts to adapt to the constant presence of a stressor deplete a person's psychophysiological resources, increase susceptibility to diseases, and can eventually lead to various pathologies. physical pathologies. Medicine highlights in separate group psychosomatic diseases resulting from the interaction of mental and physiological factors. They are based on a bodily reaction to a conflict experience, accompanied by changes and pathological disorders in the organs, i.e. stress is the root cause. The corresponding predisposition of an individual - genetically determined or acquired - can influence the choice of the affected system or organ (eg, the formation of a stomach ulcer against the background of chronic gastritis). The most well-known psychosomatic diseases are bronchial asthma, hypertension, ulcerative colitis and peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, neurodermatitis, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Since medical research is ongoing in this area, the list is constantly updated, it already includes coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes, migraines, sciatica and infertility are next in line. How exactly this mechanism works can be demonstrated by the example of coronary heart disease, which, by the way, is one of the main causes of death in the developed countries of the world. This disease occurs when the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the muscles of the heart are clogged with cholesterol plaques, or narrowed. As a result, one feels severe pain in the chest, giving into the arm (angina pectoris), and the complete cessation of oxygen access to the heart causes myocardial infarction. One of the main causes of the onset of the disease is a systematic increase in the metabolic needs of the myocardium, caused by an increase in blood pressure and tachycardia. High blood pressure and tachycardia, in turn, always accompany chronic overexcitation caused by prolonged stress. Many scientists believe that there is a direct connection between a person's somatic diseases, his personal characteristics, and the psychological climate of his environment. It is believed that patients with peptic ulcer are characterized by anxiety, irritability, vulnerability and low self-esteem, as a result, anxiety gives rise to a state of tension, then there is a spasm of the walls and vessels of the digestive organs, a deterioration in blood supply leads to a decrease in tissue resistance and the formation of an ulcer. Similar dependencies have been established for other somatic diseases. It has been experimentally proven that the immune system also suffers greatly from the effects of stressors on the body. In a study of groups of volunteers treated with the common cold virus, the incidence of viral infection and the severity of cold symptoms increased with increasing levels of stress. Mental pathologies. In addition to psychosomatic diseases, stress can cause psychological and even mental disorders, the so-called psychotrauma. As mentioned above, under the influence of a stressor, concentration of attention is disturbed, the speed of reactions and thinking slows down, and memory disorders occur. Sometimes there are changes in the perception of reality - vision, smell, taste, touch are disturbed. Usually, similar manifestations disappear after the end of the stressor. But in the emotional and behavioral sphere, the consequences often remain for many months, sometimes years. In the field of emotions, reactions for a long time range from aggression to apathy, from anxiety to complete "disinhibition". As a result, there are changes in behavior - problems in the sexual sphere, stuttering, the appearance of antisocial behavior. In the event that a person has been exposed to excessively strong or prolonged stress, there is psychotrauma- a reaction to an extremely strong source of stress that goes beyond the normal human experience. These are wars, natural disasters, an armed attack or a serious illness. Moreover, psychotrauma can occur both in the person who suffered from stress, and in his relatives. It can be caused by a description of the terrible events that happened to loved ones, the news of the presence serious illness or the need for a complex operation. The consequences of psycho-traumatic effects on the psyche depend on their intensity and socially significant consequences, as well as on the individual significance of the traumatic event for a person and the degree of his psychological stability. The result may be neuroses- protracted psychogenic reversible disorders characterized by obsessive and hysterical manifestations and decreased performance, and reactive states- affective-shock reactions, accompanied by a narrowing of consciousness, panic, hyperactivity or stupor, as well as depression. One of the most well-known effects of a stressor on the psyche is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or post-traumatic syndrome. It arises as a delayed or protracted reaction to an exceptional situation of a catastrophic nature, capable of causing distress to absolutely any person (combat actions, acts of terrorism, torture, natural and man-made disasters, etc.). In addition to the signs common to most serious psychotraumas (the appearance of neuroses, phobias, depressions), three specific signs are known for PTSD: invasion symptoms" -- instantaneous and uncontrolled transference of consciousness at the moment of the situation (Vietnamese \ Afghan \ Chechen syndrome), suddenly rolling in memories, nightmares. These attacks are often caused by triggers that are part of a traumatic experience (car noise, being at a height, etc.) ; -- "avoidance symptoms", when a traumatic experience is forced out of consciousness. Avoidance is so total that a person experiences memory lapses, forgetting thoughts, events and people that are in any way associated with stress; -- "hyperactivation symptoms"- increased excitability, sleep disturbance, outbursts of anger and aggression in a calm environment, difficulty concentrating, constant muscle tension. Research has shown that the psychophysiological changes associated with PTSD are so severe that the disorder can become chronic and persist for decades, sometimes lifelong. Therefore, the best results are obtained by therapeutic interventions carried out in the period from several hours to several days after receiving a psychotrauma, before persistent neurobiological disorders of the nervous system have yet developed.

9 . Stress assessment

The ability to assess the stress level of a particular person can be useful in a variety of circumstances, ranging from planning a treatment and rehabilitation process for victims of natural or man-made disasters, and ending with the use of a polygraph when investigating the circumstances of a crime or when hiring for public service. Special objective and subjective methods for assessing the level of stress have been developed. objective methods. These include: - assessment of the state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body (registration of heart rate, determination of blood pressure indicators, electrocardiography, determination of the parameters of the functioning of the respiratory system - frequency and depth of breathing, etc.); -- assessment of psychomotor reactions of a person (determination of the degree of tension of individual muscle groups, excessive muscle tension and smoothness of movements, determination of the speed of the sensorimotor reaction); -- assessment of the functioning of the body's thermoregulation system and indicators of the galvanic skin response (traditionally used in polygraphs). subjective methods. They include: -- psychological tests, revealing anxiety; - introspection, or self-monitoring of the internal state under stress. It should be noted that self-observation is the key to overcoming stress, because the first step towards overcoming any problem is the recognition of its existence.

10 . Stress Management Techniquesand its prevention

There are several behavioral and cognitive techniques that help reduce the negative effects of stress, all of which are aimed at increasing the overall resilience of the body and psyche. Let's take a look at some of the most famous. Behavioral methods allow a person to control their physiological reactions to a stressful situation. biological Feedback involves learning to control physiological state by obtaining information about the parameters of this state, and the subsequent conscious attempt to change these parameters (deliberate relaxation of the muscles of the forehead in the treatment of headaches). Relaxation training- general muscle relaxation. Breathing regulation- By consciously controlling breathing, you can use it for general calming and relieving tension, both muscular and mental. Meditation(attention training exercises used to develop control over thoughts and emotions) is also an effective technique for relaxation and reducing the level of psychological arousal. Ordinary rest also provides stress reduction almost similar to that induced by meditation. Physical exercise contribute to the withdrawal of accumulated excessive amounts of adrenaline and other hormones, relieve muscle tension. Physiological methods of stress regulation consist in the direct impact on the physiological processes in the body, in particular, on the cardiovascular and muscular systems. These include massage, acupuncture and physiotherapy. Even if a person learns to control his physiological and emotional reactions through special exercises, in a real stressful situation this knowledge will be difficult to put into practice if the attitude towards the situation remains the same. Cognitive methods allow you to determine which situations cause certain symptoms in a person, and help change the very way of overcoming these situations. This happens in several stages: - self-observation; -- identification of connections between situational variables and emotional, behavioral and physiological reactions; - identification of personal expectations or beliefs that explain these reactions; - change their ideas about the stressful situation, or behavior in it. Also, with the help of cognitive techniques, one can generally block thoughts that cause psycho-emotional discomfort, for example, by switching attention from thinking to perception (look at fire / flowing water). To reduce emotional stress, rational psychotherapy is also used, although it must be borne in mind that with a very high level of arousal, psychotherapeutic methods may be unsuccessful, due to the selectivity of the perception of emotionally significant information at such moments. Biochemical methods of stress relief include various pharmacological preparations, medicinal plants and aromatherapy. Prevention is very important, a number of simple methods help to minimize the negative impact of stressors on the body, thereby virtually eliminating the occurrence of stress itself. First of all, it is a healthy lifestyle. Proper daily routine and nutrition, regular physical exercise allow you to maintain the physiological reserves of the body at the proper level, ensure the normal functioning of all its systems and organs, increasing resistance to any stimuli. Changing one's own behavioral skills often also helps. Often the source of a person’s stress is his own insecurity, which can be dealt with by changing his bodily state (posture, gestures) or by starting to act more competently. Special techniques for counteracting psychological pressure during communication reduce the likelihood of conflict situations avoiding the occurrence of a stressor. One of essential methods Stress prevention is effective goal setting. The collapse of the set plans, which entails serious stress, is very often associated not so much with insurmountable objective difficulties, but with the wrong goal setting or inability to select the necessary resources. There are also special scientific developments to help avoid specific production stresses.

11 . Unacceptable methods of coping with stress

Not all stress management techniques are worth using, even if they seem to have a positive effect. real help. These fallacious strategies include: -- Distancing from the problem or postponing its solution. At the same time, the stressor does not disappear anywhere, and continues to influence a person, depleting his psychophysiological reserves; -- Escape from reality with the use of alcohol or drugs. For a while, this method reduces the severity of the problem, and it may seem that it minimizes the manifestations of stress. In reality, under the influence of such substances, psychophysiological resources are depleted even faster, while the stressful situation remains tense. -- Avoiding Responsibility. This method, also called the "pose of an ostrich", is by definition ineffective, and indicates the perfect infantilism of the person who chooses it. -- Seeking social support. This can be effective in a situation of acute grief, but shifting absolutely all problems onto the shoulders of other people is unacceptable. Such a person not only will not be able to cope with stressors on his own in the future, he creates problems for others, forcing them to share their own experiences, practically experiencing stress.

1 3 . Conclusion

The conditions of modern life are a collection of sources of constant stress. The life of every person is full of many physical (atmospheric pressure changes) and psychosocial stressors: information loads, lack of time, emotional stress as a result of communication with large quantity people, conflicts and much more. Since the biological capabilities of a person are limited, constant exposure to stressors leads to the depletion of adaptive abilities and the development of disease states. To cope with stress, it is necessary to be able to effectively use the potential reserves of the body, to have elementary knowledge about the mechanisms of development of negative emotional and physiological reactions and ways to prevent them. But, according to Hans Selye, stress is the body's response to any environmental requirement. Stress is an integral part of our life, it is caused by any significant events, be it grief or joy, plays an important role in the processes of education and upbringing. Avoiding it means not only preventing potential failures, but also forgoing possible achievements. In addition, it is stress that keeps the body active at the normal level. The state of complete rest is impossible for a living being. Thus, only pathological, severe and prolonged stresses should be dealt with. The main thing at the same time is not to bring them to the chronic stage, to solve problems immediately as they arise, even if this requires maximum effort, and then provide the opportunity for proper rest and restoration of the body's defenses.

Bibliography, sources

Of course, they are, and were used in writing this work. But lovers of copying abstracts will have to look for sources on their own.

The concept of stress is firmly rooted in the vocabulary of modern man, and most of the inhabitants regard this phenomenon as negative, painful experiences or disorders caused by insoluble difficulties, insurmountable obstacles, unfulfilled hopes. More than 80 years ago Hans Selye, the creators of the theory of stress, emphasized in his works that stress does not mean pain, torment, humiliation, catastrophic changes in life.

Complete elimination of stress means the end of life

What is psychological stress? Here is its classical definition given by the author of the theory. Stress (stress - a state of increased stress, emotional stress) - a complex of non-specific adaptive reactions of the body to any requirements presented to it due to the influence of stress factors that led to a violation of its homeostasis. Nonspecific reactions are adaptive actions aimed at restoring the initial state of the body, producing specific effects on specific stimuli. Any surprise that introduces a change in the habitual life of an individual can be a stress factor. It does not matter whether the situation is positive or negative. Emotional shock can be provoked not only by external circumstances, but also by subconscious attitudes towards specific events. For the human psyche, only the amount of necessary effort to restructure the usual rhythms of life, the intensity of energy expended to adapt to new requirements plays a role.

Types of stress

In medical practice, it is customary to divide stressful situations into two types: eustress is a positive form and distress is negative. Eustress mobilizes the body's vital resources and stimulates further activity. Distress brings, inflicts a "wound", which, even when fully healed, leaves scars.

Distress has a negative impact on the somatic and mental health of a person and can give impetus to the development of serious diseases. In a state of stress, the activity of the immune system is significantly reduced, and a person becomes defenseless against viruses and infections. With negative emotional stress, the autonomic nervous system is activated, the endocrine glands work more intensively. With prolonged or frequent influence of stress factors, the psycho-emotional sphere goes wrong, which often leads to severe depression or to.

According to the nature of the impact of stressors, there are:

• neuro-psychic;
• temperature (thermal or cold);
• light;
• food (as a result of food deficiency);
• other types.

Outstanding Psychologist Leontiev argued that in the case when the body demonstrates reactions to external phenomena not related to the satisfaction of vital needs (food intake, the need for sleep, the instinct of self-preservation, procreation), such reactions are purely psychological. The concept of an intractable, extraordinary situation for a person in the concept of stress theory is also a psychological phenomenon.

Stressful situations are also divided into two groups: extreme social conditions(war, hooligan attacks, natural disasters) and critical psychological events(death of a relative, change in social status, divorce, exam). For some, the events that have occurred are a shock, for others it is a natural phenomenon, and the intensity of the reaction is purely individual. It is an indisputable fact that in order for a response to a stimulus to occur, this stimulus must have a certain strength. And each individual has a fickle, changeable threshold of sensitivity. An individual with a low sensitivity threshold demonstrates a strong reaction to a stimulus of low intensity, while a person with high threshold sensitivity does not perceive this factor as an irritant.

Biological and psychobiological stress

Stress is also usually divided by parameters into two groups:

• Biological;
• Psychological.

The definitions of psychological stress are different from different authors, but most scientists refer to this type of stress due to the influence of external (social) factors or formed under the influence of internal sensations. TO psycho-emotional stress it is not always possible to apply the regularities of the stages of its course, since each individual has purely individual properties of the psyche and personal characteristics of the work of the autonomic nervous system.

Differentiate the type of stressful situation allows the control question: “Do stressors cause obvious harm to the body?”. In the case of a positive answer, a biological species is diagnosed, in the case of a negative answer, psychological stress.

Psycho-emotional stress differs from the biological species by a number of specific features, including:

• It is formed under the influence of both real and probable situations that are the object of the individual's anxiety;
• Of great importance is the person's assessment of the degree of his participation in influencing the problem situation, the perception of the quality of the chosen methods of neutralizing stressors.

The technique for measuring stress sensations (PSM-25 scale) is aimed at analyzing the emotional state of a person, and not at studying indirect indicators (stressor, indicators of depressive, anxiety-phobic states).

The main differences between biological and psychological stressful situations are:

Group	biological stress	Psychological stress
Cause	physical, chemical, biological influence stressors	Own thoughts, inner feelings, the impact of society
Danger level	Real	virtual, real
Orientation of stressors	Somatic health, life threatening	Emotional sphere, self-esteem, social status
Nature of response	"Primary" reactions: fear, fright, rage, pain.	"Secondary" reactions: excitement, anxiety, irritability, anxiety, panic, depressive states
Time range	Clearly marked within the boundaries of the present and near future	Unclear, vague, includes the past and an indefinite future
The influence of individual character traits	No or minimal	Essential
Example	Viral infection, trauma, food intoxication, frostbite, burn	Conflict in the family, parting with a partner, financial difficulties, changes in social status

Stress: the main stages of development

The range of response to a stressful event includes a variety of states of excitation and inhibition, including states called affective. The process of stressful state flow consists of three stages.

Stage 1. Emotional reaction of alarm.

On the this stage the first response of the body to the impact of stress factors. The duration of this phase is strictly individual: for some people, the increase in tension passes in a matter of minutes, for others, the increase in anxiety occurs within a few weeks. The level of body resistance to external stimuli decreases, self-control weakens. A person gradually loses the ability to fully control their actions, loses self-control. His behavior changes to completely opposite actions (for example: a calm, self-possessed person becomes impulsive, aggressive). The person avoids social contacts, alienation appears in relation to relatives, the distance in communication with friends and colleagues increases. The influence of distress has a devastating effect on the psyche. Excessive emotional stress can cause disorganization, disorientation, and depersonalization.

Stage 2. Resistance and adaptation.

In this phase, the maximum activation and strengthening of the body's resistance to the stimulus takes place. Prolonged exposure to a stress factor provides a gradual adaptation to its effects. The resistance of the organism significantly exceeds the norm. It is at this stage that the individual is able to analyze, choose the most effective way and cope with the stressor.

Stage 3. Exhaustion.

Having exhausted the available energy resources due to the impact of a stressor for a long time, a person feels severe fatigue, devastation, fatigue. The feeling of guilt joins, repeated signs of the stage of anxiety appear. However, in this phase the body's ability to readaptation is lost, the person becomes powerless to take any action. Disorders of an organic nature appear, severe pathological psychosomatic conditions arise.

Each person has been “programmed” since childhood with her own personal scenario of behavior in a stressful situation, reproduced in frequency, form of manifestation of the stress reaction. Some experience stressors on a daily basis in small doses, others experience distress rarely, but in the full extent of distressing manifestations. Also, each person is characterized by an individual focus of aggression in a state of stress. One blames only himself, triggering the mechanisms for the development of depressive states. Another person finds the causes of her troubles in the people around her and puts forward unfounded claims, often in an extremely aggressive form, becoming a socially dangerous person.

Psychological mechanisms of stress

The emergence of emotional stress during stress - an adaptive reaction of the body, appearing and growing as a result of the interaction of physiological systems and mechanisms in combination with psychological methods of response.

The physiological group of stress mechanisms involves:

• Subcortical system, which activates the work of the cerebral cortex;
• Sympathetic Autonomous System, preparing the body for the unexpected effects of stressors, intensifying cardiac activity, stimulating the supply of glucose;
• subcortical motor centers, controlling innate instinctive, motor, mimic, pantomimic mechanisms;
• organs of internal secretion;
• Back afferent mechanisms, transmitting nerve impulses through interoreceptors and proprioreceptors from internal organs and muscles back to brain areas.

Psychological mechanisms- installations formed and fixed at the subconscious level, arising as a response to the impact of stress factors. Psychological schemes designed to protect the human psyche from the negative effects of stressors. Not all of these mechanisms are harmless, they often do not allow to evaluate the event correctly, and often harm the social activity of the individual.

Psychological defense schemes include seven mechanisms:

• Suppression. The main mechanism, the purpose of which is the removal of existing desires from consciousness in case of impossibility to satisfy them. The repression of sensations and memories can be partial or complete, as a result of which the person gradually forgets past events. It is often a source of new problems (for example: a person forgets previous promises). Often it becomes the cause of somatic diseases (headaches, heart pathologies, oncological diseases).
• Negation. The individual denies the fact of the accomplishment of any event, "leaves" in fantasy. Often a person does not notice contradictions in his judgments and actions, therefore, he is often perceived by others as a frivolous, irresponsible, inadequate person.
• Rationalization. A way of self-justification, the creation of supposedly logical moral arguments to explain and justify behavior unacceptable by society, arising one's own desires and thoughts.
• Inversion. Conscious replacement of true thoughts and sensations, actually carried out actions with completely opposite ones.
• Projection. The individual projects onto others, attributes to other people his own negative qualities, negative thoughts, unhealthy feelings. It is a mechanism of self-justification.
• Insulation. The most dangerous response scheme. A person separates a threatening component, a dangerous situation from his personality as a whole. It can lead to a split personality, cause the development of schizophrenia.
• Regression. The subject reverts to primitive ways of responding to stressors.

There is another classification of types of protective mechanisms, divided into two groups.

Group 1. Schemes of violation of information reception

• Perceptual protection;
• Crowding out;
• suppression;
• Negation.

Group 2. Schemes of violation of information processing

• Projection;
• Intellectualization;
• Isolation;
• Reappraisal (rationalization, defensive reaction, expiation, illusion).

stress factors

Stress levels are affected by many different factors, including:

• The significance of stressors for the individual,
• Congenital features of the activity of the nervous system,
• Inherited pattern of response to stressful events,
• features of growing up
• The presence of chronic somatic or mental pathologies, a recent illness,
• Bad experience in past similar situations,
• Having moral attitudes
• Stress tolerance threshold
• Self-esteem, the quality of perception of oneself as a person,
• Existing hopes, expectations - their certainty or uncertainty.

Causes of stress

The most common cause of stress is the contradiction that has arisen between reality and the individual's ideas about reality. Stress reactions can be triggered both under the influence of real factors and events that exist only in the imagination. Not only negative events lead to the development of a stressful state, but also positive changes in the life of an individual.

Research by American scientists Thomas Holmes and Richard Ray made it possible to form a table of stress factors that in most cases have the strongest influence on a person and trigger stress mechanisms (stress intensity scale). Among the significant events for people:

• Death of a close relative
• Divorce
• Parting with a loved one
• Imprisonment
• Serious illness
• job loss
• Change in social position
• Deterioration of financial situation
• Big debts
• Inability to repay loans
• Illness of close relatives
• Problems with law
• Retirement
• Marriage
• Pregnancy
• sexual problems
• The arrival of a new family member
• Job change
• Deterioration of family relationships
• Outstanding Individual Achievement
• Start or end of training
• Change of residence
• Problems with management
• Unfavorable team atmosphere
• Changing the schedule of work and rest
• Changing personal habits
• Eating Behavior Change
• Changing working conditions
• Vacation
• Holidays

Stress factors tend to accumulate. Without taking effective steps, driving his feelings inside, left alone with his problems, a person runs the risk of losing contact with his own “I”, and subsequently losing contact with others.

Psychological symptoms of stress

Manifestations of stress- are purely individual, but all the signs are united by their negative color, their painful and painful perception by the individual. Symptoms vary depending on what stage of stress the person is in and what defense mechanisms are involved. The main symptoms of stress include:

• Causeless;
• Feeling of inner tension;
• Short temper, nervousness, irritability, aggressiveness;
• Excessive inadequate reaction to the slightest stimulus;
• Inability to control your thoughts and emotions, control your actions;
• Decreased concentration, difficulty in remembering and reproducing information;
• Periods of dreary mood;
• Oppressed, depressed state;
• Decreased interest in habitual activities, apathetic state;
• Inability to enjoy pleasant events;
• Constant feeling of dissatisfaction;
• Capriciousness, excessive demands on others;
• Subjective feeling of congestion, not passing fatigue;
• Decreased performance, inability to perform usual duties;
• - detachment from one's own "I";
• - a sense of the illusoriness of the surrounding world;
• Changes in eating behavior: lack of appetite or excessive food intake;
• Sleep disorders: insomnia, early rise, interrupted sleep;
• Changing behavior, reducing social contacts.

As a result of exposure to stressors, an individual often tries to artificially replace the negative feelings experienced by “pleasant” external factors: he begins to take alcohol or drugs, becomes a gambler, changes his sexual behavior, begins to overeat, commits risky, impulsive actions.

stress treatment

Being in situations that cause a state of stress, each person should strive to emerge from the created situation as a winner, overcome obstacles courageously, with self-esteem and without negative consequences for health. After all, each new battle with stressors is another step on the thorny path of self-development and self-improvement.

Medical treatment of stress conditions

The choice of a comprehensive program of pharmacological treatment is carried out in individually considering a variety of factors, including:

• the predominant symptoms, the strength and frequency of their manifestation;
• stage and severity of stress;
• patient's age;
• somatic and mental state of health of the patient;
• personal characteristics of character, way of responding to the impact of stressors, individual threshold of sensitivity;
• a history of mental pathologies and borderline conditions;
• individual preferences and material possibilities of the patient;
• received therapeutic response to drugs used previously;
• portability pharmacological agents, their side effects;
• medications taken.

The main criterion for prescribing treatment is the symptoms. To eliminate stress conditions use:

• tranquilizers;
• beta blockers;
• Amino acids;
• Herbal sedatives, bromides;
• Antipsychotics;
• antidepressants;
• sleeping pills;
• Vitamin and mineral complexes.

If the patient is dominated by signs of anxiety (irrational fear, excessive excitement, anxiety for no reason), a short course of treatment with psychotropic drugs is carried out to relieve symptoms. use tranquilizers benzodiazepine series (for example: diazepam) or more sparing anxiolytics other groups (for example: adoptol).

Quickly take control and minimize the painful physical manifestations of fear beta blockers, the action of which is aimed at blocking the release of adrenaline into the blood and lowering blood pressure (for example: anaprilin).

In overcoming emotional stress, reducing nervousness and irritability, a good therapeutic response is given by relatively harmless drugs that contain aminoacetic acid(for example: glycine).

With mild manifestations of anxiety, a long course (at least one month) is prescribed sedatives "green" pharmacy made from valerian, mint, lemon balm, motherwort (for example: persen). In some cases, drugs are used - bromides, which have a significant sedative potential (for example: adonis-bromine).

If there are “protective” obsessive actions in the picture of the disease, it is recommended to take neuroleptics- drugs that can eliminate severe mental conditions (for example: haloperidol).

With the predominance of depressive manifestations (apathy, depression, melancholy mood), use antidepressants different groups. At mild form depressive moods are prescribed a long course (more than one month) of herbal remedies. So, the antidepressant effect will provide preparations based on St. John's wort (for example: Deprim). In more severe and dangerous cases, psychopharmacological antidepressants of various groups are used. Easy to use, do not lead to overdose and show a high result selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - SSRIs (for example: fluoxetine). The latest generation of drugs, melatonergic antidepressants (the only representative of this class: agomelatine), are capable of eliminating depressive symptoms and reducing anxiety.

If the patient notes a change in the mode and quality of sleep (insomnia, early awakening, interrupted sleep, nightmares), an appointment is prescribed sleeping pills, both plant origin and synthesized benzodiazepine drugs (for example: nitrazepam) or the latest chemical groups (for example: zopiclone). The use of barbiturates as hypnotics today has lost its relevance.

An important role in overcoming stressful conditions is the replenishment of deficiency in the body. vitamins and minerals. In situations of emotional stress, it is recommended to take B vitamins (for example: neurovitan), magnesium supplements (for example: Magne B6) or multiactive complexes (for example: vitrum).

Psychotherapeutic techniques to overcome stress

Psychotherapy of stress conditions- techniques developed to provide a beneficial therapeutic effect on the psycho-emotional sphere of activity, directly related to and affecting the functioning of the human body as a whole. Psychotherapeutic help is often the only unique chance that allows a person who is in a stressful state to overcome existing problems, correct erroneous ideas and get rid of anxiety and depression without negative consequences.

Modern psychotherapy uses over 300 different methods, among the most common, popular and effective methods:

• Psychodynamic;
• Cognitive-behavioral;
• existential;
• Humanistic.

Direction 1. Psychodynamic approach

Based on the methodology of psychoanalysis, the founder of which was the famous talented scientist Sigmund Freud. Feature of therapy: the transfer to the area of ​​consciousness (awareness) by the patient of memories repressed into the subconscious sphere, experienced emotions and sensations. Techniques are used: the study and evaluation of dreams, a free associative series, the study of the features of forgetting information.

Direction 2. Cognitive-behavioral therapy

essence this method- informing and teaching the individual the adaptive skills necessary in emotionally difficult situations. A person develops and maintains a new model of thinking that allows him to correctly assess and act adequately when faced with stressful factors. In artificially created stressful situations, the patient, having experienced a state close to panic fear, noticeably reduces the threshold of sensitivity to negative factors disturbing him.

Direction 3. Existential approach

The essence of therapy according to this technique is to focus on the existing difficulties, the patient's revision of the value system, awareness of personal significance, the formation of self-esteem and true self-esteem. During the sessions, a person learns ways of harmonious interaction with the outside world, develops independence and awareness of thinking, and acquires new behavioral skills.

Direction 4. Humanistic approach

This method is based on the postulate: a person has unlimited abilities and opportunities to overcome problems in the presence of a significant stimulus and adequate self-esteem. The doctor's work with the patient is aimed at liberating the human consciousness, liberation from indecision and uncertainty, getting rid of the fear of defeat. The client learns to really realize and analyze the causes of existing difficulties, to develop correct and safe options for overcoming problems.

How to overcome the effects of stress on your own?

It is human nature to want to get rid of pain, tension, anxiety. However, this ability to experience discomfort, oddly enough, is one of the valuable gifts of nature. The state of stress is a phenomenon designed to warn the individual about the threat to the integrity and vital activity of the organism. It is an ideally operating mechanism, activating the natural reflexes of resistance, evasion, retreat or flight, indispensable in the battle with a negative hostile environment. Unpleasant sensations accompanying a state of stress mobilize hidden resources, encourage effort, change, and difficult decisions.

Everyone needs to learn how to effectively and rationally manage stress. If the event causing the stress depends on individual activities(for example: emotional stress due to excessive workload in the professional field), efforts should be concentrated on the development and analysis of options to change the existing situation. In the event that an emotionally difficult situation is caused by external factors beyond the control and management of an individual (for example: the death of a spouse), it is necessary to accept this negative fact, come to terms with its existence, change the perception and attitude towards this event.

Effective methods for relieving emotional stress and psychological stress

Method 1 Release emotions

Special breathing techniques are designed to relieve accumulated tension, get rid of negative emotions. We perform energetic movements (swings) with our hands, then close our eyes. We take a slow deep breath through the nose, hold our breath for 5 seconds, slowly exhale through the mouth. We perform 10-15 approaches. We try to relax the muscles as much as possible. We focus on the sensations that arise.

Method 2 We reveal the soul

In the prevention and overcoming of stressful conditions, an invaluable role is assigned to emotional support from the outside and friendly communication. Problematic moments, frankly and freely told to a loved one, lose their global significance and are no longer perceived as catastrophic. Friendly communication with optimistic persons allows a person to formulate and express disturbing factors aloud, to throw out negative emotions, get a charge of vital energy, develop a strategy for overcoming problems.

Method 3 We put our worries on paper

An equally effective method of dealing with emotional stress is to keep a personal diary. Thoughts and desires put on paper become more consistent and logical. Fixing in writing one's negative feelings transfers them from the area of ​​the subconscious to the sphere controlled by consciousness and controlled by the will of the individual. After such a recording, stressful events are perceived as less large-scale, the existence of problems is recognized and recognized. With the subsequent reading of their revelations, it becomes possible to analyze difficult situation as if from the outside, new ways of overcoming it appear, an incentive is formed for its resolution. The person takes control of their condition and, accepting the past and living in the present, begins to make efforts for well-being in the future.

Method 4 Mapping your own stressors

As they say, in order to defeat the enemy, you need to know him by sight. In order to cope with the negative emotions that arise under the hour of exposure to stressors, it is necessary to identify and explore what specific events can “unsettle”.

Being alone in silence, we concentrate and try to concentrate our attention as much as possible. We select for analysis at least 12 aspects related to various areas of life (for example: health, family relationships, successes and failures in professional activities, financial situation, relationships with friends). Then, in each of the specific aspects, we highlight situations that present significant difficulty, deprive self-control and restraint. We write them down in order of significance (intensity of response, temporal duration of experiences, depth of emotional perception, emerging negative symptoms) from the smallest negative category to the most traumatic factor. After the Achilles' heel is identified, for each item we make a list of "arguments": we develop options for possible resolution of problems.

Method 5 Transforming emotional experiences into life energy

A great way to get rid of unpleasant manifestations of stress is to perform intensively any physical activity. These could be: gym, long walks, swimming in the pool, morning jogs or work on personal plot. Vigorous physical exercises distract from negative events, direct thoughts in a positive direction, give positive emotions and charge with vital energy. Running is an ideal natural method to “run away” from stress: feeling pleasant physical fatigue, there is no place and strength left for crying about your own grief.

Method 6 Spilling emotions in creativity

A faithful assistant in the fight against psychological stress - creative activity, vocal, music, dance classes. By creating something beautiful, a person not only gets rid of negative feelings, but also uses hidden potential, develops his abilities, and significantly increases self-esteem. Music directly affects the emotional status, transferring to the world of vivid original sensations: it makes you cry and laugh, grieve and rejoice. Through music, the perception of one's own "I" and others changes, the real world appears in its diversity, the significance of one's own "minor" worries is lost. Through dance, you can express your emotions, survive your negativity, appear before the light in all your inner beauty.

Method 7 Increasing the level of psychological knowledge

An important factor for successfully overcoming stress is the existing knowledge base: complete, structured, diverse. In the formation of immunity to stress, a significant role is played by the cognitive processes that occur in a person, which determine the skills of orientation in the environment, the logic of actions, the objectivity of judgments, and the level of observation. No matter how generously or sparingly nature endowed a person with talents, a person is responsible only for the use of his mental abilities, and should not stop on the path of his development.

Method 8 Changing the belief system

A special niche in the perception of stress factors is occupied by an individual belief system. A person who regards the world around him as a source of dangers, threats, problems, reacts to stressors with strong negative emotions, which often disorganize his behavior. Quite often, the severe consequences of the stress experienced provoke the results of a discrepancy between the real complexity of the situation and its subjective assessment by the individual. Adequate, realistic perception of the world, where prosperity and troubles coexist, recognition that the world is imperfect and not always fair, striving for harmony, optimism and gratitude for every positive moment help not to take problems to heart.

Method 9 Increasing our own importance

A person who reacts to any stress with violent emotions is distinguished by a lack of confidence in his abilities and a sense of his own inferiority. Due to low or negative self-esteem, a person has a minimum level of claims and takes a “reinsurer position” in life. Simple exercises - affirmations (positive statements about your personality, spoken aloud) help to increase and form an adequate self-esteem.

Method 10 Doing a difficult task

An excellent technique for emotional control is a strong focus on the task at hand, allowing you to distract yourself and overcome situational stressors.

From the spheres that bring satisfaction and joy, we choose one difficult category. We set a clear goal for ourselves, define specific deadlines for bringing the idea to life (for example: learn French in six months, design a helicopter model, conquer a mountain peak).

In conclusion: Each person can overcome stress and control a difficult situation if he begins to focus on the problem at hand, and not on emotionally protective actions. Active possession of one's own consciousness brings exceptionally positive results, gives the individual a sense of dominance over stressors, strengthens the sense of self-worth, increases the assessment of one's abilities, and increases the chance of discovering opportunities.

There is no "good" or "bad" stress - we owe this misconception to the author of the concept of "stress", the Canadian doctor Hans Selye. Describing the stress by which the body copes with a dangerous situation, he too harshly contrasted stress, which provokes overstrain (distress), and stress, which gives a feeling of strength and self-confidence (eustress). Today, psychologists and physiologists distinguish between acute stress, which mobilizes the body's resources, and chronic stress, which depletes them.

Acute stress is experienced by those who must quickly respond to a change in the usual situation. Our life sometimes depends on the speed and accuracy of this reaction. When the situation drags on, stress, becoming chronic, depletes our resources, causing physical and mental disorders. The most common are headaches, stomach ulcers, arterial hypertension, arthritis, asthma, colitis, and even some forms of angina pectoris.

G. Selye "Stress without Distress" (Book on Demand, 2012).

He must be fought

Would life be better without stress? No, it would be insipid: no overcoming difficulties, no learning new things, no reason to "hone" the mind or develop abilities. A cyclist jumps out in front of the car, the boss pushes the deadline for the submission of work, you are asked to agree to become the head of the course: without this physical and mental stress, we would not be able to respond to a problematic situation - say, to go to the doctor when something hurts. Trying to eliminate the vital energy of stress is useless. It makes no more sense than not breathing on the grounds that there are free radicals in the air! It is much more effective to get out of the state of constant reaction and act thoughtfully.

R. Gerrig, F. Zimbardo "Psychology of Life" (Peter, 2004).

We can get ahead of him

The idea is seductive - everyone wants to "lay a straw" where they have to fall. Expecting the worst is in our nature. And this ability to anticipate stress allowed humanity to survive, unlike animals that died out in whole evolutionary branches in the extremely changing conditions of the Earth. It is this ability that we today call intuition or the “sixth sense”, which is more pronounced for some, weaker for others, but which is inherent in us by nature.

However, trying to predict possible events that will become a source of stress is an activity that, on the one hand, generates stress itself, and on the other hand, gives the illusion that we can literally control everything. “Let's stop holding on to omnipotence,” advises psychologist Patrick Légeron, “and let's look at things philosophically.” Because when the unexpected does happen, we experience a sense of helplessness that increases stress. So it is very important not to break with reality. This is the only way to remain objective, realistically assess reality and accept the fact that something must be abandoned.

It's all written in the genes

Genes influence our resistance to stress. Being genetically prone to stress does not necessarily mean that we will suffer more from it. Research in the field of epigenetics has shown that the conditions environment and our personal history affect whether our genes will "work". People with low levels of serotonin, that is, those genetically predisposed to stress, can adapt their lifestyle to their emotional vulnerability and avoid circumstances that depress them. On the contrary, those who have a lot of serotonin and are less prone to stress tend to take rash risks and get into all sorts of disturbing and frightening situations, which, in the end, bring them to premature wear. It's important to know that the circumstances of our lives have a major impact on our relationship with stress, even though they are genetically predetermined.

Koenen et al. "Modification of the association between serotonin transporter genotype and risk of posttraumatic stress disorder in adults by county-level, social environment". American Journal of Epidemiology, 2009, vol. 169, No. 6; P. Sidorov, A. Parnyakov "Clinical Psychology" (Geotar-med, 2010).

Its cause is always psychological

“Distinguishing between physical and psychological stress is one of many prejudices,” explains psychotherapist Thierry Janssen. Stress always acts in the same way, only the nature of the event that triggers it differs. It can be psychological (conflict at work) or physical (annoying noise). When we experience psychological stress, it is accompanied by bodily tension. For someone who is in trouble, his stomach “twists”, his heart contracts, his shoulders tense. Noise first causes a physical reaction, and then, if the situation persists, nervous tension, exhaustion, and even depression. “The greater the sense of helplessness, the more we tend to 'psychologize' stress,” continues Thierry Jansen, “as if we could fight it back by finding an explanation for it.” This is a way of saying to myself: if I understand the psychological mechanism that is at work here, then I will find a solution.

What is stress really

The word "stress" means "tension" and comes from the Latin stringere (stretch, strain, squeeze). This is not an emotion, but a "cascade" response of the body to danger - real or perceived. This reaction is innate and usually cannot be controlled consciously. Instantly, bodily and mental tension arises, which provokes negative emotions, primarily fear and anxiety. At such times, our sympathetic nervous system fires chain reactions: the secretion of adrenaline increases, under its action the heart rate accelerates and the blood flow is directed to the muscles, the production of cortisol increases, and we instantly feel additional energy. All our physical and intellectual resources are mobilized in order to decide what to do in this situation - to run or fight back. After a few minutes, if the danger has receded, our body takes energy from its reserves and releases other hormones (endorphin, dopamine and serotonin) that help us calm down.