Ch4: Stress

What is stress?

Stress is a mental state of worry that is caused by uncertain, difficult situations. For example: A job interview or an exam can cause a great deal of unrest or worry.

Stress effects

both the mind and body, and demands a response.

Stressors

the events or conditions causing stress—can be physical or psychological and vary widely.

Causes of stress

Causes of stress are any uncertain situations. A loss of a loved one, a new job, and interview, a scary movie, a conflict.

Work related causes:

Being unhappy in your job, heavy workload or too much responsibility, working long hours

Personal situations:

Financial struggles, family conflict, loss of a loved one

What are the symptoms of stress?

Symptoms of stress can be physical and/or mental.

Physcial symptoms

Headaches and migraines, Muscle tension or pain., Fatigue or feeling unusually tired, insomnia, cardiovascular diseases.

Mental Symptoms

• Anxiety and constant worry: Feeling nervous, on edge, or overwhelmed by daily challenges.

• Depression and sadness: Experiencing persistent low mood, hopelessness.

• Irritability and mood swings: Becoming easily frustrated.

• Social withdrawal

• Difficulty concentrating or remembering things.

What is eustress?

Eustress is a good stress that elicits a positive response, leading to beneficial outcomes such as motivation, optimism, and personal growth.

Short term stress

It is typically short-term, energizing, and motivating. Eustress encourages stepping outside comfort zones, learning new skills, and building resilience

What is distress?

Distress is a negative form of stress that arises when the demands placed on an individual exceed their ability to cope, resulting in emotional or psychological suffering.

Chronic stress

can develop when stressors are ongoing and unavoidable, leading to serious health consequences if not managed effectively.

Distress can be caused by:

Prolonged exposure to stressful situations (chronic illness, conflict, financial worries) or traumatic events.

Ego defense mechanism

A mechanism through which an individual relieves anxiety caused by an uncomfortable situation that threatens self esteem.

The purpose of ego defense mechanism is

to protect self esteem, self security, reduce anxiety and resolve mental conflict.

Types of EDM:

1. Denial

2. Displaced Aggression

3. Rationalization

4. Regression

5. Repression

6. Sublimation

7. Intellectualization

8. Projection

9. Reaction formation

Denial

It is when a person refuses to acknowledge an event that has occurred or is occurring. (It is too painful to accept)

Displaced aggression

A person redirects and their anger or impulses out on things that a less threatening.

Repression

It is an unconcious action where some information or memories are kept out of concious awareness.

Supression

It is when memories or information are conciously repressed as a form of defense mechanism.

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