Psychological Stress

Nowadays, psychological stress has made its special path in our minds, our lives, as I can see that we are much more stressed out than the past generations. We can no longer suppress it, as we are overwhelmed with facing every day, every problem above our expectations. Stress can be defined as the sum of physical and mental responses to an unacceptable disparity between real or imagined personal experience and personal goals. Stress is a response, which includes both physical and mental components. Mental responses to stress include adaptive stress, anxiety, and depression.

Where stress enhances function (physical or mental), it may be considered good stress. People may take favorable actions in a stress situation, as sometimes we need to feel a ‘push’ in order to react properly. However, if stress persists and it is of excessive degree, it eventually leads to a need for resolution, which may lead either to anxious or depressive behavior. It was gradually realized that such concepts as anxiety, antagonism, exhaustion, frustration, distress, despair, overwork, pre-menstrual tension, over-focusing, confusion, mourning, and fear could all come together in a general broadening of the meaning of the term stress.

Common factors of stress:

- Bright light
- Elevated sound levels
- Events: births, deaths, rape, war, reunions, weddings, divorce, moving, chronic illness, loss of role, identity, meaning
- Responsibilities: unpaid bills, lack of money
- Work/study: exams, rush hour traffic, project deadlines
- Personal relationships: conflict, deception
- Lifestyle- un-healthy eating, smoking, heavy driving, not getting enough sleep
- Exposure to stress early in life can permanently enhance the stress response (i.e. abused children)
- Age
 
Most causes of psychological stress are related to emotional and psychological disorders. Stressful situations, whether log-term or short-term, can set forth a series of emotional symptoms such as a feeling of personality disintegration, phobia, anxiety attacks, unfocussed attention or distractions, exaggerated emotional responses or psychological discomposure such as depression, confusion. Almost all anxiety attacks and stress related mind-body illness are known to cause sleep disorders. In extreme cases, stressors or causes of stress can even cause insomnia.

Constant stress can ruin one’s spirit, slowing down the motivation to lead a meaningful life. Under stress, an individual may fall into compulsive, obsessive behavior and fear. Stressed out individuals seem to be easily charmed by negative habits of delaying repeatedly things they must do immediately, addiction to alcohol, smoking and substance abuse. Symptoms such as self-doubt, jealousy, suspicion, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, feelings of loneliness, sense of inadequacy and sexual problems are directly connected to one’s spiritual disturbances. Stressed out individuals are known to rush into self-injury, suicidal attempts, and fatal accidents.

Psychological stress does not prefer age, for sex, for habits. It is everywhere. It all depends on you! We should trust more in ourselves because life is unpredictable and we never know what tomorrow has got in store. Self-confidence and inner strength overcome any psychological danger. If we experiment a crucial situation we must ask for support the beloved ones and if we consider it is not enough we should appeal to counseling and psychotherapy. We should not be selfish. Sometimes we feel that our life is meaningless, but then we should have in mind that our loss may hurt the others too much. Life is too precious to waist it on stress. Be optimist!