STRESS MANAGEMENT

STRESS MANAGEMENT

"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances."

—Thomas Jefferson

Stress – Definition

The word 'Stress' is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "a state of affair involving demand on physical or mental energy". A condition or circumstance (not always adverse), which can disturb the normal physical and mental health of an individual.

The term "Stress", as it is currently used was coined by Hans Selye in 1936, who defined it as "the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change".

Causes of Stress

At one point or the other everybody suffers from stress. Relationship demands, physical as well as mental health problems, pressure at workplaces, traffic snarls, meeting deadlines, growing-up tensions—all of these conditions and situations are valid causes of stress.

CONFLICT

Stress arises out of a conflict.

Conflict may be defined as a struggle or contest between people with opposing needs, ideas, beliefs, values or goals. Conflict might escalate and lead to non-productive results, or it can be beneficially resolved and lead to quality final products.

Types of Conflict

A. Psychological Conflict (internal conflict)

●     This type of conflict could be going on inside the person and no one else would know it (instinct may be at odds with values).

●     Freud would say unconscious id is always battling with superego. According to Freud our personalities are always in conflict.

B. Social Conflict

●     interpersonal conflict- two individuals me against you

●     inter-group struggles - we against them

●     individual opposing a group- me against them, they against me.

●     intra-group conflict- members of group all against each other on a task.

The Approach-Avoidance Feature

Conflict can be described as having features of approach and avoidance: approach-approach conflict; avoidance-avoidance conflict; approach-avoidance conflict.

    1. Approach-Approach Conflict

        Two desirable things are wanted, but only one option can be chosen (example: Engineering as well as medicine)"I want this but I also want that."

    2. Avoidance- avoidance Conflict

        Two unattractive alternatives (example: study or do the dishes "I don't want his and I don't want that).

    3. Approach- Avoidance Conflict

        Attractive and unattractive parts to both sides " example: I want this but I don't want what this entails".

C. Functional vs Dysfunctional Conflict

Dysfunctional Conflict: when conflict disrupts, hinders job performance, and upsets personal psychological functioning

Functional Conflict: from an interactionist’s perspective conflict can be responsive and innovative aiding in creativity and viability.

KINDS OF STRESS

There are two kinds of stress

i       Distress or Negative Stress

ii      Good Stress or Positive Stress.

Stress was generally considered as being synonymous with distress and dictionaries defined it as "physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension" or "a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize." Thus, stress was put in a negative light and its positive effects ignored. However, stress can be helpful and good when it motivates people to accomplish more.

     Any definition of stress should therefore also include good stress, or what Selye called eustress. For example, winning a race or election can be just as stressful as losing etc. A passionate kiss and contemplating what might follow is stressful, but hardly the same as having a root canal procedure.

DISORDERS LINKED WITH STRESS

There are numerous emotional and physical disorders that have been linked to stress including depression, anxiety, heart attacks, a host of viral linked disorders ranging from the common cold and herpes to AIDS and certain cancers, as well as autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. In addition stress can have direct effects on the skin (rashes, hives, atopic dermatitis), the gastrointestinal system and can contribute to insomnia and degenerative neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease. In fact, it's hard to think of any disease in which stress cannot play an aggravating role or any part of the body that is not affected.

Physical or mental stress may cause physical illness as well as mental or emotional problems. Below are the parts of the body most affected by stress:

Hair : High stress levels may cause excessive hair loss and some forms of baldness.

Muscles : spasmodic pains in the neck and shoulders, musculoskeletal aches, lower back pain and various minor muscular twitches are more noticeable under stress.

Digestive Tract: Stress can cause or aggravate diseases of the digestive tract including gastritis and stomach ulcers.

Skin : In some individuals Stress causes the outbreak of problems like psoriasis.

Brain : Stress triggers mental and emotional problems such as insomnia, headaches, personality changes etc.

Mouth : Mouth ulcers and excessive dryness.

Heart : Cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.

Lungs : High levels of emotional and mental stress affects individual with asthmatic conditions.