Introduction
Stress is an inevitable aspect of life that has a complex physiological mechanism. People respond differently to painful or threatening events. These responses determine whether they experience stress or not. The type of response determines the level of stress one experiences, which is usually determined by factors such as personality and hardiness. There are two types of stress that people experience: beneficial and destructive stress (Bickerstaff 34). Stress is beneficial only if it pushes people to achieve their goals while it is harmful if it prevents them from achieving their goals and living quality lives. Understanding the physiological mechanism as well as the various sources of stressors is important for the proper management of stress.
Approaches to stress
Stress is defined as any deviation from physical and mental equilibrium, which results in the release of hormones in the body that initiate a fight or flight response (Bickerstaff 38). A psychologist known as Bartlett defined stress as a response to a stimulus that arises from an interaction between an organism and the environment in which it lives (Bickerstaff 39). There are three types of stress, namely acute (short-term), episodic, and chronic (long-term) stress.
Acute stress arises from the current demands of life as well as anticipated pressures of the near future (Bickerstaff 39). Acute stress is exciting and beneficial in small doses but harmful in large doses. Common symptoms of acute stress include emotional distress, muscular problems, and stomach problems such as heartburn and flatulence (Bickerstaff 40). Episodic stress occurs among people who suffer frequent bouts of acute stress, mainly due to the effects of overwhelming daily tasks and responsibilities (Bickerstaff 41).
It is common among people who live disorganized lives. Common symptoms include persistent headaches, migraines, heart diseases, and hypertension (Bickerstaff 43). Chronic stress arises from challenges that are difficult to resolve, such as poverty, chronic illnesses, and unhappy marriages, and it affects the mind and body (Miller and Shelly 67).
The physiological explanation of stress
Stress involves a complex process of communication and interactions between neurons and somatic cells, as well as the participation of various body systems. When a person encounters a stressor, the neurons in the hypothalamus secrete two main hormones. The first hormone, corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), initiates the secretion of corticosteroids that play a key role in the stress response (Randall par. 3).
The second hormone, vasopressin, increases the rate of water absorption and initiates contraction of blood vessels (Randall par. 3). The contraction of blood vessels is harmful because it increases blood pressure. Both hormones (CRH and vasopressin) activate the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. A stress signal initiates communicate between the amygdala and the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus connects various body organs through the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
The ANS comprises the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Activation of the sympathetic nervous system by the hypothalamus leads to the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) by adrenal glands. Adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol that keeps the body alert in case an individual continues to experience the effects of a stressor (Randall par. 6)
Environmental explanation of stress
With regard to stress, environment refers to any condition, situation, or event that initiates a stress response in an individual. For example, strong lights, death, loss of a job, divorce, and chronic illness can all create an environment that heightens the stress levels experienced by an individual (Hartland 53). The type of stress experienced depends on the severity of the event or situation. For example, if a loved one suffers from a terminal disease such as cancer, the levels of stress experienced are high and destructive. The environment determines how beneficial or destructive stress is to people based on their ability to deal with the events that occur in their lives.
The four major types of stressors include micro stressors, life events, cataclysmic stressors, and ambient stressors (Hartland 54). Microstressors include short-lived everyday occurrences such as being stuck in a traffic jam, receiving destructive criticism from a superior, or losing something valuable (Hartland 55). Cataclysmic stressors include floods, tornadoes, and war.
Role of individual differences in relation to stress
A researcher known as Hans Selye explained that people react to stress by passing through three stages of coping, namely alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion. In the first stage, the body prepares itself to either fight or flee from the danger (Hartland 67). In the second stage, the body builds resistance to the stressor, and in the third stage, the body wears out in case the stress response lasts for a considerable period.
The researcher stated that the physiology of stress comprises two main components that include responses to stress and a pathological state due to the effects of unrelieved stress (Miller and Shelly 82). In a study involving rats, he discovered that stress has the same effect regardless of whether a person receives good or bad news. He referred to negative stress as distress and positive stress as eustress (Hartland 69). He also described the HPA axis and the various glandular states that occur during responses to stress.
Holmes and Rahe were researchers who developed a questionnaire for identifying stressful events in life. They referred to it as the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS). The two researchers identified 43 major stressful life events and graded them based on the trauma they caused (McLeod par. 2). The main limitation of SRRS is that it does not take individual differences into consideration because it is based on the assumption that stressors affect people in the same way. This limitation motivated Kanner and his colleagues to develop a Hassles Scale to augment the research. They included 117 items in their scale in order to address individual differences (McLeod par. 4).
Kanner and his colleagues conducted a study to find out whether daily hassles were more stressful than major life events. The results of the study revealed that daily hassles are more accurate predictors of occurrences such as anxiety and depression than the SRRS (McLeod par. 7). They found out that people exhibit different stress responses. For example, cognitive stress responses include worry, indecision, and memory problems (Miller and Shelly 87). Physical stress responses include body aches, flatulence, diarrhea, and nausea.
People react to stress in different ways depending on their personalities. In that regard, two famous researchers Friedman and Rosenman grouped people into two main groups: Type A and Type B. A person with Type A personality is highly competitive, longs for recognition, and pursues development and advancement. In addition, he/she is goal-oriented, and as a result, works rapidly in order to finish tasks on time (Sims 48).
People in this personality group are usually physically and mentally active. People with Type A personality are likely to experience high stress levels because of their weak coping mechanisms. People with personality Type B have low levels of personal drive, passion, desire for goal achievement, and motivation. People in this group are less competitive, calm, relaxed, and respond better to stress than people with Type A personality because of their strong coping mechanisms (Sims 49).
Another researcher, Susan Kobasa, conducted a study to evaluate the concept of hardiness in people. He concluded that a hardy personality exhibits certain qualities that include control, commitment, and challenge (Sims 51). Hardy people are committed to find solutions to problems that face them and are persistent in their search for solution. In addition, they view change as a challenge that is to be overcome. Hardy people respond to stress better than non-hardy people because they believe that the environment is under their control (Sims 54).
Workplace scenario
I had an experience with the positive and negative effects of stress at work. An employee was diagnosed with chronic stress after a long period of suffering. As a new employee, he was focused, highly productive, and hard working because of his numerous family and professional responsibilities. The pressure (eustress) they exerted on him motivated him to work hard for long hours. As a result, he was named the employee of the month for two consecutive times.
However, as the pressure of the responsibilities escalated, his condition worsened and the stress led to depression. He began losing focus, his productivity decreased, he became irritable, and always argued with supervisors and colleagues. He received two warnings from the human resource department before a professional diagnosis that confirmed that he was suffering from chronic stress.
Conclusion
Stress is a non-specific response of the body that results from an internal or external demand made upon it. There are three types of stress namely acute, episodic, and chronic stress. In any moment, stress can be either positive (eustress) or negative (distress). People react differently to stress based on their personality. For instance, people who are passionate, competitive, and highly driven are affected more by stress because of their poor coping mechanisms. In contrast, people who are less driven, non-competitive, and relaxed are affected less by stress because of their better coping mechanism. Understanding the physiology of stresses is important in the proper management of stress.
Works Cited
Bickerstaff, Linda. Stress. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2007. Print.
Hartland, Dilys. Understanding Stress. New York: Caxton Editions, 2000. Print.
McLeod, Saul. Stressful of Life Events. 2010. Web.
Miller, Allen, and Susan Shelly. Living with stress. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010. Print.
Randall, Michael. The Physiology of Stress: Cortisol and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis. 2011. Web.
Sims, Ronald. Managing Organizational Behavior. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002. Print.