Stress

Nobody goes through life without encountering stressful events. People get stressed when they are pressured to meet certain demands in life. It could either be from the household, school, personal relationships or work. Stress is the feeling that we get as our body reacts to these demands. The body is subjected to a challenging event and as person needs to focus. Every individual is unique in reacting to certain demands in life and this is the reason why what can be stressful to some may not be stressful to others.

Being subjected to pressure every now and then can be good since it will encourage an individual to beat deadlines and have things done. But in cases when a person is not able to meet expectations, a person gets stressed and it can put him into the risk of serious diseases like heart disease, depression and other problem. If the problem becomes long term or chronic, then it is best to address what triggered it. A good counseling may help a person look for ways to relax and calm down.

In 1974, Richard Lazarus, a well-known psychologist in this field came up with a model dividing stress into eustress and distress. Eustress is described as something that is healthy or gives the feeling of fulfillment. Distress on the other hand is the one that is described as having negative consequences. Both eustress and distress are strenuous to the body.

Certain events that trigger stress are called stressors and they differ from person to person. It can range from speaking in public, to first date, moving places, birth, marriage, divorce, pain, etc. The body responds to stressors by activating the nervous system and some specific hormones. The hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released to the bloodstream as the adrenal glands receive signals from the hypothalamus. The release of these hormones speeds up the metabolism, breathing, increases the blood pressure, metabolism and heart rate.

The blood vessels dilate, allowing for an increase blood flow to the large muscle groups, placing the muscles on alert. The pupils get dilated to improve vision. Stored glucose is released from the liver to increase the energy of the body, and sweat is produced for the body to cool down. These physical changes lets a person respond quickly and efficiently to be able to respond at the pressure.

This process is a natural reaction of the body and is known as the stress response. When it works properly, a person’s response to stress enhances his skill to perform under pressure. Problems would arise when a person overreacts and does not succeed to reset it properly.