Meeting with Challenges

All the challenges, problems and difficult circumstances put us to stress. Thus if handled
properly, stress increases the probability of one’s survival.

Stress is like electricity: It gives energy, increases human arousal and affects
performance.

– High stress can produce unpleasant effects and cause our performance to deteriorate.

– Too little stress may cause one to feel somewhat listless and low on motivation which
may lead us to perform slowly and less efficiently.

Eustress (Positive stress): The level of stress that is good for you and is one of a person’s
best assets for achieving peak performance and managing minor crisis.

– Eg: a challenging work assignment that is perceived to be neither too difficult nor too
easy.

Distress (Negative stress ): The level of stress that is not good for you and causes our
body’s wear and tear. Persistent stress that does not resolve itself despite our best
efforts.

– Eg: the death of a loved one

DEFINITION OF STRESS:

The pattern of responses an organism makes to stimulus event that disturbs the
equilibrium and exceeds a person’s ability to cope.

NATURE OF STRESS

The word stress has its origin in the Latin words ‘strictus’, meaning tight or narrow and
‘stringere’, the verb meaning to tighten.

– The internal feelings of tightness and constriction of the muscles and breathing
reported by many people under stress.

Stressors: Events that cause our body to give the stress response.

– External- environment (noise, pollution, crowd etc.)

– Social- Break-up with a friend, loneliness

– Psychological- Mental conflict, frustration

Strain: The reaction to external stressors

Hans Selye : the father of modern stress research

– Defined stress as “the nonspecific response of the body to any demand”

– Criticism: Responses cannot be as general and non-specific for any stimulus.

– Different stressors may produce somewhat different patterns of stress reaction, and
different individuals may have different characteristic modes of response.

Stress is not a factor that resides in an individual’s mind or environment.

 It is a dynamic mental/cognitive state that arises due to disruption in homeostasis or

an imbalance that gives rise to the requirement of resolution to restore
homeostasis/balance.
 The perception of stress is dependent upon the individual’s cognitive

Lazarus described two types of appraisals– primary and secondary:

 Primary Appraisal: refers to the perception of a new or changing environment
as Positive, Neutral or Negative in its consequences.
 Secondary Appraisal: is when we perceive an event very stressful that it involves
challenge appraisal that involve more confident expectations of ability to cope
up. This is more focused on coping abilities and assessment of resources-mental,
physical, social or personal to meet the challenge of harm, threat or challenge of the
event.
 Negative events are appraised for their possible harm, threat or challenge.
 Harm- is the assessment of damage that has been done by the event.
 Threat– Possible future damage by the event
 Challenge– more confident expectations of the ability to cope up with the stressful
event

Factors determining the experience of stress.The experience and outcome of a

stressor may vary from individual to individual.
I. Subjective factors: Appraisals are subjective, of events and resources
available to cope up with them depends on many factors
 Past experience: If one has handled similar situations very
successfully in the past, they would be less threatening for her/him.
 Controllable: whether one has mastery or control over a situation. A
person who believes that s/he can control the onset of a negative
situation, or its adverse consequences, will experience less amount of
stress than those who have no such sense of personal control.
II. Chracteristics of stress: The stresses which people experience also vary in
terms of
 Intensity (low intensity vs. High intensity),
 Duration (short-term vs. Long term)
 Complexity ( less complex vs. More complex) and
 Predictability (unexpected vs. predictable).
 III. Physiological strength: An individual’s experiences of stress depend on the
physiological strength of that person. Thus, individuals with poor physical
health and weak constitution would be more vulnerable than would be those
who enjoy good health and strong constitution.
IV. Psychological characteristics like mental health, temperament, and self-
concept are relevant to the experience of stress.
V. Cultural context in which we live determines the meaning of any event and
defines the nature of response that is expected under various conditions.
VI. Resources of the person: The stress experience will be determined by the
resources of the person, such as money, social skills, coping style, support
networks, etc.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

Everyone has their own pattern of stress response. Symptoms of stress can be physical,
emotional and behavioural.
TYPES OF STRESS:

 Physical stress & Environmental stress: Physical stresses are demands that change
the state of our body. E.g. feeling strained when we overexert, lack of nutrition/diet,
suffer an injury or fail to get enough sleep. Environmental stresses are aspects of our
surroundings that are often unavoidable. E.g. pollution, crowding, noise, heat of the
summer, winter cold or catastrophic events like floods, fire and earthquakes etc.
 Psychological Stress: These are generated in our minds and are personal and unique
to the person. Caused by frustration, conflicts, internal and social pressures they lead
to worry, anxiety or depression.
i. Frustration: Results from blocking of needs and motives and someone or
something hindering us from achieving goals. E.g. social discrimination,
interpersonal hurt, low grades in school. Etc.
ii. Conflicts: Occur between two or more incompatible needs. E.g. to study
Dance or Psychology, to continue with old or take up a new job, to do
something against the personal values.
iii. Internal Pressures: are the stresses caused by high expectations we set from
ourselves or setting unrealistic goals. E.g. trying to do everything perfectly,
setting high goals.
iv. Social Pressures: Excessive demands from people around us in family,
community. Working with people with interpersonal conflicts and personality
clash.
 Social Stress: These are caused by people in society and surroundings. Social events
like death in the family, conflict with the neighbourhood, strained relationship
between spouses.

SOURCES OF STRESS
A wide range of events and conditions can generate stress.
– Life Events: any event causing major and sudden disruption in our routine and life
can cause stress as we find it difficult to cope with that sudden change. e.g. break up
in a long-term relationship, business exigency.
– Hassles: These are the personal stresses we endure as individuals, due to the
happenings in our daily life, such as noisy surroundings, commuting, quarrelsome
neighbours, electricity and water shortage, traffic snarls, and so on. These daily
hassles may sometimes have devastating consequences for the individual who is often
the one coping alone with them as others may not even be aware of them as outsiders.
The more stress people report as a result of daily hassles, the poorer is their
psychological well-being.
– Traumatic Events: Extreme events like fire, train accident, plain hijack, robbery etc.
The effects of these events may occur after some lapse of time and sometimes persist
as symptoms of anxiety, flashbacks, dreams and intrusive thoughts, etc.

EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING AND HEALTH

 Emotional Effects: Those who suffer from stress are far more likely to experience
mood swings, and show erratic behaviour that may alienate them from family and
friends in some cases this can start a vicious circle of decreasing confidence, leading
to more serious emotional problems. Some examples are feelings of anxiety and
depression, increased physical tension, increased psychological tension and mood
swings
 Physiological Effects: Under psychological stress human body produces certain
hormones in excess- Adrenalin and cortisol. They produce marked changes in heart
rate, metabolism, blood pressure and physical activity. Some increase although helps
in effective functioning of body to combat stress, but excessive release of hormones
can impact the slowing down of digestive system, expansion of air passages in lungs,
increased heart rate and constriction of blood vessels.
 Cognitive Effects: If pressures due to stress continue, one may suffer from mental
overload. This can impact individuals’ ability to make sound decisions and lead
to poor concentration, reduced short term memory capacity.
 Behavioral Effects: Stress also affects our behaviour. A stressed individual tends to
eat less nutritional food, increasing intake of stimulants like- cigarettes, caffeine,
alcohol and other addictive substances leading to loss of concentration, poor
coordination, and dizziness. Some typical behavioural effects of stress seen are
disrupted sleep patterns, increased absenteeism, and reduced work performance.

STRESS AND HEALTH

Chronic daily Stress can affect physical and mental health of an individual.

o Physical exhaustion can cause chronic fatigue, weakness and low energy.
 o The mental exhaustion appears in the form of irritability, anxiety, feelings of
helplessness and hopelessness.
o Burnout: And state of physical, emotional and psychological exhaustion is known
as burnout.
o Stress can also impact our immune system and increase the chances of becoming ill,
development of cardiovascular disorders, high blood pressure and sometimes
psychosomatic disorders like ulcers, asthma, allergies and headaches.
Researchers estimate that stress plays an important role in 50% to 70% of our physical
illnesses. 60% of medical visits are on account of Stress related symptoms.

SELYE’ S THEORY OF GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME(GAS)

Selye noticed a similar pattern of bodily response in all of them. He called this pattern the
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS). According to him, GAS involves three stages: alarm
reaction, resistance, and exhaustion.

Alarm Reaction:

Presence of noxious stimulus or stressor leads to activation of adrenaline-pituitary- cortex

system. This triggers the releasing of hormones to respond to stress making individual to
Fight or Flight.

Noxious stimulus or stressor> activation of adrenaline-pituitary- cortex system> Fight or

Flight mode

Resistance Stage:

If stress is prolonged this stage begins. The parasympathetic system calls for more cautious
use of body’s resources. The organism makes efforts to cope with the threat, through
confrontation.

Prolonged Stress> Parasympathetic system uses body resources cautiously > Organism
confronts the threat and attempts to cope up.

Exhaustion Stage:

Continuous exposure to same stressor> drains body resources> Alarm reaction & Resistance
do not work> lead to stress related diseases like blood pressure etc.

Selye’s model has been criticised for assigning a very limited role. They believe studying
perceptions, personalities and biological factors also constitute to the response against stress.

STRESS AND IMMUNE SYSTEM

The Immune system guards the body against attackers both from within and outside.

Psychoneuroimmunology focuses on the links between the mind, the brain and the immune
system. It focuses on the study of how our immune system works. The white blood cells (
leucocytes) within the immune system identify and destroy foreign bodies ( antigens) such as
viruses by producing antibodies.

T- cells destroy invaders and enhance immunological activity. ( It is these T cells when
attacked by HIV virus , it causes AIDS.

B-cells produce anti-bodies.

Natural Killer cells are involved in fight against viruses and tumours.

Stress can effect Natural killer cells- cytotoxicity which are defence against infections and
cancer. Stressed persons have been found to have reduced levels of these cells. (students
appearing for important examination, bereaved and severely depressed people.)

LIFESTYLE:

Lifestyle is the overall pattern of decisions and behaviours that determine a person’s health
and quality of life. Stressed individuals are more likely to be exposed to pathogens – the
agents causing physical illness.

Stressed people have poor nutritional habits, unhealthy sleep pattern and health risking
behaviours like smoking and excessive drinking. These habits adversely impact physical and
mental health.

Alternately, studies reveal health promoting behaviours are like balance diet, regular exercise,
family support. Adhering to this lifestyle enhances health and longevity.

COPING WITH STRESS:

Over the years, research shows that it is not the Stress that we experience that influences our
health and wellbeing, it is how we Cope with the Stress that impacts us.

Definition of Coping : is a dynamic situation specific reaction to stress. It is a set of concrete

responses to stressful situation or events that are intended to resolve the problem and reduce
stress.
Endler and Parker suggests 3 step coping strategies:

i. Task- oriented Strategy: this involves obtaining sufficient info about the stress full
situation and alternative courses of action and there probable outcome. It involves
taking action based on the above information and deal with the stressful situation. For
eg-Your stress for being late to work..You analyse reasons of getting late, course of
action-Time management, timely service of vehicle to ensure you eliminate the
reasons of delay.
ii. Emotional oriented strategy- This involves addressing emotion and by maintain
hope. E.g. giving vent to your anger by hitting punching bag, watching entertainment
program to reduce your stress. To give hope to someone ailing by telling positive
outcomes.
iii. Avoidance- oriented strategy- This involves denying or minimizing the seriousness
of the situation. It also involves conscious suppression of stressful thoughts and their
replacement by protective thoughts. e.g. watching TV, phone up a friend.

Lazarus and Folkman coping strategy:

As per them coping is a dynamic process rather than an individual trait. It refers to constantly
changing cognitive and behavioural efforts to Master, tolerate or reduce the
internal/external demands created by stressful transactions.

According to them coping responses can be divided into two types: problem focused &
emotion focused.

i. Problem focused: this strategy attacks the problem itself, by gaining more
information about the problem, causes, and possibilities of altering the event. Explore
the behavioural and cognitive coping options and confronting the stress giving
problem.
ii. Emotional focused: this focuses on dealing with the emotions and not the problem
(by controlling or giving vent) by psychological changes to limit the degree of
emotional disruption caused by the event.e.g. Sharing your emotions caused by stress
by talking to someone, distracting your mind with something that gives positive
emotions.

STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES:

 Relaxation Technique: Deep breathing is used along with muscle relaxation to calm
the mind and relax the body.
  Meditation procedures: A yogic method of meditation consists of a sequence of
techniques to bring about an altered state of consciousness. It involves thorough
concentration that meditator becomes unaware of any outside stimulation and reaches
in a different state of consciousness.
 Biofeedback: is a procedure to monitor and reduce the physiological aspects of stress
by providing feedback about current physiological activity and is often accompanied
by relaxation training. Biofeedback training involves three stages :
Developing awareness of a particular physiological response ( e.g. situations when
my heart rate goes up)
Learning ways of controlling that in quiet conditions.
Transferring this control into actual situations by practice.
 Creative Visualization: It is an effective technique for dealing with stress. This
involves creative visualization of any new situation that is susceptible to cause stress.
This makes it easier to plan and address the stressors and convert imagination into
reality.
 Cognitive Behavioural technique: involves inoculate people against stress. 3 steps:
i. Assessment: discussing the nature of problem and seeing it from a view point
of external/third person.
ii. Stress reduction: involves learning the technique by approaching the solution
and using relaxing technique
iii. Application and follow through: by applying the solution by setting self-
instructions.
 Exercise: Regular exercise improves efficiency of heart, enhances the function of
lungs and maintains good circulation and metabolism. Swimming, walking, running,
cycling, skipping etc help make systems stronger to combat physical impact of stress.

PROMOTING POSITIVE HEALTH AND WELLBEING

To stay healthy, we need to have Stress resistant Personality – It consists of 3 Cs: I.e.
Commitment, Control and Challenge. But not everyone has this personality.

Regular people need to acquire Life Skills in order to manage stress in day to day life:

Life Skills are the abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal
effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. These life skills are–

i. Assertiveness: this skill helps to communicate clearly confidently our feelings, needs,
wants and thoughts. Ability to say ‘No’ to a request, to state an opinion without being
self conscious, to express emotions of love, anger openly. Assertive people have high
Self esteem and solid sense of identity.
ii. Time Management: Learning how to plan time and delegate can help relieve the
pressure. The major way to reduce time stress is to change one’s perception of time.
The central principle of time management is to spend your time doing the things that
 you value, or that help you to achieve your goals. It depends on being realistic about
what you know and that you must do it within a certain time period, knowing what
you want to do, and organising your life to achieve a balance between the two.
iii. Rational Thinking: Many stress related problems are caused by distorted thinking.
The way you think and the way you feel are connected. Some of the principles of
rational thinking are: challenging your distorted thinking and irrational beliefs,
driving out potentially intrusive negative anxiety-provoking thoughts, and making
positive statements.
iv. Improving Relationships: The key to a sound lasting relationship is communication.
This consists of three essential skills: listening to what the other person is saying,
expressing how you feel and what you think, and accepting the other person’s
opinions and feelings, even if they are different from your own. It also requires us to
avoid misplaced jealousy and sulking behaviour.
v. Self –care: If we keep ourselves healthy, fit and relaxed we are better prepared to
tackle physically and mentally stressing situations. Relaxed slow breathing is the
representation of people who can manage the stress of noise, pollution, space, light,
colour the daily challenges.
vi. Overcoming Unhelpful Habits: Unhelpful habits such as perfectionism, avoidance,
procrastination, etc. are strategies that help to cope in the short-term but which make
one more vulnerable to stress. Perfectionists are persons who have to get everything
just right. They have difficulty in varying standards according to factors such as time
available, consequences of not being able to stop work, and the effort needed. They
are more likely to feel tense and find it difficult to relax, are critical of self and others,
and may become inclined to avoid challenges. Avoidance is to put the issue under the
carpet and refuse to accept or face it. Procrastination means putting off what we know
we need to do.

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being, and not merely
the absence of disease or infirmity. Positive health comprises the following constructs: “a
healthy body; high quality of personal relationships; a sense of purpose in life; self-regard,
mastery of life’s tasks; and resilience to stress, trauma, and change”. Factors that act as stress
buffers and facilitate positive health are diet, exercise, positive attitude, positive thinking, and
social support.

 Diet: A balanced diet can lift one’s mood give more energy, feed muscles, improve
circulation, prevent illness and strengthen the immune system and make feel better to
cope the stress.
 Exercise: There’s a consistent positive relationship between physical fitness and
health. Regular exercise plays an important role in managing weight and stress, and is
shown to have a positive effect on reducing. tension, anxiety and depression. Physical
 exercises that are essential for good health are stretching exercises such as yogic
asanas and aerobic exercises such as jogging, swimming, cycling, etc. Whereas
stretching exercises have a calming effect, aerobic exercises increase the arousal level
of the body.
 Positive Attitude: Some of the factors leading to a positive attitude are: having a
fairly accurate perception of reality; a sense of purpose in life and responsibility;
acceptance and tolerance for different viewpoints of others; and taking credit for
success and accepting blame for failure. Finally, being open to new ideas and having a
sense of humour with the ability to laugh at oneself help us to remain centred, and see
things in a proper perspective.
 Positive Thinking: Optimism, which is the inclination to expect favourable life
outcomes, has been linked to psychological and physical wellbeing. Optimists use
more problem focused coping strategies, and seek advice and help from others.
Pessimists ignore the problem or source of stress, and use strategies such as giving up
the goal with which stress is interfering or denying that stress exists.
 Social Support: Social support is defined as the existence and availability of people
on whom we can rely upon, people who let us know that they care about, value, and
love us. Perceived support, i.e. the quality of social support is positively related to
health and wellbeing. Social network, i.e. the quantity of social support is unrelated to
well-being, because it is very time consuming and demanding to maintain. Social
support can help to provide protection against stress. People with high levels of social
support from family and friends may experience less stress when they confront a
stressful experience, and they may cope with it more successfully.