What are the psychological consequences of stress? Psychological stress: how not to take everything to heart. Physical manifestations of stress

The famous foreign psychologist Hans Selye, the founder of the Western doctrine of stress and nervous disorders, identified the following stages of stress as a process:

• 1. immediate reaction to the impact (alarm stage);
• 2. the most effective adaptation (resistance stage);
• 3. violation of the adaptation process (exhaustion stage).

In a broad sense, these stages are characteristic of any adaptation process. One of the stress factors is emotional tension, which is physiologically expressed in changes in the human endocrine system. For example, in experimental studies in patient clinics, it was found that people who are constantly under nervous tension have a more difficult time suffering from viral infections. In such cases, the help of a qualified psychologist is necessary.

Main features of mental stress:

• · stress is a state of the body, its occurrence involves interaction between the body and the environment;
• · stress is a more intense state than the usual motivational one; it requires the perception of threat to occur;
• · Stress phenomena occur when the normal adaptive response is insufficient.

Since stress arose mainly from the perception of a threat, its occurrence in a certain situation can arise for subjective reasons related to the characteristics of a given individual. In general, since individuals are not alike, a lot depends on the personality factor. For example, in the “person-environment” system, the level of emotional tension increases as the differences between the conditions in which the subject’s mechanisms are formed and the newly created ones increase. Thus, certain conditions cause emotional stress not because of their absolute rigidity, but as a result of the inconsistency of the individual’s emotional mechanism with these conditions. With any imbalance in the “person-environment” balance, the insufficiency of the individual’s mental or physical resources to meet current needs or the mismatch of the system of needs itself is a source of anxiety. An alarm referred to as:

• - a feeling of vague threat;
• - a feeling of diffuse apprehension and anxious anticipation;
• - vague anxiety, is the most powerful mechanism of mental stress.

This follows from the already mentioned feeling of threat, which is the central element of anxiety and determines its biological significance as a signal of trouble and danger. Anxiety can play a protective and motivational role comparable to the role of pain. An increase in behavioral activity, a change in the nature of behavior, or the activation of intrapsychic adaptation mechanisms are associated with the occurrence of anxiety. But anxiety can not only stimulate activity, but also contribute to the destruction of insufficiently adaptive behavioral stereotypes and their replacement with more adequate forms of behavior. Unlike pain, anxiety is a signal of danger that has not yet been realized. Prediction of this situation is probabilistic in nature, and ultimately depends on the characteristics of the individual. In this case, the personal factor often plays a decisive role, and in this case the intensity of anxiety reflects the individual characteristics of the subject rather than the real significance of the threat.

Anxiety, which is inadequate in intensity and duration to the situation, interferes with the formation of adaptive behavior, leads to a violation of behavioral integration and general disorganization of the human psyche. Thus, anxiety underlies any changes in mental state and behavior caused by mental stress.

Professor Berezin identified an alarming series that represents an essential element of the process of mental adaptation:

• 1. a feeling of internal tension - does not have a pronounced shade of threat, serves only as a signal of its approach, creating painful mental discomfort;
• 2. hyperesthetic reactions - anxiety increases, previously neutral stimuli acquire a negative connotation, irritability increases;
• 3. anxiety itself is the central element of the series under consideration. Manifests itself as a feeling of vague threat. A characteristic feature: the inability to determine the nature of the threat and predict the time of its occurrence. Often there is inadequate logical processing, as a result of which, due to a lack of facts, an incorrect conclusion is issued;
• 4. fear - anxiety specific to a specific object. Although the objects with which anxiety is associated may not be its cause, the subject has the idea that anxiety can be eliminated by certain actions;
• 5. a feeling of the inevitability of an impending catastrophe - an increase in the intensity of anxiety disorders leads the subject to the idea of ​​​​the impossibility of preventing an upcoming event;
• 6. anxious-fearful arousal - disorganization caused by anxiety reaches its maximum, and the possibility of purposeful activity disappears. With a paroxysmal increase in anxiety, all of these phenomena can be observed during one paroxysm, but in other cases their change occurs gradually.

By the way, the already mentioned Selye put forward a very interesting hypothesis that aging is the result of all the stress to which the body has been subjected during its life. It corresponds to the "exhaustion phase" of the general adaptation syndrome, which in some ways is an accelerated version of normal aging. Any stress, especially caused by fruitless efforts, leaves behind irreversible chemical changes; their accumulation causes signs of aging in tissues. Particularly severe consequences are caused by damage to brain and nerve cells. But successful work, no matter what it is, leaves fewer consequences of aging, therefore, says Selye, you can live long and happily if you choose a job that suits you and cope with it successfully. Increased anxiety leads to an increase in the intensity of the action of two interrelated adaptation mechanisms, which are listed below:

• 1) allopsychic mechanism - acts when a modification of behavioral activity occurs. Method of action: changing the situation or leaving it.
• 2) intrapsychic mechanism - ensures the reduction of anxiety due to the reorientation of the personality.

There are several types of defenses that are used by the intrapsychic mechanism of mental adaptation:

• 1) an obstacle to awareness of factors causing anxiety;
• 2) fixation of anxiety on certain stimuli;
• 3) reduction in the level of motivation, i.e. devaluation of initial needs;
• 4) conceptualization.

Anxiety, despite the abundance of different semantic formulations, is a single phenomenon and serves as an obligatory mechanism of emotional stress. Occurring with any imbalance in the “man-environment” system, it activates adaptation mechanisms, and at the same time, with significant intensity, underlies the development of adaptation disorders. An increase in the level of anxiety causes the activation or strengthening of the mechanisms of intrapsychic adaptation. These mechanisms can contribute to effective mental adaptation, providing a reduction in anxiety, and in case of their inadequacy, they are reflected in the type of adaptation disorders, which correspond to the nature of the borderline psychopathological phenomena that are formed in this case. The organization of emotional stress involves difficulty in implementing motivation, blocking motivated behavior, i.e. frustration. The totality of frustration, anxiety, as well as their relationship with allopsychic and intrapsychic adaptations constitutes the main body of stress. The effectiveness of mental adaptation directly depends on the organization of micro-social interaction. At conflict situations in the family or work sphere, difficulties in building informal communication, violations of mechanical adaptation were noted much more often than with effective social interaction. Also directly related to adaptation is the analysis of factors in a certain environment or environment, Assessment personal qualities others as an attractive factor in the overwhelming majority of cases was combined with effective mental adaptation, and the assessment of the same qualities as a repulsive factor was associated with its violations. But it is not only the analysis of environmental factors that determines the level of adaptation and emotional tension. It is also necessary to take into account individual qualities, the state of the immediate environment and the characteristics of the group in which microsocial interaction takes place. Effective mental adaptation is one of the prerequisites for successful professional activity. In professional management activities, stressful situations can be created by the dynamism of events, the need for quick decision-making, mismatch between individual characteristics, rhythm and nature of activity. Factors contributing to emotional stress in these situations may include insufficient information, inconsistency, excessive variety or monotony, assessment of work as exceeding the individual's capabilities in volume or degree of complexity, conflicting or uncertain demands, critical circumstances or risk in decision making.

Important factors that improve mental adaptation in professional groups are social cohesion, the ability to build interpersonal relationships, and the possibility of open communication.

Every emotion, positive or negative, can lead to this type of stress, as the body’s reaction to an irritant.

In turn, psychological stress can be informational and emotional.

Features of psychological stress...

Anything can provoke psychological stress - psychological trauma or an offensive word, a quarrel or a low temperature.

What is typical is that a person will react the same way, both to a real threat to him and to a fictitious one, at the same time, the peculiarity of behavioral reactions to stress is individual for each person, but the essence will be fundamentally the same. And this is psychological stress.

It can occur both within the walls of your home and outside it - at work or in a store, school or other place. In any of the cases and situations, it can provoke very severe and serious problems with health.

... and differences from physical

Physical and psychological stress differ in themselves and not only in the reasons for their occurrence and development, but also in their consequences. So, the reasons that provoke physical stress can be physical, chemical or biological factors, but psychological factors are more likely social influence, as well as one’s own thoughts.

Regarding the nature of the potential danger, a physical threat is provoked by a real threat, but a psychological one - such a threat can be both real and virtual.

With physical stress - a negative effect, its consequences are aimed at the health of the whole organism, organs and systems, and with psychological stress - on social status, level of self-esteem and other social parameters.

In relation to emotional experience, physical stress will manifest itself in the form of primary emotions, such as fear and pain, fright or anger, but emotional stress will manifest itself in the form of anxiety and depressive depression, anxiety and melancholy, jealousy or envy.

Regarding the issue of time frames, physical stress will manifest itself only in the present time or in the near future, having a specific frame, but psychological stress will have a vague time frame.

Modern theories

When it comes to existing theories about psychological stress, it is enough to highlight the following most popular ones:

1. Theory of G. Selye. A scientist from Canada explained the nature of stress as a defense mechanism of the body to biological stimuli - based on his experiments, he proved that any difficult and unusual situation will force a person to adapt. Each stimulus will provoke different behavior in each person individually - he called this adaptation syndrome.
2. Pavlov's theory. According to his theory, under the influence of emotional experience, overstrain, a person will fall into one of the following states: apathy, a certain lethargy, in which any activity decreases or hyperactivity develops, expressed in excessive anxiety and extreme activity. Each of them is harmful to the body in its own way.
3. Lazarus theory. R. Lazarus in his theory put forward the idea that both physical and psychological stress factors lead to psychological stress. Among the physical factors, he named weather and pain, injury and illness, and inconvenience on the physical level. He includes minor everyday problems and stress, conflicts and scandals, monotonous life and divorce, inflated expectations and the discrepancy between them and the surrounding reality.

Features and stages of behavioral reaction

The process of psychological stress itself can be divided into the following stages:

1. Emotional anxiety. It is at this stage that the very first signs appear, a response to external stimuli. Its duration can vary - everything is individual and the time can vary from several minutes to several days. Even weeks.
2. Stage of resistance and adaptation. In this case, the person adapts as much as possible and strengthens the internal and external resistance of the body to external and internal stimuli. If the irritation lasts long enough, there is a gradual adaptation to it, as to a familiar habitat. It is at this stage that the patient can effectively analyze the situation and choose the most optimal scenario for himself and a way to overcome stress.
3. Exhaustion stage. If the patient exhausts his strength, with prolonged exposure to stress factors, the patient will feel fatigue and fatigue, chronic devastation. These unpleasant sensations are accompanied by a feeling of anxiety and hopelessness - at this stage, the ability to adapt and accommodate is completely lost, the person simply loses the ability to take certain actions.

Stress Clinic

Stress can manifest itself in different ways - the symptoms here are extremely individual. Moreover, the symptoms will vary depending on the stage at which psychological stress develops. However, practicing psychologists identify the following psychological symptoms of stress:

• anxiety that develops for no reason, as well as a feeling of internal anxiety and tension;
• attacks of temper and irritability, aggression and inadequate response to any irritant;
• inability to control and manage one’s own actions, emotions and words;
• attention and concentration decrease significantly, work capacity decreases, memory deteriorates;
• the patient is sad, experiencing a depressed and depressed state;
• does not receive a positive charge even from positive news and events, he is haunted by constant dissatisfaction with himself and his environment;
• the subject is characterized by capriciousness, the world around him becomes illusory, there is a detachment from his inner Self;
• taste preferences change, as well as diet - the patient refuses to eat or, on the contrary, eats constantly;
• the sleep pattern is disrupted, as well as the person’s behavior itself, his contact with society decreases;

The root of the problem - you need to know it and be able to look for it

When it comes to the reasons that provoke the development of emotional stress, practicing psychologists primarily name the contradiction that exists between internal ideas and the real world.

Among other things, a stressful state can be provoked by other factors and events that exist outside and in the human consciousness. The main thing is that this event is significant for a person and it is no longer so important whether it is positive or negative.

Psychologists identify the following events that are significant for a person:

• death of a loved one or loved one, divorce or separation from your significant other;
• imprisonment and serious health damage;
• dismissal from work or a change in a person’s social status;
• the presence of debt obligations, and for large amounts, and a deterioration in the financial situation of the person;
• illness of relatives and friends, problems arising with law enforcement agencies and pregnancy;
• problems in the sexual sphere or a change of place of residence or work;
• changes in one’s own habits, diet and working conditions, deterioration of family relationships.

There can be a lot of reasons and factors - as many people as there are, so many varieties of them, and they have the bad property of accumulating, suppressing more and more.

Formation mechanism

In the field of psychology, there are 2 groups of mechanisms that trigger stress: physiological and psychological. So, when considering the physiological group of triggering the stress mechanism, in this case the following will be involved:

• subcortical system - it activates the human cerebral cortex;
• sympathetic nervous system - it prepares the body for the unexpected influence of stressful, provoking factors, stimulates a decrease in glucose production and cardiac activity;
• subcortical motor centers are involved, controlling instinct, movements and facial expressions, pantomime;
• the internal secretion organs begin to work and the mechanism of reverse afferentation itself starts.

If we're talking about about subconscious attitudes - these will protect the psyche of every person from the influence of unfavorable factors, and practicing psychologists include these:

1. Suppression is the mechanism that underlies most other methods and represents the gradual displacement of emotions, memories and memories into the subconscious and the patient gradually begins to forget about the most unpleasant situation for him.
2. Projecting - in this case, a person who is dissatisfied with his own actions and thoughts will project them onto his environment, attributing a similar action to this or that person. A process of self-justification begins.
3. Regression - in this situation, the patient simply leaves his own reality when he crosses the threshold of helplessness, becoming completely indifferent, does not make a decision and does not take the first step.
4. Rationalization is one of the ways to justify oneself and consists of searching for the only culprit who provoked the entire negative, unfavorable situation.
5. Sublimation is the most favorable of all reactions that can develop to stress; it is effective both at the subconscious level and in reality. In this scenario, a person transforms unacceptable behavior, for example, fear or aggression, within the framework of what is acceptable, expressing it in boxing, sports games or other action.

Recovery methods

If you find yourself in an unpleasant situation, when psychological stress affects and constrains you, you should know what to do, how to defuse the situation and restore your own strength. In this case, the following methods and techniques can come to the rescue:

1. Psychotherapy, although not a popular service, is quite effective. In this case, we are talking not just about conversations with a psychiatrist, but about the fact that an experienced specialist is able to consider and identify the root cause and characteristics of psychological stress in his patient, assess the situation and direct the person in the right direction, controlling everything and everyone.
2. Meditation is an important and useful skill to distance yourself from negative situations and irritating factors, especially for residents of large cities. Try to get out into nature more often or just be in a calm environment that is familiar to inner balance and peace.
3. Yoga, which would combine physical education and meditation - by performing this or that asana, the patient will be focused on it, its implementation, his own body and sensations, moving away from negative thoughts. At the same time, stretching and tensing the muscles will help overcome a stressful situation at the physical level.
4. Breathing exercises are indicated for all emotional people who, due to their own nature, react emotionally to any irritant or stressful situation, only aggravating the situation for the worse. Just calmly and deeply inhale and exhale 5-10 times - it will take a few minutes a day, and the formed habit, which over time operates at the subconscious level, will protect you from many stressful situations.

Other methods of recovery include relaxation, as well as distraction, a change of environment and physical activity, which, in combination with favorite music and communication, will help remove the patient from an unfavorable psychological situation.

We invite you to listen to music to relieve stress and nervousness right now:

Don't let yourself get stressed

There is nothing complicated in the issue of preventing the occurrence of stressful situations, and anyone can learn the basics of preventing and protecting themselves from negative situations and, accordingly, emotional and psychological stress. Practicing psychologists note many techniques that can help the patient and his body on a physical and psychological level.

First of all, take more frequent walks in the park, near a lake or river, just to fresh air. This is an excellent, and most importantly effective, stress prevention.

No less effective is keeping a diary or drawing up your own list of to-dos and thoughts - this method helps you learn to structure your own thoughts, finding the optimal solution in a given situation.

If you are overtired, your psyche is emotional level exhausted - a trip, a hike, or simple communication with a pleasant person or animal in a calm and conducive environment will help you recover.

Special relaxation techniques will also help enhance the positive effect - breathing exercises or taking a relaxing bath, your favorite hobby. And, of course, physical activity.

What is psychological stress

Psychological stress is a certain protective reaction of the body to various provoking factors. Stress occurs with a strong emotional outburst, under the influence of one’s own thoughts about certain events, fear, psychological shock, etc. This condition is accompanied by certain physiological processes, which lead to the development of various pathologies in the body. This is a dangerous condition that can take a chronic form and can have an extremely negative impact on a person’s health.

Causes of stress

Stress can arise as a result of already accomplished events that affect a person, or as a result of probable events that a person constantly thinks about or is afraid of the occurrence of these events.

Psychological stress can be caused by the following factors:

• mental trauma;
• impossibility of acceptance important decision due to lack of information or fear of consequences;
• worries about a loved one;
• separation from a loved one;
• inability to achieve what you want, envy;
• suffering psychological attack or violence, etc.

A person constantly mentally returns to the experience of a stressful event or to thoughts about the possible occurrence of certain events, which causes the re-development of stress. The result is a state of constant, chronic stress, which is fraught with serious consequences. If a person is unable to get rid of psychological stress on his own, then the help of a specialist is necessary.

Classification

There are different types of stress, psychological stress is just one of the most common types. Psychological stress can be divided into:

• informational - manifests itself when a person lacks information, when he makes some serious decision; also, this type of stress can develop if an excessive amount of information is received, and the person is unable to digest it;
• emotional stress is the most common; This type of stress develops when emotional experiences of various kinds occur, with prolonged nervous overstrain, difficulties at work, and also with mental pressure.

When eliminating a stressful condition, it is necessary to take into account the cause of the pathology.

Manifestations of stress

A person can independently diagnose stress based on the presence of certain signs. The person becomes nervous, irritable, even somewhat aggressive. There is rapid fatigue and increased excitability.

A person’s ability to concentrate and make decisions sharply decreases, and memory impairment is observed. There is a feeling of loneliness, anxiety, pessimism, depression, which can even be accompanied by suicidal thoughts.

Physiological manifestations of stress are sleep disturbances, loss of appetite or, conversely, overeating, pain of various types, muscle tension, disruption of the digestive tract, skin rashes on the body, etc. The clinical picture is quite diverse. You can look for ways out of stress on your own, but if positive results are not achieved, then an integrated approach with the participation of specialists is necessary.

Treatment of stress

Finding out the reasons that caused the stressful state will help prevent further negative effects of stress on the body. Mastering various relaxation techniques will allow a person to reduce the impact of stressful events and prevent the development of a chronic form of pathology.

Every person also needs to know how to recover from stress. Effective methods of recovery and relaxation include:

• massage (especially the collar area, which is most affected);
• aromatherapy - various massage oils can have a relaxing, antidepressant effect or stimulate and tone a person;
• breathing exercises and yoga have a relaxing and calming effect on the body;
• listening to music for relaxation;
• engaging in physical activity (such as swimming or running);
• correct balanced diet including all necessary substances;
• compliance with the work and rest schedule, proper sleep.

These are standard relaxation techniques. But psychotherapy and medication may also be used. This is necessary for advanced forms of pathology.

Psychological stress

Psychological stress is a consequence of severe nervous tension that was caused by some experience. Any emotions, both positive and negative, lead to such a reaction of the body, since they are accompanied by special physiological processes, for example, the release of substances into the blood that affect the functioning of internal organs.

Features of psychological stress

Psychological stress differs from biological stress in a number of features, among which are the following:

• It is triggered by both actual and probable events, the occurrence of which the subject fears. Man, unlike animals, is able to react not only to the current danger, but also to its threat, or a reminder of it;
• Of great importance is the assessment of the degree of participation of the subject in influencing the problem in order to neutralize it. With an active life position or the realization that a stressor can be influenced, the predominantly sympathetic department is excited, and the subject’s passivity in the current situation leads to the predominance of parasympathetic reactions.

Another feature of psychological stress lies in the methodology for measuring it, which is aimed at assessing not indirect indicators (stressors, manifestations of depression and anxiety, frustration), but directly describing the state of a person experiencing the current situation. This is a special psychological stress scale PSM-25, which allows you to measure feelings of stress according to emotional, behavioral and somatic signs.

Since stress is an adaptive reaction, many body systems take part in it. There are two groups of stress mechanisms: physiological (humoral and nervous) and psychological.

Subconscious attitudes that arise in response to a stressor are classified as psychological mechanisms of stress. They protect the human psyche from destructive influences negative factors. These include:

• Suppression. This is the main mechanism that underlies many others and is the repression of feelings and memories into the subconscious, as a result of which a person gradually forgets about an unpleasant situation. However, this mechanism is not always useful; for example, it often leads to forgetting previously made promises;
• Projection. When a person is dissatisfied with his own actions or thoughts, he projects them onto the people around him, attributing similar actions to them. Otherwise, it is a mechanism of self-justification;
• Regression. This is an attempt by the subject to escape from reality, when he becomes helpless, indifferent, and cannot draw logical conclusions and make any decisions. It is possible that the fetal position characteristic of a person at the moment of strong experience is explained precisely by this psychological mechanism of stress;
• Rationalization. This is another way of self-justification, which consists of searching for the culprit of the situation. Rationalization leads to a person's inability to analyze mistakes and blaming neighbors, spouse, boss or teacher for their troubles;
• Sublimation. This is the most favorable reaction to stress, effective both on a subconscious level and in real life. Sublimation consists of transforming unacceptable behavior (for example, aggression) into the framework of socially acceptable behavior (boxing, professional competitions, sports games).

As you can see, the psychological mechanisms of stress are not always harmless and sometimes do not allow us to correctly assess the situation. Moreover, they sometimes harm relationships with others, thereby exacerbating the stressful impact of the problem on the body.

Psychological effects of stress

Experiences and negative emotions caused by psychological stress are very dangerous, as they lead to the formation of foci of stagnant excitation in the brain, and this, in turn, contributes to the development of psychosomatic, neuropsychic and other diseases.

The psychological consequences of stress include:

• Anxiety and restlessness;
• Memory impairment;
• Decreased attention;
• Excessive emotionality for minor reasons;
• Periods of depression;
• Attacks of anger;
• Hot temper and irritability;
• Constant feeling of dissatisfaction;
• Moodiness;
• Depression and depression;
• Subjective feeling of overload;
• Loss of interest and apathy.

As a result, a person often tries to artificially compensate for the feeling of internal dissatisfaction: he begins to use drugs and alcohol, overeats, smokes more often, changes his sexual behavior, commits rash and impulsive actions, gets involved in gambling, etc.

If a person experiences the listed psychological consequences of stress (at least half of them), it is necessary to carefully analyze his condition and current situation, and if the diagnosis is confirmed, immediately begin treatment using existing methods.

Relieve psychological stress

When assessing the psychological stress scale, the integral (final) indicator of mental tension, or PPN, is important. If it is 100 – 154 points, then they speak of an average level of stress, but when the PSI is more than 155 points, this is high level. It indicates mental discomfort and a state of maladjustment. In this case, relieving psychological stress and emotional tension is of great importance.

To activate and then release emotions, deeper breathing is necessary: ​​inhalation should be accompanied by a slow exhalation. In this case, you should pay attention to the sensations that arise in the body.

Helps you calm down quickly next exercise: take a slow breath through your nose, then hold your breath for 1-2 seconds and slowly exhale through your mouth. The face and body should be relaxed. You can shake your arms and legs to release excess tension.

Friends and relatives provide invaluable help in relieving psychological stress and preventing it, allowing a person to speak out and throw out accumulated emotions. An equally effective and efficient means of combating nervous tension is keeping a personal diary.

Any physical activity relieves stress very well: sports, household chores, walking or morning jogging. Physical exercise and housekeeping distract from a negative situation, directing thoughts in a more pleasant direction.

Another way to get rid of psychological stress is creativity, as well as music, singing or dancing. Creativity allows you to escape, music affects your emotional state, dancing helps relieve excess stress, and singing is a means of self-expression and a natural regulator of breathing.

When you find yourself in stressful situations, you need to come out of them as a winner, having overcome another obstacle on the difficult path of self-development.

Stress - causes, factors, symptoms and stress relief

Good day, dear readers!

In this article we will look at such important issues on the topic of stress as: the concept of stress, causes, symptoms and development of stress, stressful situations, as well as how to relieve stress and prevent its manifestation. So…

Stress concept

Stress is a nonspecific (abnormal) state or reaction of the body to various unfavorable factors (stressors) affecting it. Among the most popular stressors are fears, conflicts, and lack of funds.

Symptoms of stress include irritability, anger, insomnia, passivity, lethargy, dissatisfaction with the outside world and other signs.

An interesting fact is that small stressful situations are necessary for a person, because... they are playing important role in further favorable changes in the life of the person himself. This is due to the release of adrenaline into a person’s blood during a stressful situation, as well as other biochemical reactions that help a person solve a particular problem, which may last for more than one year in a person’s life.

One example that clearly reflects this picture: In the 90s, one person went broke in business, and in such a way that he was also left in large debts, about 1 million dollars. This stressful situation forced the person to mobilize all his mental and other abilities to solve this issue. After some time, he decided to make several types of salads and offer them for sale in one of the capital’s stores. His salads quickly sold out, and literally a year later he was supplying salads to many metropolitan supermarkets, which allowed him to repay his debt.

Another example, which is often called the “instinct of self-preservation”, is when a person is in mortal danger, he can solve this issue in a way that is simply impossible in a normal state.

Of course, the situations are different, and so are the solutions, but I think, in general, you understand the picture.

Besides positive effect, stress can also contribute to negative consequences. When a person is constantly exposed to stressful situations, his body intensively wastes its strength (energy), which leads to its rapid exhaustion. Since all organs are in a tense state, they are more susceptible to secondary adverse factors, for example, diseases.

A striking example is the situation when, under stress, a person gets sick with the flu, psoriasis, the speech apparatus is impaired (stuttering), etc.

In addition, severe stress or a sudden stressful situation sometimes leads a person to myocardial infarction.

Also, with strong, prolonged and frequent stress, a number of pathological changes develop, expressed in various diseases of the mental, nervous, cardiovascular, digestive, immune and other systems. The body becomes exhausted, weakens, and loses the ability to solve or get out of a stressful situation.

Thus, scientists have established two main types of stress - eustress (positive stress) and distress (negative stress). We’ll talk about the types later, but now let’s move on to considering the symptoms (reactions) of the body to stressful situations.

Symptoms of stress

Among the most popular reactions of the body to stress are:

Unreasonable and frequent attacks of irritability, anger, dissatisfaction with the people around a person, the situation, the world;

Lethargy, weakness, depression, passive attitude and unwillingness to communicate with people, even with family and friends, fatigue, reluctance to do anything;

Inability to relax, constant tension in the nervous system and physical body;

Attacks of fear, panic;

Poor concentration, lethargy, difficulty understanding ordinary things, decreased intellectual capabilities, memory problems, stuttering;

Lack of trust in yourself and the people around you, fussiness;

Frequent desire to cry and sobs, melancholy, self-pity;

Lack of desire to eat food, or, conversely, excessive desire to eat;

Nervous tics, non-specific desires for the patient to bite one’s nails, bite one’s lips;

Increased sweating, increased excitability, digestive system disorders (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting), itching, headache, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, chest discomfort, breathing problems, feelings of suffocation, sudden increase in body temperature, chills, numbness or tingling in the limbs;

Increased interest in alcohol, drugs, smoking, computer games and other things that the person was not particularly interested in before.

Complications of stress

Among the complications are:

Constant insomnia and headaches;

Use of drugs, alcohol;

Digestive system disorders – constipation, diarrhea;

Depression, hatred, suicidal desires.

Causes of stress

There are a great many causes of stress, because... Each person has his own individual body, psyche, way of life, therefore, the same factor may not affect one person at all, or have an insignificant effect, while another person literally gets sick, for example, a conflict with another person. Therefore, let’s consider the most popular causes and/or stress factors:

A conflict situation with another person - at work, at home, with friends or even with strangers, a quarrel;

Dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, the people around him, success at work, self-realization in the world, the environment (home, work), standard of living;

Low cost of living, lack of money, debts;

Long-term absence of vacation and proper rest from everyday activities and everyday life;

Routine life with the absence or small amount of positive emotions and changes;

Long-term chronic diseases, especially affecting appearance, as well as illnesses of relatives;

Death of a relative or simply a close or acquaintance;

Lack of vitamins and microelements in the body;

Watching emotional films, or vice versa, horror films;

Problems in sexual life;

Frequent fears, especially of fatal diseases (cancer), the opinions of others, old age, a small pension;

Excessive physical activity, or unfavorable environmental conditions (cold, heat, rainy weather, high or low atmospheric pressure);

A sharp change in the environment - moving to another place of residence, changing jobs;

Other reasons or situations that can hook or irritate a person.

Types of stress

• By type of stimulus:

Physical stress. It occurs as a result of exposure of the body to unfavorable environmental conditions - sun, cold, heat, rain, radiation, etc.

Biological stress. It occurs as a result of a malfunction of various body systems, diseases, injuries, or excessive physical stress on the body.

Psychological or mental (emotional, nervous) stress. It occurs as a result of exposure to various positive or negative emotions/experiences. Most often caused by social problems - money, quarrels, living conditions.

Eustress. Provoked by positive emotions and experiences.

Distress. A negative form of stress in which it is difficult for the body to cope with a problem. It is a common cause of various diseases, sometimes even fatal, such as cancer.

Short-term stress. It emerges and develops rapidly. It also disappears very quickly after removal of the stressor (pathogenic factor).

Chronic stress. This type of stress attacks a person day after day, accustoming the body to being under it in such a way that the patient practically begins to believe that this is his reality, without seeing a way out. A chronic form of stress often leads a person to various complex diseases, phobias, and suicide.

Phases of stress

The development of stress occurs in three phases:

1. Mobilization. The body reacts to a stressor with anxiety and mobilizes its defenses and resources to withstand the stress factor.

2. Confrontation. The body resists a stressful situation, the person actively seeks a way out of it.

3. Exhaustion. With a long duration of influence of a stress factor on a person, the body begins to deplete and becomes vulnerable to secondary threats (various diseases).

Treatment of stress

How to relieve stress? Treatment of stress includes the following points:

Removing the stressor (stress factor);

Taking sedatives (sedatives);

1. The first thing to do to relieve stress is to remove the irritating factor, if possible. For example, change jobs, stop communicating with a conflicting person, etc. Sometimes even the red walls of your bedroom or office space can be an irritating factor.

2. Physiological stress relief procedures include:

Complete rest, preferably in nature;

Eating food enriched with vitamins and microelements;

Active lifestyle – exercise, cycling, swimming;

Walk in the fresh air before bedtime;

Deep, calm breathing - inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth;

3. Anti-stress medications are divided into two groups - sedatives and tranquilizers (anxiolytics).

Sedatives or drugs are aimed at calming the mental system. Among them are:

Sedatives: “Barboval”, “Valerian”, “Melison”.

Sedatives: tea with lemon balm, tinctures (motherwort, peony), decoctions (chamomile, oregano), relaxing baths (with pine needles).

Tranquilizers (anxiolytics): Adaptol, Noofen, Tenoten.

Important! Before using medications and other anti-stress medications, be sure to consult your doctor!

4. Taking vitamins has a very beneficial effect on the body, this is especially true when eating monotonous and unhealthful food, or under constant physical and mental stress. Particular emphasis should be placed on taking B vitamins, of which large quantities are found in nuts, cereals (wheat, rice, barley), black seeds, and dried apricots.

5. Psychological correction. Consulting a psychologist can help you rethink your life, change your daily priorities, and change your attitude towards yourself and other people. Sometimes a professional, after listening to the patient, can help take correct solution in a given situation, or teach a person to solve stressful situations himself. In all cases, everything is individual, as you and I said at the beginning of the article.

I also cannot help but mention prayer, because... turning to God and His solutions to certain issues, including stressful situations, often go beyond understanding, and the result usually exceeds all the expectations of the person who turns to Him. Who else but the Creator is capable of resolving the issues of His creation and understanding all its bitterness, despair, melancholy and other human problems.

Stress Prevention

To minimize the development of stress, pay attention to the following recommendations:

Lead an active lifestyle;

Eat foods enriched with vitamins;

Try to find a job that you like;

Avoid alcoholic beverages and do not use drugs;

Spend more time outdoors, relax in nature, not at the computer;

Limit your caffeine intake (coffee, strong black tea);

Do not watch or listen to what is unpleasant for you (movies, music, news);

Keep an eye on your child - what he reads and watches, limit him from information of a violent, otherworldly and occult nature;

Share your experiences with friends or relatives you trust;

If you feel that you cannot or do not know how to overcome stressful situations, consult a psychologist for advice;

Turn to the Lord and ask Him to help you overcome stressful situations.

Psychological stress

The concept of stress is firmly rooted in the vocabulary of modern people, and most ordinary people regard this phenomenon as negative, painful experiences or disorders caused by insoluble difficulties, insurmountable obstacles, and unfulfilled hopes. More than 80 years ago, Hans Selye, the creators of the stress theory, emphasized in his works that stress does not mean fear, pain, torment, humiliation, or catastrophic changes in life.

Complete relief from stress means the end of life

What is psychological stress? We present its classical definition given by the author of the theory. Stress (stress - a state of increased load, emotional tension) is a complex of nonspecific adaptive reactions of the body to any demands placed on it due to the influence of stress factors that lead to a violation of its homeostasis. Nonspecific reactions are adaptive actions aimed at restoring the original state of the body, producing specific effects on specific stimuli. Any surprise that makes a change in an individual’s usual life can be a stress factor. It does not matter what the nature of the situation is - positive or negative. Emotional shock can be provoked not only by external circumstances, but also by subconscious attitudes towards specific events. For the human psyche, only the amount of effort required to rebuild habitual life rhythms and the intensity of energy expended to adapt to new requirements play a role.

Types of stress

In medical practice, it is customary to divide stressful situations into two types: eustress - a positive form and distress - a negative form. Eustress mobilizes the body's vital resources and stimulates further activity. Distress brings psychological trauma, causes a “wound” that, even when completely healed, leaves scars.

Distress renders Negative influence on a person’s somatic and mental health and can give impetus to the development serious illnesses. In a state of stress, the activity of the immune system is significantly reduced, and a person becomes defenseless against viruses and infections. With negative emotional stress, the autonomic nervous system is activated, and the endocrine glands work more intensively. With prolonged or frequent influence of stress factors, the psycho-emotional sphere deteriorates, which often leads to severe depression or phobias.

Based on the nature of the impact of stressors, the following are distinguished:

• neuropsychic;
• temperature (heat or cold);
• light;
• food (as a result of food deficiency);
• other types.

The outstanding psychologist Leontyev argued that in the case when the body demonstrates reactions to external phenomena that are not related to the satisfaction of vital needs (eating, the need for sleep, the instinct of self-preservation, procreation), such reactions are purely psychological. The concept of an intractable, extraordinary situation for a person in the concept of stress theory is also a psychological phenomenon.

Stressful situations are also divided into two groups: extreme social conditions (military operations, hooligan attacks, natural disasters) and critical psychological events (death of a relative, change in social status, divorce, exam). For some, the events that occurred were a shock, for others, natural phenomenon, and the intensity of the reaction is purely individual. An indisputable fact: in order for a response to a stimulus to occur, this stimulus must have a certain strength. And each individual has an unstable, changeable threshold of sensitivity. An individual with a low sensitivity threshold demonstrates a strong reaction to a stimulus of low intensity, while an individual with a high sensitivity threshold does not perceive this factor as an irritant.

Biological and psychobiological stress

Stress is also usually divided according to parameters into two groups:

Different authors have different definitions of psychological stress, but most scientists classify this type as stress caused by the influence of external (social) factors or formed under the influence of internal sensations. It is not always possible to apply the laws of the stages of its course to psycho-emotional stress, since each individual has purely individual mental properties and personal characteristics of the autonomic nervous system.

The control question allows you to differentiate the type of stressful situation: “Do stressors cause obvious harm to the body?” In the case of a positive answer, a biological species is diagnosed; in the case of a negative answer, psychological stress is diagnosed.

Psycho-emotional stress differs from biological stress in a number of specific features, including:

• It is formed under the influence of both real and probable situations that are the object of the individual’s anxiety;
• Of great importance is a person’s assessment of the degree of his participation in influencing a problem situation, his perception of the quality of the chosen methods of neutralizing stressors.

The technique for measuring stressful feelings (PSM-25 scale) is aimed at analyzing emotional state person, and not on the study of indirect indicators (stressor, indicators of depressive, anxious-phobic states).

Key differences between biological and psychological stress situations:

Stress: main stages of development

The range of reactions to a stressful event includes a variety of states of excitation and inhibition, including states called affective. The process of a stressful state consists of three stages.

Stage 1. Emotional reaction of anxiety.

At this stage, the body’s first response to stress factors appears. The duration of this phase is strictly individual: for some people, the increase in tension goes away in a matter of minutes, for others, the increase in anxiety occurs over several weeks. The body's resistance to external stimuli decreases, and self-control weakens. A person gradually loses the ability to fully control his actions and loses self-control. His behavior changes to completely opposite actions (for example: a calm, self-controlled person becomes impulsive, aggressive). The person avoids social contacts, alienation appears in relationships with loved ones, and the distance in communication with friends and colleagues increases. The impact of distress has a devastating effect on the psyche. Excessive emotional stress can cause disorganization, disorientation and depersonalization.

Stage 2. Resistance and adaptation.

In this phase, maximum activation and strengthening of the body’s resistance to the stimulus occurs. Prolonged exposure to a stress factor ensures gradual adaptation to its effects. The body's resistance significantly exceeds the norm. It is at this stage that the individual is able to analyze, choose the most effective way and cope with the stressor.

Having exhausted available energy resources due to exposure to a stressor for a long period of time, a person feels severe fatigue, devastation, and weariness. A feeling of guilt sets in, and signs of the anxiety stage appear again. However, in this phase, the body’s ability to readapt is lost, and the person becomes powerless to take any action. Disorders of an organic nature appear, and severe pathological psychosomatic conditions arise.

Each person has been “programmed” from childhood with their own personal scenario of behavior in a stressful situation, reproduced in frequency and form of manifestation of the stress reaction. Some experience stressors daily in small doses, others experience distress rarely, but in full, painful manifestations. Also, each person has an individual orientation of aggression under stress. One blames himself exclusively, triggering the development of depressive states. Another person finds the causes of her troubles in the people around her and puts forward unfounded claims, often in an extremely aggressive form, becoming a socially dangerous person.

Psychological mechanisms of stress

The emergence of emotional tension during stress is an adaptive reaction of the body that appears and grows as a result of the interaction of physiological systems and mechanisms in combination with psychological methods of response.

The physiological group of stress mechanisms involves:

• Subcortical system, which activates the cerebral cortex;
• The sympathetic autonomic system, which prepares the body for unexpected stressors, intensifies cardiac activity, and stimulates the supply of glucose;
• Subcortical motor centers that control innate instinctive, motor, facial, pantomimic mechanisms;
• Endocrine organs;
• Mechanisms of reverse afferentation, transmitting nerve impulses through interoceptors and proprioceptors from internal organs and muscles back to areas of the brain.

Psychological mechanisms are attitudes formed and recorded at the subconscious level, arising as a response to the influence of stress factors. Psychological schemes are designed to protect the human psyche from the negative consequences of stressors. Not all of these mechanisms are harmless; they often do not allow an event to be assessed correctly, and often harm the social activity of the individual.

Psychological protective circuits include seven mechanisms:

• Suppression. The main mechanism, the purpose of which is to remove existing desires from consciousness if it is impossible to satisfy them. Repression of sensations and memories can be partial or complete, as a result of which the person gradually forgets past events. Often it is a source of new problems (for example: a person forgets previously made promises). It often causes somatic diseases (headaches, heart pathologies, cancer).
• Negation. The individual denies the fact of the occurrence of any event and “goes” into fantasy. Often a person does not notice the contradictions in his judgments and actions, and therefore is often perceived by others as a frivolous, irresponsible, inadequate person.
• Rationalization. A method of self-justification, the creation of supposedly logical moral arguments to explain and justify socially unacceptable behavior that arises own desires and thoughts.
• Inversion. Conscious replacement of true thoughts and feelings, actually carried out actions with completely opposite ones.
• Projection. The individual projects onto others, ascribes to other people his own negative qualities, negative thoughts, and unhealthy feelings. It is a mechanism of self-justification.
• Insulation. The most dangerous response scheme. The individual separates the threatening component, the dangerous situation, from his personality as a whole. It can lead to a split personality and cause the development of schizophrenia.
• Regression. The subject reverts to primitive ways of responding to stressors.

There is another classification of types of protective mechanisms, divided into two groups.

Group 1. Patterns of disruption of information reception

Group 2. Patterns of impaired information processing

• Projection;
• Intellectualization;
• Separation;
• Overestimation (rationalization, defensive reaction, exploitation, illusion).

Stress factors

Stress levels are influenced by many different factors, including:

• The significance of stressors for an individual,
• Congenital features of the nervous system,
• Hereditary pattern of response to stressful events
• Features of growing up
• The presence of chronic somatic or mental pathologies, a recent illness,
• Unsuccessful experience in past similar situations,
• Motivation,
• Having moral principles,
• Stress tolerance threshold
• Self-esteem, the quality of perception of oneself as a person,
• Existing hopes and expectations – their certainty or uncertainty.

Causes of stress

The most common cause of stress is a contradiction between reality and an individual’s ideas about reality. Stress reactions can be triggered both by real factors and by events that exist only in the imagination. Not only negative events, but also positive changes in an individual’s life lead to the development of a stressful state.

Research by American scientists Thomas Holmes and Richard Ray made it possible to create a table of stress factors that, in most cases, have the strongest impact on a person and trigger stress mechanisms (stress intensity scale). Among the events significant for people:

• Death of a close relative
• Divorce
• Parting with a loved one
• Imprisonment
• Serious illness
• Job loss
• Change in social status
• Deterioration of financial situation
• Big debts
• Inability to repay loan obligations
• Illness of close relatives
• Problems with law
• Retirement
• Marriage
• Pregnancy
• Sexual problems
• The arrival of a new family member
• Change of place of work
• Deterioration of family relationships
• Outstanding Personal Achievement
• Start or end of training
• Change of residence
• Problems with management
• Unfavorable atmosphere in the team
• Changing your work and leisure schedule
• Changing Personal Habits
• Changing eating behavior
• Changing working conditions
• Vacation
• Holidays

Stress factors tend to accumulate. Without taking effective steps, pushing his experiences inside, being left alone with his problems, a person risks losing contact with his own “I”, and subsequently losing contact with others.

Psychological symptoms of stress

Manifestations of a stressful state are purely individual, but all signs are united by their negative connotation, their painful and painful perception by the individual. Symptoms vary depending on what stage of stress the person is in and what defense mechanisms are involved. Some of the main symptoms of stress include:

• Unreasonable anxiety;
• Feeling of internal tension;
• Hot temper, nervousness, irritability, aggressiveness;
• Excessive inadequate reaction to the slightest stimulus;
• Inability to control your thoughts and emotions, manage your actions;
• Decreased concentration, difficulty remembering and reproducing information;
• Periods of sadness;
• Depressed, depressed state;
• Decreased interest in usual activities, apathetic state;
• Inability to enjoy pleasant events;
• Constant feeling of dissatisfaction;
• Capriciousness, excessive demands on others;
• Subjective feeling of overload, persistent fatigue;
• Decreased performance, inability to perform usual duties;
• Depersonalization – detachment from one’s own “I”;
• Derealization - a feeling of illusoryness of the surrounding world;
• Changes in eating behavior: lack of appetite or excessive eating;
• Sleep disorders: insomnia, waking up early, interrupted sleep;
• Changes in behavior, reduction in social contacts.

As a result of exposure to stressors, an individual often tries to artificially replace the negative feelings experienced with “pleasant” external factors: he begins to take alcohol or drugs, becomes a gambler, changes sexual behavior, begins to overeat, and takes risky, impulsive actions.

Treatment of stress

When in situations that cause stress, each person should strive to emerge victorious from the current situation, to overcome obstacles courageously, with self-esteem and without negative consequences for health. After all, every new battle with stressors is another step on the thorny path of self-development and self-improvement.

Drug treatment of stress conditions

The choice of a comprehensive pharmacological treatment program is carried out on an individual basis, taking into account various factors, including:

• predominant symptoms, strength and frequency of their manifestation;
• stage and severity of the stressful condition;
• patient's age;
• somatic and mental health status of the patient;
• personal characteristics, way of responding to stressors, individual sensitivity threshold;
• a history of mental pathologies and borderline states;
• individual preferences and financial capabilities of the patient;
• the received therapeutic response to drugs used previously;
• tolerability of pharmacological agents, their side effects;
• medications taken.

The main criterion for prescribing treatment is the symptoms shown. To eliminate stressful conditions use:

• Tranquilizers;
• Beta blockers;
• Amino acids;
• Herbal sedatives, bromides;
• Neuroleptics;
• Antidepressants;
• Sleeping pills;
• Vitamin and mineral complexes.

If the patient has predominant signs of an anxious state (irrational fear, excessive worry, anxiety for no reason), a short-term course of treatment with psychotropic drugs is administered to relieve symptoms. Use benzodiazepine tranquilizers (for example: diazepam) or more gentle anxiolytics of other groups (for example: adoptol).

Beta blockers, the action of which is aimed at blocking the release of adrenaline into the blood and reducing blood pressure (for example: anaprilin), can quickly take control and minimize the painful physical manifestations of fear.

In overcoming emotional stress, reducing nervousness and irritability, a good therapeutic response is provided by relatively harmless drugs containing aminoacetic acid (for example: glycine).

For mild manifestations of anxiety, sedatives from a “green” pharmacy made from valerian, mint, lemon balm, motherwort (for example: persen) are prescribed for a long course (at least one month). In some cases, drugs are used - bromides, which have significant sedative potential (for example: adonis-bromine).

If there are “defensive” obsessive actions in the disease picture, it is recommended to take antipsychotics - drugs that can eliminate severe mental conditions (for example: haloperidol).

When depressive symptoms predominate (apathy, depression, sad mood), antidepressants of various groups are used. For mild forms of depressive mood, a long-term course (more than one month) of herbal remedies is prescribed. Thus, drugs based on St. John's wort (for example: Deprim) will provide an antidepressant effect. In more severe and dangerous cases, psychopharmacological antidepressants of various groups are used. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - SSRIs (for example: fluoxetine) are easy to use, do not lead to overdose and show high results. The latest generation of drugs, melatonergic antidepressants (the only representative of this class: agomelatine), can eliminate depressive symptoms and reduce anxiety.

If the patient notes a change in sleep patterns and quality (insomnia, early awakening, interrupted sleep, nightmares), sleeping pills are prescribed, both herbal and synthesized benzodiazepine drugs (for example: nitrazepam) or new chemical groups (for example: zopiclone). The use of barbiturates as sleeping pills has lost its relevance today.

An important role in overcoming stressful conditions is to replenish the deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the body. In situations of emotional stress, it is recommended to take B vitamins (for example: Neurovitan), products with magnesium (for example: Magne B6) or multiactive complexes (for example: Vitrum).

Psychotherapeutic techniques for overcoming stress

Psychotherapy for stressful conditions is a technique developed to provide a beneficial therapeutic effect on the psycho-emotional sphere of activity, directly related to and affecting the functioning of the human body as a whole. Psychotherapeutic assistance is often the only unique chance that allows a person in a stressful state to overcome existing problems, correct erroneous ideas and get rid of anxious and depressive states without negative consequences.

Modern psychotherapy uses over 300 different techniques, including the most common, popular and effective techniques:

• Psychodynamic;
• Cognitive-behavioral;
• Existential;
• Humanistic.

Direction 1. Psychodynamic approach

Based on the method of psychoanalysis, the founder of which was the famous talented scientist Sigmund Freud. Feature of the therapy: transferring into the area of ​​consciousness (awareness) by the patient of memories, experienced emotions and sensations repressed into the subconscious sphere. The following techniques are used: study and evaluation of dreams, free associative series, study of the characteristics of forgetting information.

Direction 2. Cognitive behavioral therapy

The essence of this method is to inform and teach the individual the adaptive skills necessary in emotionally difficult situations. A person develops and maintains a new model of thinking, which allows him to correctly assess and act adequately when faced with stress factors. In artificially created stressful situations, the patient, having experienced a state close to panic fear, noticeably decreases the threshold of sensitivity to negative factors disturbing him.

Direction 3. Existential approach

The essence of therapy using this method is to concentrate on existing difficulties, reconsider the patient’s value system, realize personal significance, develop self-esteem and correct self-esteem. During the sessions, a person learns ways to harmoniously interact with the world around him, develops independence and awareness of thinking, and acquires new behavioral skills.

Direction 4. Humanistic approach

This method is based on the postulate: a person has unlimited abilities and opportunities to overcome problems in the presence of a significant incentive and adequate self-esteem. The doctor’s work with the patient is aimed at liberating the person’s consciousness, liberating him from indecision and uncertainty, and getting rid of the fear of defeat. The client learns to really understand and analyze the causes of existing difficulties, to develop correct and safe options for overcoming problems.

How to overcome the effects of stress on your own?

It is human nature to want to get rid of pain, tension, and anxiety. However, this ability to experience unpleasant sensations, oddly enough, is one of nature’s valuable gifts. A state of stress is a phenomenon designed to warn an individual about a threat to the integrity and functioning of the body. This is an ideal mechanism that activates natural reflexes of resistance, evasion, retreat or flight, indispensable in the battle with a negative hostile environment. Unpleasant sensations accompanying a state of stress mobilize hidden resources, encourage efforts, changes and difficult decisions.

Every person needs to learn how to manage stress effectively and efficiently. If the event that caused the stress is dependent on individual activity (for example: emotional stress due to excessive work pressure), efforts should be concentrated on developing and analyzing options to change the existing situation. If an emotionally difficult situation is caused by external factors beyond the control and management of the individual (for example: the death of a spouse), it is necessary to accept this negative fact, come to terms with its existence, and change the perception and attitude towards this event.

Effective methods for relieving emotional tension and psychological stress

Special breathing techniques are designed to relieve accumulated tension and get rid of negative emotions. We perform energetic movements (swings) with our hands, then close our eyes. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, hold your breath for 5 seconds, and slowly exhale through your mouth. We carry out the approaches. We try to relax the muscles as much as possible. We concentrate our attention on the sensations that arise.

In the prevention and overcoming of stressful conditions, an invaluable role is played by external emotional support and friendly communication. Problematic issues that are openly and freely shared with a loved one lose their global significance and are no longer perceived as catastrophic. Friendly communication with optimistic people allows a person to formulate and express disturbing factors out loud, throw out negative emotions, receive a charge of vital energy, and develop a strategy for overcoming problems.

Method 3. We trust our worries to paper

An equally effective method of dealing with emotional stress is keeping a personal diary. Thoughts and desires expressed on paper become more consistent and logical. Recording your negative feelings in writing transfers them from the area of ​​the subconscious to the area controlled by consciousness and governed by the will of the individual. After such a recording, stressful events are perceived as less large-scale, the fact of the presence of problems is realized and recognized. When you subsequently read your revelations, the possibility of analysis arises difficult situation as if from the outside, new ways to overcome it appear, and an incentive to resolve it is formed. The person takes control of his condition and, accepting the past and living in the present, begins to make efforts for well-being in the future.

Method 4. Draw a map of your own stress factors

As they say, in order to defeat the enemy, you need to know him by sight. In order to cope with the negative emotions that arise under the influence of stressors, it is necessary to identify and study what specific events can “knock you off track.”

Being alone in silence, we concentrate and try to concentrate our attention as much as possible. We select for analysis at least 12 aspects related to various areas of life (for example: health, family relationships, successes and failures in professional activities, financial position, relationships with friends). Then, in each of the identified aspects, we highlight situations that present significant difficulties and deprive us of self-control and restraint. We write them down in order of significance (intensity of response, temporary duration of experiences, depth of emotional perception, emerging negative symptoms) from the smallest negative category to the most traumatic factor. After the Achilles heel has been identified, for each item we make a list of “arguments”: we develop options for possible resolution of the problems.

Method 5. Transforming emotional experiences into vital energy

A great way to get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of stress is to perform any physical activity intensely. This could be: gym classes, long walks, swimming in the pool, morning jogging, or working at personal plot. Vigorous physical exercise distracts from negative events, directs thoughts in a positive direction, gives positive emotions and charges with vital energy. Running is an ideal natural method to “escape” from stress: feeling pleasant physical fatigue, there is no room or strength left to cry about your own grief.

Method 6. Letting out emotions in creativity

A faithful assistant in the fight against psychological stress is creative activity, vocal, music, and dance classes. By creating beauty, a person not only gets rid of negative feelings, but also taps into hidden potential, develops his abilities, and significantly increases self-esteem. Music directly affects emotional status, transporting you into a world of vivid, original sensations: it makes you cry and laugh, grieve and rejoice. Through music, the perception of one’s own “I” and those around him changes, the real world appears in its diversity, the significance of one’s own “minor” worries is lost. Through dance you can express your emotions, experience your negativity, and appear before the light in all your inner beauty.

Method 7. Increasing the level of psychological knowledge

An important factor for successfully overcoming stress is the existing knowledge base: complete, structured, varied. In the formation of immunity to stress, a significant role is played by the cognitive processes occurring in a person, which determine the skills of orientation in the environment, the logic of actions, the objectivity of judgments, and the level of observation. No matter how generously or sparingly nature has endowed a person with talents, the individual is responsible only for the use of his mental abilities, and should not stop on the path of his development.

Method 8. Changing your belief system

A special niche in the perception of stress factors is occupied by the individual belief system. A person who regards the world around him as a source of dangers, threats, and problems reacts to stressors with strong negative emotions, often disorganizing his behavior. Quite often, the severe consequences of experienced stress provoke the results of a discrepancy between the real complexity of the situation and its subjective assessment by the individual. An adequate, realistic perception of the world, where prosperity and adversity coexist, the recognition that the world is imperfect and not always fair, the desire for harmony, optimism and gratitude for every positive moment help not to take problems to heart.

Method 9. Increase your own importance

A person who reacts to any stress with violent emotions is characterized by a lack of confidence in their capabilities and a feeling of inferiority. Due to low or negative self-esteem, a person has a minimal level of aspirations and takes a “reinsurer’s position” in life. Simple exercises – affirmations (positive statements about one’s personality, spoken out loud) help to increase and form adequate self-esteem.

Method 10. Doing a difficult task

An excellent technique for emotional control is focusing intensely on the task at hand, allowing you to distract yourself and overcome situational stressors.

From the areas that bring satisfaction and joy, we choose one complex category. We set a clear goal for ourselves, determine specific deadlines for bringing the idea to life (for example: learn French in six months, design a model of a helicopter, conquer a mountain peak).

In conclusion: Everyone can overcome stress and control a difficult situation if they begin to focus on the problem at hand, rather than displaying emotionally protective actions. Active control of one’s own consciousness brings extremely positive results, gives the individual a sense of mastery over stressors, strengthens the sense of self-worth, increases the assessment of one’s abilities, and increases the chance of discovering opportunities.

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Each person experienced irritation and felt a loss of strength. This body reaction to negative emotions is called stress.

Characteristics of the condition

The concept and nature of stress is that it is designed to protect the body from various negative impacts. When a person finds himself in an extreme situation, his physiological and psychological reactions are activated to overcome difficulties.

Causes

Stress in life occurs for the following reasons:

• anxiety about changing jobs;
• being late for a train or plane flight;
• poor financial condition;
• lack of time to complete important things;
• death of relatives;
• bad feeling;
• unmet needs, etc.

The significance of stress for the human body is assessed in different ways. Some psychologists argue that sometimes it is necessary to cheer up and experience adrenaline. But if there are too many stressors and a person is stressed more than 2 times a week, then the consequences will be negative.

Symptoms

There are different types of stress in a person's life. Its features depend on the primary sources, but their symptoms are similar. The essence of stress is manifested in the following symptoms:

• memory impairment;
• bad feeling;
• inability to concentrate;
• obsessive feeling of fatigue;
• systematic errors;
• excessive stubbornness;
• attacks of aggression;
• speaking too fast or too slow;
• overexcitement;
• increased feeling of anxiety;
• loss of sense of humor and positive attitude;
• hunger;
• insomnia;
• decrease in social activity, etc.

If treatment is not started in time, the effects of stress on the body can become negative.

Will begin to actively develop mental illness: neurosis, epilepsy, phobic disorders. The essence of stress is such that other diseases can manifest themselves - arthritis, tachycardia, gastritis, thrush. Nervous breakdowns, panic attacks, and obsessive suicidal thoughts will also become common.

Stages

The impact of stress on the human body depends on the stage at which it is located. There are 3 stages: anxiety, resistance and exhaustion.

Basic theories

Special theories will help to better understand the nature of stress, each of which makes it clear how the idea of ​​it developed.

G. Selye

Hans Selye identifies 3 stages in the development of stress:

1. Alart stage. The person is tense and wary. The body's adaptive resources are mobilized. Psychosomatic diseases are actively developing - ulcers, migraines, colitis, gastritis.
2. Resistance stage. Feature – signs of anxiety completely disappear. A feeling of harmony sets in, but it is still deceptive. There is a balanced expenditure of adaptation resources.
3. Exhaustion stage. The person feels empty. Energy is low. I don't want to do anything. In this case, you need to rest and get a good night's sleep.

Hans Selye, in his theory of stress, compares the psychological state of an individual with the stages of human life. The alert stage is childhood, because the child, full of energy, actively reacts to stimuli. The stage of resistance is maturity, the period when the body's resistance increases. The stage of exhaustion is equated to old age, when there is practically no resistance, the reaction to stimuli disappears.

W. Cannon

This theory states that self-regulation maintains the body's stability. The body itself decides when it needs to activate protective channels in order to adapt to changes in external environment. Everything is done to ensure that the body is in a state of stress as little as possible.

I. Pavlov

The scientist explained that nervous activity changes under conditions of increased stress. He recorded 2 states of a person at the time of stress - lethargy or hyperactivity. The inhibition reaction is described by a decrease in activity, a violation of reflex activity. If a state of overexcitation occurs, anxiety and excessive release of adrenaline are observed. Pavlov proved that both conditions are destructive and harmful to humans.

L. Orbeli

Orbeli argues that in a stressful state, a change in the properties and functional abilities of tissues occurs, because the body needs to increase the level of reactivity in a specific situation. Usually this only affects tissue metabolism, and endocrine mechanisms are not affected.

E. Gellgorn

This theory of stress confirms that during times of stress, a person can experience negative or positive emotions. Their nature directly depends on the vegetative system. There are 2 departments: parasympathetic and sympathetic. The sympathetic department generates positive emotions, excitement, joy, and a surge of strength appears. Parasympathetic has a relatively negative effect on the human nervous system. Causes a feeling of relaxation, aggravates depression.

R. Lazarus

Lazarus believed that emotions are responsible for a person’s adaptation to external conditions. Features of his theory:

• the quality and intensity of emotional reactions depends on cognitive processes;
• psychological and nervous stress – both process and reaction;
• The external world is assessed by a person on the basis of his knowledge, beliefs, and values.

According to Lazarus' theory, the most frequent manifestations of a person's emotions (cognitions, principles) determine the nature of stress and behavior in any situation.

Kinds

In psychology, it is customary to divide stress into 2 types – eustress and distress. They differ in the nature of their impact.

Eustress

The peculiarity of such stress is that in small amounts it is beneficial. A person becomes more active, because there will be more energy and the strength to work under stress will appear. Nervousness is felt due to excitement about the upcoming event, but the person believes in himself and has a positive attitude. In the process, adrenaline is produced, which energizes the person. Appears due to mild and pleasant excitement, intense joy or a feeling of happiness.

Distress

Distress is harmful stress that negatively affects the human body. They can cause the development of depression or mental disorders. They arise due to overexertion and make a person irritated. They cause a lack of energy, positive emotions, sleep disorders, and poor health. There are 4 types of distress. They differ in their causes, symptoms and consequences. Types of distress:

Stress in psychology is divided into 2 more types of distress, which are very similar to each other. These are information and management stress. With information, a disorder occurs due to the lack of the necessary amount of information to make an important decision. This feeling can also arise when a person does not have the desired amount of knowledge in the desired area. Information stress differs from management stress only in the degree of responsibility for decision making. In management it is much greater, because the fate of his wards depends on the actions of the manager.

Treatment of the disorder

In the early stages of stress, the best treatment is good sleep. For an adult, it should last at least 7 hours, for children the optimal duration is from 9 hours. Other recommendations:

• exercise regularly so that you have at least some minimal physical exercise;
• if the day has been hard, take a warm bath and turn on some soft music;
• learn breathing techniques and the basics of meditation so that in case of a stressful situation you can quickly relax and normalize your psychological state;
• ventilate the room before going to bed;
• Arrange aromatherapy by inhaling the pleasant aromas of lemon balm, mint or chamomile.

When you are in a nervous state, it is important to eat normally. Trying to eat stress, a person rapidly gains weight. Digestive processes are disrupted, nutrition deteriorates, which are ideal conditions for the development of gastrointestinal diseases. It is recommended to drink herbal infusions. The best ingredients are chamomile, thyme, oregano, sage, mint, and lemon balm. They relieve stress and fatigue, allowing you to quickly fall asleep and sleep peacefully. If persistent symptoms of stress have been identified, you should definitely consult a doctor. He will diagnose, prescribe treatment and help you live a normal life. The worst thing a patient can do is self-medicate, which can make the situation worse.

The desire for peace is characteristic not only of every body in the universe, but also of our nervous system. Any external influence triggers an adaptive reaction in the body - stress. What are the basic types of stress? There are four main groups: physiological and psychological form. The classification of stress takes into account the degree of harmful influence of stimuli, the ability to independently cope with the load and the speed of restoration of stability of the nervous system.

Classification of stress by influence

In psychology, it is customary to divide such a load into two main categories:

• “Good” form (eustress);
• “Bad” form (distress).

The stress triggering mechanism is necessary for a person to survive, since it is a form of adaptation to a changing world. Short-term stress tones the body, releasing energy that allows a person to quickly mobilize internal resources. The excitable stage of eustress lasts a matter of minutes, so the nervous system quickly restores stability and negative aspects do not have time to manifest themselves.

“Bad” stress in psychology is an impact that the body is not able to cope with on its own. We are talking about long-term stress, when mental resources are not enough for adaptation, or we are talking about a violation of physical health. Distress involves a detrimental effect on the body - in critical cases, a person completely loses working capacity without proper treatment. Long-term stress contributes to the depletion of the immune system, which in turn leads to a number of chronic or acute diseases.

Physiological stress is an elementary form of adaptation

The classification of stress is also based on the way adaptation processes are triggered. Categories of “simple” stress take into account a minimum set of influences – environmental factors, physical overload. The result is physiological stress.

This form implies an acute reaction of the body to the aggressive influence of the surrounding world. Sudden changes in temperature, excessive moisture, prolonged absence of food or drinking water, piercing wind, excessive heat or cold - any such factor requires excessive mobilization. Triggers of physiological stress should also include excessive physical activity, typical of athletes, as well as dietary deviations provoked by excessive or insufficient nutrition (gluttony or fasting).

Popular psychology identifies a special food form of stress, which is provoked by poor nutrition (violation of the regime, inadequate selection of foods, excessive consumption of food or refusal of it).

Under normal circumstances, the physiological form passes without a trace due to the high endurance of the human body. However, in the case when a person remains in an uncomfortable state for a long time, his body ceases to adapt correctly and a malfunction occurs at the physical level - a disease occurs.

Video: Natalya Kucherenko, psychologist “A series of lectures on psychology. Lecture 12: stress"

Psychological stress

Psychological stress is the scourge of our time. This form has become a characteristic feature of the era, since it is directly related to the adequacy of human interaction with society. If at the physical level adaptation is the primary guarantee of survival and is facilitated by a powerful mechanism of instinctive reactions, then psychological stress can unsettle a person for a long time.

A “undermined” psyche is the result of an extreme reaction to two types of influence - informational or emotional factors.

1. Information overload. Knowledge workers own experience know what the consequences of admission are large quantity information. Although information processing is a basic function of the cerebral hemispheres, too much data leads to detrimental consequences. The failure is reminiscent of a computer freezing - the ability to concentrate decreases, thought processes slow down, logic violations are observed, the acuity of thought decreases, and the imagination dries up.
2. Emotional overload. The actual mental form of stress involves emotional overloads of various kinds (positive and negative), which are an integral part of a person’s life in society.

Interpersonal stress

Psychological stress occurs after experiencing intense emotions for which a person was emotionally unprepared. Sudden happiness has the same detrimental effect on the psyche as sudden grief. Drastic changes in life lead to mental overload and a state of prolonged stress. Often, after achieving a desired goal or frustration (loss of what is desired), a person loses the ability to actively act and experience subtle emotions for a long time - a specific phenomenon such as “emotional dullness” arises. The main environment for the occurrence of psychological stress is intra-family communication, as well as professional expectations. Creating a family and career achievements are part of the set of basic human desires, so any changes in these areas destabilize the psyche.

Intrapersonal form

An acute conflict with oneself caused by the discrepancy between reality and expectations, as well as age-related crises caused by the need to move to a new social level and associated with physiological changes (aging), have a detrimental effect on the psyche.

Psychological stress causes a set of standard reactions. At the initial stage, there is a sharp increase in activity and the release of internal mental resources. Potentially, a person in acute pain is capable of performing all sorts of feats and “miracles.”

Examples of acute psychological stress

A typical example of acute psychological stress is a situation when a person finds himself on the brink between life and death. Nervous tension caused by being in hot spot, allows the soldier for a long time not experience pain from a severe wound. A mother, observing a picture of mortal danger for her child, is able to activate incredible physical strength and easily push a heavy car away from her baby. A frightened person, who in ordinary life is unable to climb even to the second floor without shortness of breath, can easily jump over a two-meter fence if attacked by a dog.

Consequences of acute stress

When the moment of danger passes, a stage of relaxation begins and complete psychological exhaustion is observed. If physical recovery occurs relatively quickly (depending on the presence or absence of damage or illness), then the psyche can take years to recover. However, most often the consequences of emotional overload are severe physical illness caused by a weakened immune system or a malfunction of internal organs.

Everyday stress - office sickness

The most disgusting type of emotional overload is. The stress on the psyche is not particularly intense, but occurs cyclically - every day a person has to deal with a number of unpleasant and rather monotonous problems. The lack of vivid impressions, a change of environment, disruption of the daily routine and constant receipt of negative emotions leads to a state of chronic stress.

In the absence of proper treatment, a number of mental disorders may occur - depersonalization, neurosis, depression. A person who does not have deep knowledge of psychology is not able to cope with chronic stress on his own. It is necessary to consult an experienced psychologist who will select primary treatment. However, in the initial stages (before the onset of anxious apathy and a feeling of the meaninglessness of life), a change of environment (vacation) and normalization of the daily routine helps.

A very effective method of combating chronic stress is sufficient physical activity, as well as frequent walks in the fresh air. In a situation where serious personal changes are observed, it is wiser not to self-medicate, but to ask for help from a specialist.

The term “stress” (from English stress - pressure, tension) is borrowed from technology, where this word is used to denote an external force applied to a physical object and causing its tension, that is, a temporary or permanent change in the structure of the object. In physiology, psychology, and medicine, this term is used to designate a wide range of human conditions that arise in response to various extreme influences. Initially, the concept of stress arose in physiology to denote a nonspecific reaction of the body (“general adaptation syndrome”) in response to any adverse impact (G. Selye). Later it began to be used to describe the individual’s states in extreme conditions at physiological, biochemical, psychological, behavioral levels.

In modern scientific literature, the term “stress” is used in at least three meanings. Firstly, the concept of stress can be defined as any external stimuli or events that cause tension or excitement in a person. Currently, the terms “stressor” and “stress factor” are more often used in this meaning. Secondly, stress can refer to a subjective reaction and in this sense it reflects the internal mental state of tension and arousal; this state is interpreted as emotions, defensive reactions and coping processes occurring within the person himself. Such processes can contribute to the development and improvement of functional systems, as well as cause mental stress. Finally, thirdly, stress can be a physical reaction of the body to a demand or harmful influence. It is in this sense that both Cannon and Selye used the term. The function of these physiological responses is likely to support behavioral actions and mental processes by definition of this condition.

Due to the lack of a general theory of stress, there is no generally accepted definition of stress. R. Lazarus also noted that different ideas about the essence of stress, its theories and models largely contradict each other.

To explain the concept of stress, Lazarus formulated two main points. Firstly, terminological confusion and contradictions in the definition of the concept of “stress” can be eliminated if, when analyzing psychological stress, we take into account not only external observable stress stimuli and reactions, but also some stress-related psychological processes - for example, the process of assessing a threat. Secondly, the stress reaction can only be understood taking into account the protective processes generated by the threat - the physiological and behavioral systems of reactions to the threat are associated with the internal psychological structure of the individual, its role in the subject’s desire to cope with this threat. The nature of the stress reaction is causally related to the psychological structure of the individual, interacting with the external situation through the processes of assessment and self-defense.

A consequence of the ambiguity in the interpretation of the concept of “stress”, its burden with medical-biological and one-sided psychological concepts, is that some domestic authors prefer another concept to this concept - “mental tension”.

Psychological stress as a special mental state is a unique form of reflection by the subject of a complex, extreme situation, in which he is located. The specificity of mental reflection is determined by the processes of activity, the features of which (their subjective significance, intensity, duration of occurrence, etc.) are largely determined by the chosen or accepted goals, the achievement of which is encouraged by the content of the motives of the activity.

In the process of activity, motives are “filled” emotionally and are associated with intense emotional experiences, which play a special role in the emergence and progression of states of mental tension. It is no coincidence that the latter is often identified with the emotional component of activity. Hence the parallel use of such concepts as “emotional tension”, “affective tension”, “emotional arousal”, “emotional stress” and others. What all these concepts have in common is that they denote the state of a person’s emotional sphere, in which the subjective coloring of his experiences and activities is clearly manifested.

However, according to N.I. Naenko, these concepts are actually not differentiated from each other, the proportion of the emotional component in states of mental tension is not the same and, therefore, we can conclude that it is illegal to reduce the latter to emotional forms. This opinion is shared by other researchers who tend to consider the concept of “mental stress” as generic in relation to the concept of “emotional stress.”

A simple indication of the obligatory participation of emotions in the genesis and course of mental tension is not enough to understand their place in the structure of the corresponding states. Naenko’s work reveals their role in reflecting the conditions in which activities are carried out and in regulating these activities.

IN psychological structure mental tension, a special role belongs to the motivational and emotional components. The author, in theoretical and experimental research, substantiates the expediency of dividing the concept of mental tension into two types - operational and emotional. The first type is determined by the procedural motive of the activity, which either coincides with its goal or is in close relations with it. It is characterized by a close connection between the objective and subjective content of activity. The second type (emotional tension) is determined by the dominant motive of self-affirmation in activity, which sharply diverges from its goal and is accompanied by emotional experiences and an evaluative attitude towards the activity.

An analysis of the works of researchers who have studied the state of mental tension allows us to define it as a nonspecific reaction of activation of the body and personality in response to the impact of a complex (extreme) situation, which depends not only on the nature of extreme factors, but also on the degree of adequacy and susceptibility of a particular person’s body to them , as well as from the individual characteristics of the personal reflection of the situation and the regulation of behavior in it. [Zankovsky A.N. Mental tension as a personality property., 1989 by 2]

It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that researchers do not provide a clear semantic and phenomenal distinction between the concepts of “psychological stress” and “mental tension”. Moreover, the vast majority of them use these concepts as synonyms, characterizing the characteristics of mental states in difficult conditions of activity.

In a number of cases, attempts are made to “distinguish” the meanings of these terms by characterizing the degree of severity of these states: stress is usually considered as an extreme degree of mental tension, which in turn is used to designate states that have a strong and negative impact on activity, in contrast to the state of tension, which characterizes increased and adequate functioning of the body and personality.

It can be assumed that the nature of the relationship between the categories “motive - goal” of activity will be significantly reflected in the characteristics of the development and occurrence of psychological stress, and in this regard, this concept is perhaps more capacious than the concept of emotional stress.

However, until now, both of these concepts are used, as a rule, as synonyms and both of them do not have a sufficiently clear, much less unambiguous, definition.

Various researchers use the term “emotional stress” to designate various states of the body and personality: from states that are within the physiological and psychological boundaries of psycho-emotional stress, to states on the verge of pathology, mental maladjustment and developing as a consequence of prolonged and repeated emotional stress.

Isolating the category “emotional stress” and contrasting it to some extent with the concept of “stress”, which, according to Selye’s concept, is defined as a general adaptation syndrome, was certainly a progressive phenomenon. The introduction of this concept determined the objective criterion that allows us to generalize the huge diversity external influences oriented towards a person or animal from one position, namely from the position of their psychological essence for the individual. This identifies the primary triggering (causal) factor that determines the subsequent development of emotional reactions. It is a psychological state that arises in a given individual in response to influence. Therefore, along with the term “emotional stress,” the term “psychological stress” is also used.

G.N. Kassil, M.N. Ruslanova, L.A. Kitaev-Smyk and some other researchers understand emotional stress as a wide range of changes in mental and behavioral manifestations, accompanied by pronounced nonspecific changes in biochemical, electrophysiological parameters and other reactions.

Yu.L. Aleksandrovsky associates the tension of the barrier of mental adaptation with emotional stress, and the pathological consequences of emotional stress with its impulse. K.I. Pogadaev, taking into account the leading role of the central nervous system for the formation of the general adaptation syndrome, defines stress as a state of tension or overstrain of the processes of metabolic adaptation of the brain, leading to protection or damage to the body on different levels its organization through common neurohumoral and intracellular regulatory mechanisms. This approach focuses only on energy processes in the brain tissue itself. When analyzing the concept of “emotional stress,” it is quite natural to ask about its relationship with the concept of “emotions.” Although emotional stress is based on emotional tension, the identification of these concepts is not legitimate. It was previously noted that Lazarus characterizes psychological stress as an emotional experience caused by a “threat”, which affects a person’s ability to effectively carry out his activities. In this context, there is no significant difference between emotion (negative in its modality) and emotional stress, since the influence of emotional stress on an individual’s activity is considered as a determining factor. In psychology, this constitutes a traditional and fairly thoroughly studied problem about the influence of emotions on motivational and behavioral reactions.

In medicine, the main emphasis in assessing the essence of emotional stress is not on the initial states, but on the final phases of the emotional stress process, which are the pathogenetic basis of many diseases.

The phenomenon of emotional stress should be distinguished:

A complex of immediate psychological reactions. Which in general form can be defined as the process of perception and processing of what is personally significant for a given individual information contained in the signal (impact, situation) and subjectively perceived as emotionally negative(a “threat” signal, a state of discomfort, awareness of a conflict, etc.);

Process psychological adaptation to an emotionally negative subjective state;

A state of mental maladjustment caused by emotional signals for a given individual, due to a violation of the functional capabilities of the mental maladjustment system, which leads to a disruption in the regulation of the subject's behavioral activity.

Each of these three states (they are fundamentally similar to the general phases of the development of stress, but are assessed by psychological rather than somatic manifestations) is accompanied, according to the authors, by a wide range of physiological changes in the body. Autonomic, symptomatic-adrenal and endocrine correlates are found with any emotion or emotional stress (both positive and negative) during the period of psychological adaptation to stress and in the phase of mental maladjustment. Therefore, based on the listed set of reactions, it is not yet possible to differentiate emotion from emotional (psychological) stress, and the latter from physiological stress.

In the activities of a human operator, the main attention is drawn to the problem of the influence of the dominant emotional (mental) state on the process of his functional activity and on the effectiveness of his work. The state of emotional (mental) tension is precisely determined by the occurrence of interference in this activity, the appearance of errors, failures, etc. During the period of development of an immediate psychological reaction to extreme exposure, it occurs most often in emergency situations. At the first stage of the stress reaction, acutely developing emotional arousal plays the role of a disruptor of behavior, especially if the content of the emotion contradicts the goals and objectives of the activity. The complex process of analysis and planning of activity formation, selection of its most optimal strategy is disrupted.

Other concepts are also associated with the term “stress”, such as anxiety, tension, etc. According to Ch.D. Spielberger, a state of anxiety occurs when an individual perceives a certain stimulus or situation as containing actual or potential elements of danger, threat, or harm. State anxiety can vary in intensity and change over time as a function of the level of stress to which the individual is exposed. This position is also consistent with the author’s understanding of stress in the form of a set of external influences (stress factors), which are perceived by an individual as excessive demands and pose a threat to his self-respect and self-esteem, which causes a corresponding emotional reaction (state of anxiety) of varying intensity. The tendency to this kind of emotional reactivity is characterized as personal anxiety.

When describing anxiety as a process, it is essential not only to clearly separate the concepts of stress and anxiety, but also to focus on the concept of threat as a psychological reality. At one time C.D. Spielberger proposed using the terms "stress" and "threat" to refer to different aspects of the temporal sequence of events that manifest themselves in a state of anxiety. According to the author, the concept of “stress” should be used to correlate with stimulus conditions that generate a stress response, with factors that cause emotional reactions, as well as with motor-behavioral and physiological changes. Stress can be understood both as an intermediate variable and in a collective sense to reflect the entire field of study.

Spielberger proposes to use the term “stress” to denote the degree of distribution or magnitude of objective danger associated with the properties of the stimulus in a given situation. In other words, the term “stress” should be used exclusively to refer to environmental conditions that are characterized by a certain degree of physical and psychological danger. The author acknowledges that this definition of stress is obviously more limited, but at the same time more precise, than the one currently used.

In contrast to the concept of “stress,” which reflects the objective properties of stimuli characterizing the situation, the term “threat,” in the author’s opinion, should be used to describe the individual’s subjective (phenomenological) assessment of the situation as containing a physical or psychological danger for him. Undoubtedly, the assessment of a situation as dangerous or threatening will depend on individual differences in abilities, skills, personality traits, as well as on the specifics of the individual’s personal experience in experiencing such situations.

Spielberger believes that the term “state of anxiety” should be used to reflect the emotional state or a certain set of reactions that arise in an individual who perceives a situation as personally threatening, dangerous, regardless of whether there is or is no objective danger in this situation.

An analysis of the literature indicates that the concept of “stress” has undergone significant changes since its inception, associated both with the expansion of the scope of its application and, mainly, with the fundamental study of various aspects of this problem - causation, regulation, determination, manifestation, overcoming stress. The concept of “stress” is not always used with justification; sometimes it is replaced by other terms that are similar (but not always) in meaning - for example, quite often any emotional tension is called stress. The ambiguity of the concept of stress leads to differences in views on the essence of certain mental phenomena, discrepancies in interpretations of the phenomena being studied, inconsistency of the data obtained, the absence of strict criteria for their interpretation, the use of inadequate methodological research techniques, etc.

The logic of studying the problem and expanding the scope of manifestation of stressful conditions determine the need for further development of the conceptual apparatus in this area, differentiation and a clear hierarchy of basic concepts. This is evidenced by the fact that at present, along with the concept of “psychological stress”, which, as noted above, is considered by some as a synonym for “emotional stress”, differentiation of this type of stress in the concepts of “professional”, “informational” is increasingly used. , “operational”, “post-traumatic”, etc.