Stress: causes, main signs and methods of combating

Work that requires complete dedication, household chores and caring for family, communication with friends and family, visiting beauty salons and fitness centers in order to maintain beauty and health. And most of us try to do all this in 24 hours a day. As a result, we experience stress.

It is very important to recognize stress in time. It is important to know yourself and be able to determine when your level is beyond your limits, because you can get used to stress and make it part of you. It can become normal and you won't even notice how harmful it can affect you. Stress will not only make you feel like life is meaningless, but it will also increase your risk of various diseases.

What is stress?

Stress is a tense state of the body that appears as a defensive reaction to the influence of various unfavorable factors. Many people, being stressed every day, do not even understand that this is an abnormal phenomenon that needs to be gotten rid of. Stress awaits a person everywhere: at home, at work, on public transport. When stressful situations are irregular, there is nothing to worry about. But when the state of stress lasts a long time and occurs frequently, it is called distress. Against this background, serious illnesses may develop.

Causes of stress

Stress occurs in a person for various reasons. The main factors provoking an unstable state include two main groups of relationships: personal and work. Operating factors include:

• Excessive or insufficient load.
• Poor relationships with colleagues.
• Harsh physical working conditions.
• There is no mutual understanding with management.
• Simultaneous execution of several tasks.

Personal factors include: problems and frequent quarrels in the family, poor nutrition, sleep disturbances, and problems with self-esteem.

Symptoms of psycho-emotional stress

Psycho-emotional stress is characterized by disruption of the functioning of internal organs, as well as mental disorders. A person often begins to have headaches, stomach ache, and blood pressure rises. Weakness appears and sleep is disturbed. If the main symptoms occur, you need to take immediate action and not aggravate the condition.

Physiological signs

When a person gets into a state of stress, he begins to experience constant anxiety and nervousness. An unstable mental state affects the functioning of the entire body, causing the following negative physiological changes:

• Fatigue and weakness.
• Indigestion accompanied by constipation or diarrhea.
• Tremor of the limbs.
• Hair loss.
• Development of skin diseases.
• Heart pain, tachycardia.
• Losing or gaining weight for no apparent reason.
• Headache.
• Insomnia.

People who are in a state of initial or chronic stress have decreased libido and are often plagued by panic attacks.

Psychological signs

High susceptibility to stress is associated with an unstable mental state of a person. He becomes irritable and indecisive. Often feels anxious, suspicious, and panicky. A person under stress cannot concentrate and his memory deteriorates. The mood is most often bad, you don’t like your work, you don’t like your colleagues. Against the backdrop of poor psychological well-being, self-esteem decreases.

Behavioral symptoms

People with mental and physiological disorders begin to experience negative changes in behavior. The person becomes restless and withdrawn, he has no appetite. Loss of appetite often causes weight loss. Behavioral signs also include:

• Speech impairment.
• Loss of interest in one's appearance.
• Incorrect time management.
• Constant rush for no reason.
• Problems in the family or at work are not solved, but only worsen.

High stress levels in the body provoke the development of alcoholism and drug addiction. A person still tries to cope with problems, relax and forget.

Consequences of constant stress

1. Heart attacks . Stress leads to increased blood pressure. Every time you get stressed, your blood pressure goes up. In addition to this, your blood flow also increases significantly, which leads to the release of triglycerides and cholesterol into the blood. People who smoke and are obese are also at higher risk of serious heart problems.
2. Choking . Children who are regularly stressed are at higher risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma. Studies in children have shown that stress can significantly worsen asthma. There is also evidence to suggest that chronic stress in parents can negatively impact the health of their children.
3. Gastritis . Some people with chronic stress suffer from gastritis, which further complicates their condition. Stress-induced gastritis, also known as stress-related erosive syndrome, can cause superficial hemorrhages and mucosal erosion in patients who are seriously ill and in people exposed to stress.

Stages of stress development

The effect of stress on the body can be considered as a process that consists of three successive stages of development. Stress should not be confused with nervous tension. The second state is short-term in nature and refers to mental unrest. There are no hormonal surges or changes in the functioning of internal organs due to nervous tension.

First stage: anxiety

The first phase of anxiety occurs as the body's reaction to stimuli. A person experiences a burst of energy, his blood pressure rises, and he begins to worry. The body begins to produce cortisol and adrenaline - stress hormones. In such a state, it is difficult to calm down and pull yourself together.

Second stage: resistance

At this stage, the production of stress hormones decreases somewhat, and the body functions normally, but is on high alert. At this stage, the person calms down a little, and the psychological manifestations of stress disappear.

Third stage: exhaustion

At the third stage, somatic diseases begin to develop. Immunity decreases, against the background of this, protective functions weaken. If the body is in a state of stress for a long time, then disturbances in the functioning of the immune, cardiovascular system, digestion and other organs inevitably develop.

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What signs indicate chronic stress?

Signs of Chronic Stress

Symptoms of stress fall into four categories:

Physiological symptoms

They manifest themselves in increased blood pressure, chest pain, migraines, insomnia, decreased appetite or, conversely, its excessive increase. The person feels apathy, fatigue and weakness. He loses interest in the opposite sex.

Social symptoms

They are expressed in increased conflict, sometimes out of nowhere. Often the “victims” become close and dear people, upon whom accumulated tension and anger fall.

Emotional symptoms

They manifest themselves in aggression or tearfulness, irritability. A person experiences sudden outbursts of anger, and his or her mood may change dramatically.

Cognitive signs

This is a decrease in concentration, memory impairment. At the same time, the criticality of thinking and the perception of new information changes. A person copes worse with problems and tasks, loses professional skills.

Stress has a destructive effect on the entire body, not just on the emotional state and cognitive functions. Our entire body is permeated with nerve endings. If it begins to affect the nervous system, chaotic signals can go throughout the body, all depending on what is actually happening in the body. For example, your shoulder may hurt even though there is no damage to it.

Nerve endings are our only way of communicating with the world. Thanks to them, we feel touch, the temperature of objects, even sound and image enter our brain through nerve fibers

That is why any disorder of the nervous system affects our communication with the outside world. Our body needs stress, but its excess must be kept under control.

Prevention of stress conditions

To prevent acute stress from causing harm to the body, its occurrence and development should be prevented. Preventative measures for stress may include the following:

• Systematic physical exercises. To develop the respiratory system, it is recommended to attend dancing, swimming, and running in the morning.
• Balanced diet. It is necessary to balance the diet, introduce foods rich in vitamins and microelements into the menu.
• Follow the correct daily routine, close to the natural biorhythms of a person. Try to go to bed no later than midnight.
• Meditation. This will help the body restore lost strength and energy. You should devote an hour a day to meditation. Pleasant music will help you recover.

Medicines should only be prescribed by a doctor; self-medication is not recommended.

Diagnosis and treatment of stress at Expert Clinics

Expert Clinics is a European-level clinic in Moscow, which fundamentally and comprehensively deals with the diagnosis and treatment of stress, as well as its consequences.

First of all, you should make an appointment. Next, based on the patient’s complaints, a treatment plan is prescribed.

It is important to understand that stress is not cured with one or two visits to the doctor. Recovery occurs in stages. It is important that this path becomes conscious for you. And correct and timely diagnosis of stress will be an important step towards a happy life.

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Types of stress

Psychologists differentiate stress by the duration of symptoms and the cause of their occurrence. Various life situations can influence the development of stress. Only people with a healthy psyche, as well as those who lead a healthy lifestyle, can avoid it.

Chronic emotional stress

This type of stress occurs when you spend a long time in a negative atmosphere. These may be problems in the family that no one can solve. Over time, tension develops into stress, which leads to the development of mental and physiological abnormalities. Experienced psychologists will help you cope with chronic stress.

Psycho-emotional

The main sign of psycho-emotional stress is the presence of emotion in the stress reaction or the inclusion of motivation in it that causes the emotion. A person’s emotional mood in relation to a stimulus causes mental stress.

Destructive

This type manifests itself in two ways. A person may fall into a stupor, become lethargic and apathetic. He is not interested in life and all its joys. Or, on the contrary, an impulsive reaction may occur. The person becomes overly active and fussy. He takes on many things and does not complete any of them.

Short-term

The body's response to a brief but significant impact of a stressful source can be both short-term and long-term. It depends on the severity of the situation and the internal state of the person. People with unstable psyches experience shocks for a long time.

Interior

A stressful state affects all functions of the body, including the functioning of internal organs. Against the background of psychological stress, problems with digestion, breathing, and heart function begin. The help of a psychologist will help not only get rid of psychological problems, but also normalize the functioning of internal systems.

Positive

A slight nervous shock allows you to mobilize internal resources and find a way out of a difficult situation. Usually this is a short-term single stress that quickly passes. A positive shake-up does not bring any consequences for the body.

Nervous

A strong shock or negative situation affects the state of the nervous system. At the same time, the human body begins to produce adrenaline, which further provokes the development of stress. In cases of nervous stress, people are often prescribed antidepressants that improve the condition.

Informational

This type of stress occurs when there is information overload. It is usually experienced by people who do the work and bear great responsibility for the result obtained. When a person does not have time to make the right decision, a stressful situation arises.

Stress. Twenty-one reasons and what to do with them

Preface by Lakhta Clinic. In the twentieth century, several theories appeared that can rightfully be called popular science. Not in the sense that they are primitive, understandable to everyone, liked by everyone and discussed competently by everyone. Alas, the opposite is true: only a few narrow specialists working in the relevant fields truly understand the essence of the problems, the formulation of the questions and the proposed methods for solving them, and only a handful of people on the globe are able, “standing on the shoulders of the titans,” to develop revolutionary ideas and theories to move forward. The rest of humanity gets along just fine without even an approximate understanding. This is not a reproach at all; This has always been the case and, apparently, it will be so in the coming centuries. Another thing is more interesting: some terms and expressions, borrowed from a variety of sciences, for some reason seem intuitive and universally explanatory, as a result of which they become so well-known, popular, and commonly used throughout the world that they begin to live their own lives at the level of everyday language and collective consciousness. At the same time, the scope and content of terms, as a rule, expand to infinity, going far beyond the initial clear framework and extending to any everyday situations. “Action is equal to reaction”, “everything in the world is relative”, “conditioned reflex and Pavlov’s dog”, “Schrödinger’s cat” (thanks to its difficult fate, this animal became the hero of jokes and memes on the Internet), “black hole”, or, say, “subconscious” (by the way, did you know that not a single truly competent psychologist with a university education uses the vulgarized term “subconscious”, preferring to study the “unconscious”?). The names of Wilhelm Roentgen, Albert Einstein, Ivan Pavlov, the same Erwin Schrödinger - and all these are Nobel laureates - are constantly heard, they are known, in general, to everyone. It's not about the awards, however. For various reasons, Isaac Newton, Sigmund Freud, Stephen Hawking and many, many others, whose influence on the culture of the Earth is enormous and undeniable, did not become laureates. These include Hans Selye, whose research is responsible for the worldwide popularity of another meta-concept, which, in terms of frequency of use, probably occupies one of the leading, if not the first, positions among similar “everyone understands” words. This refers to the concept of “stress”.

As if Providence itself had prepared universality and cross-culturalism for Hans Selye: by birth Janos Scheie, he was the son of a Hungarian and an Austrian, born in Austria-Hungary (1907), studied in Czechoslovakia, Italy, the USA, and then lived until his death (1982). and worked in Canada. He did not receive the Nobel Prize, although he was nominated at one time: apparently, bad proceedings regarding the sources of funding for the main direction of his research had an impact. But all this no longer matters: the main thing is that the whole world today complains about “stress” - although Selye himself, God knows, is not at all to blame for our stress. In general, he meant something slightly different compared to the meaning that most of us give to this word. Actually, it was not Selye who came up with this term, but the American psychologist of the classical school Walter Cannon, just as the notorious “subconscious” was proposed not by Freud, but by Pierre Janet.

The original meaning of the English word “stress”, be it a noun or a verb, is semantically related to pressure, load, imprinting, shaking, impact (if you remember, on the first PCs running MS-DOS, “Strike...”, or “Press...” were often offered. , or “Hit...”, or “ Stress any key”). In the late, final version of Selye’s concept, stress is understood as any external influence that threatens to remove the body from equilibrium homeostasis (constancy of internal conditions). In another meaning, stress is “a set of nonspecific adaptive reactions.” Non-specific, i.e. the impacts can be different (infection, injury, unpleasant situation, etc.), and in response to them the same, for example, the temperature rises, the heartbeat and breathing become more frequent. It is important that Selye was not a psychiatrist or psychologist; his medical specialty was endocrinology, and thus stress is not a household concept, but a neuroendocrine and psychophysiological one. In the early stages of his research, Hans Selye did not use this term at all; he dealt with the so-called. general adaptation syndrome, developing and arguing this concept in detail. In particular, Selye’s ideas about the three phases or stages of the adaptation reaction are widely known: mobilization-resistance-exhaustion. According to Selye, stress for the body is not just normal, it is the most important evolutionary mechanism of “fine tuning to a specific situation,” allowing us to survive without any special consequences where a less flexible, nimble, resourceful, quick-reacting biological machine would simply die. And not immediately did Selye begin in his works to differentiate physiological, normal stress, leading to the accumulation of useful experience and additional “training” of the body, from pathological stress, which leaves certain negative consequences, dysfunctions, maladaptive disorders (“diseases of adaptation,” as he called their author). Selye called “good” stress eustress, and “bad” stress – distress. Ideas about distress closely resonate with another important medical theory of the twentieth century - the concept of psychosomatic diseases (see, for example, “Bronchial asthma”, “Gastroduodenitis. Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum”, “Neurosis”). What we will talk about next is, of course, not stress in general, but specifically distress, and almost exclusively distress of the information type.

And what do we understand by stress - we, who are “well-almost-already doctors”, “who have read a lot on medicine” or “also some kind of specialists” - when we use this red word where it is necessary and where it is not necessary? Whatever. It seems that any doctor who sees patients will now smile and nod his head with great knowledge of the matter: if a person complains about the stress he has experienced (especially in the formulation “I had nervous stress, doctor... well, you understand...”), this phrase may hiding psychosis, and neurosis, and depression, and a dented bumper, and a panic attack, and an acute reaction to stress, and a surgical operation, and a family scandal, and a lack of money, and claims to the government, and our mediocre lost semi-final... in a word, anything. Everything that we don’t like or makes us nervous, distracts, disturbs, excites, angers, frightens, suddenly makes us happy. Everything that seems stressful to us. Anything that is even remotely similar to this word or consonant with it. Soon it will be possible to consider him originally Russian.

This is the property of universal meta-concepts.

The material published below is translated. For the editors of the Lakhta Clinic website, it is always interesting and useful to turn to the experience of foreign colleagues - and how they supposedly cope with one of the main common problems, as they explain in simple words to their readers (ranging from a housewife and a schoolchild to an academician inclusive) very, very difficult things. It is obvious that any medical information resource must master this art perfectly. The healthy lifestyle portal with the simple name Health is extremely popular and is visited by a huge English-speaking audience. Let's see what exactly this audience reads about stress and its main causes. Both in the modern world are hardly very different in different countries and on different continents. Over to Amanda McMillan and Corinne Miller.

And lastly, so as not to be distracted later: the vocabulary and style, if possible, are preserved by the author, and the notes and clarifications where they were needed are ours.

What is stress, exactly?

As long as you remain a living, breathing human being, you will face stress at certain points in your life. This is your body's response to challenges or demands placed on it, as defined by MedLinePlus (website of the US National Library of Medicine).

These are completely normal sensations, and in some cases they can be of benefit to you (for example, they help you avoid dangerous situations). But if they drag on for a long time, they can put you at risk for quite serious health problems, such as depression or anxiety, or even become a source of, for example, chronic skin problems.

You may be very aware of what your specific stress triggers are—working against a deadline or fighting with your spouse—but these factors can also creep into your life in other, sometimes unexpected, ways. Twenty-one of the most common factors that can cause unwanted stress are discussed here.

Significant other

Even if you are simply blissfully living together and in a relationship with your partner or spouse, you are both doomed to sometimes do something that gets on the other’s nerves. “Early in a relationship, there tend to be issues with space and habits, such as whether you squeeze the toothpaste from the middle or the bottom of the tube,” says Ken Yeager, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. . “Later, you may have conflicts about raising children or financial problems, and you will need to learn to present a united front to solve these problems together.”

So what is the key to a long and happy life together? In finding balance, K. Yeager answers: in spending the right periods of time together (not too short and not too long); in the ability to compromise, remain honest and open with each other, and remember and acknowledge daily why you love each other.

Everyday irritants

We're constantly told to "not sweat the small stuff" and "not to sweat the small stuff," but it's often the little things that have the greatest negative impact on our mood: endless phone calls with the insurance company, the rude cashier at the grocery store, the unsuccessful 20-minute search for an empty seat. for parking.

“We allow these things to irritate us because they trigger unconscious fears,” notes Ken Yeager, “of being seen as irresponsible, of being bullied or ridiculed, or, say, of being late for something. Sometimes you just need to take a step back and really appreciate the fact that you are now doing the best you can do under the circumstances.”

Other people's stress

In 2014, a study was carried out in Germany, the results of which indicate that stress is contagious and contagious. In a series of experiments, the majority of those participants who simply watched other people perform stressful tasks also found increased secretion of cortisol, the “stress hormone.” This phenomenon is known as empathic stress. You may also become stressed if someone you know is the victim of a traumatic situation, such as a car accident or serious illness. As Dr. Yeager says, “...you start to worry: oh my God, this could happen to me! Usually we try not to think about such things, and we don’t even think about it until trouble happens somewhere near our home.”

Social media

It may seem like social networks like Facebook or Instagram are the only way to maintain friendships with people you don't see regularly - and during particularly busy periods, you see almost none of your friends. But the same social networks, according to numerous studies by the Pew Research Center, can also have the opposite effect: thanks to them, you instantly learn about all the stressful situations and events happening in the lives of your friends, and thereby add stress to your own life. Although the Pew Research Center failed to conclusively prove this as a general rule in 2015, earlier studies have shown that frequent use of social media can lead to, at the very least, negative body image and a significant prolongation of the period of “mental pain.” in case of relationship breakdowns.

Abstraction

Shifting your attention can be a great thing to do to help you take your mind off a stressful situation or a difficult decision—for example, taking a break from your busy work to meet a friend for lunch. However, this also works in the opposite direction, namely: you may find that you are intensely thinking about something stressful and this prevents you from fully enjoying what is happening around you “now and here”. This type of distraction can be called one of the recipes for stress.

“Various practices for increasing alertness, thoughtfulness, and focus ensure that your brain is refreshed and at peak productivity when needed,” says Richard Lenox, director Student Advisory Center at Texas Tech University. And he adds: “Being completely focused on your surroundings when you're walking or driving is a good idea. Stress and anxiety tend to dissolve when the focus is on the present.”

Your childhood

Traumatic events you experienced as a child may continue to increase your stress levels and negatively impact your health as an adult. In 2014, specialists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison conducted a study, the results of which showed that negative childhood experiences can actually change the functioning of those parts of the brain that are responsible for processing stress and emotions. The conditions in which you grew up can still influence your daily level of anxiety (one of the meanings of the English term “angst” is existential anxiety, which in this case is more accurate). Also in 2014, this was confirmed by researchers from Johns Hopkins University. It has been shown that those children whose parents suffer from social anxiety disorder have a higher risk of developing the so-called. downward, “trickle down” anxiety - not only due to genetic factors, but also due to the characteristics of parental behavior, in particular, a lack of emotions and warmth, or a high level of criticism, doubts, demands, etc.

Tea and chocolate

You probably know that you shouldn’t drink too much coffee if you feel “on edge.” Dr. Ken Yeager reminds us: “Caffeine always makes stress worse, that's what we know. But you may not realize that several cups of tea or a candy bar in a row contain almost as much caffeine as a cup of strong coffee. Chocolate, for example, is a powerful source of caffeine, and I personally know some people who don’t drink coffee at all but eat six chocolates and bars in two hours because they unconsciously crave an extra jolt.” In other words, caffeine abuse in any form can lead to irritability and emotional instability, sleep and digestion problems.

Your expectations

When things don't go a little differently than you planned, do you tend to get frustrated, discouraged, and defensive, or do you respond to fate by adapting as you go and developing a new plan?

If the first, then you drive your own thinking onto pessimistic tracks and develop the psychology of a “victim of circumstances,” which gradually weakens you, even if in reality the situation is not as bad as it might seem to you. “Your level of serenity and tranquility is inversely proportional to your expectations,” K. Yeager succinctly formulates. This doesn't mean, of course, that you shouldn't set ambitious goals for yourself or settle for less than you deserve, but being realistic in your expectations and assessments of opportunities is actually very important.

Your reaction to stress

If you tend to try to cope with stressful situations by working continuously for long hours, skipping regular exercise and/or eating large quantities of unhealthy food, then the bad news for you is that you are only making things worse for yourself. And again, let's turn to a specialist for explanations: “We all know that physical activity and a healthy diet help the body cope better with stress, and yet we often neglect this method when it is most needed,” says K. Yeager . “People should really think about this stress vortex that it’s so easy to get sucked into, and do something meaningful to counteract it.”

Multitasking

Think you're super efficient if you're trying to solve four problems at once? Rather, it's just the opposite: it only reduces your productivity, while at the same time increasing your stress levels. You can refer, for example, to a 2012 study at the University of Irvine (California). Among other things, the findings suggest that people who respond to emails all day while trying to work are more likely to experience heart rate variability (a strong indicator of mental stress) than those who put off correspondence and do not try to immediately respond to everyone who writes. Focusing on one task at a time can ensure that you do the job to the best of your ability and ability, and you won't have to worry about the outcome or go back and forth to fix it. And don't worry: you will always have enough time to get everything done. Actually, you yourself can easily see that you have much more time than you think.

Favorite sport

If you're a fan and your favorite team is playing hard, it can be stressful—even if your team is winning. “The body doesn't always differentiate between the 'bad' stress associated with life or a demanding job and the 'good' stress and excitement on the day of a big game,” says Jodi Gilchrist, a nurse practitioner at the University of Alabama Birmingham Cardiovascular Clinic. Binge-watching sports can even activate the sympathetic nervous system (see Adie Syndrome), releasing increased amounts of adrenaline and reducing blood flow to the heart. These temporary, transient effects are usually not a cause for concern, but over time, chronic stress can lead to persistent increases in blood pressure and generally increase the risk of serious illness. And of course, drinking alcohol and gluttony only aggravate the situation, which is already stressful for your body. “The outcome of the match is not up to you,” says J. Gilchrist, “but you can at least limit the adverse effects for your own sake.”

Digital devices

“Whether it's for work or play, technology can be very bad for your mental health,” says Ken Yeager. – Using computers or e-books immediately before bed can cause various dyssomnias, i.e. Sleep disorders, as well as a passion for virtual communication, can turn real human interactions into something stressful. On top of this, typing away at yourself incessantly does not activate the same “feel good hormones” that are released in a face-to-face conversation.

Finally, sooner or later, a catastrophic “work failure” will occur if employees are tied to their work via smartphones, even during breaks or on weekends. People say, for example, that they just need to stop by for a second and check their email, but in reality the messages you receive fill you with new responsibilities, new tasks and dilemmas, and all this remains in your head for hours, where it is difficult to isolate or block anything during the rest period.

Your (good) health

It may not be as stressful as having a chronic illness or hearing bad news at the doctor's office, but even people in great shape worry about their health, diet, fitness level, etc. In fact, people who take their commitment to a healthy lifestyle to the extreme are at risk of experiencing some unhealthy side effects. Thus, adherents of low-carbohydrate diets are more likely to report feeling sad or signs of stress, while adherents of any restrictive diets feel more tired than usual. And it is by no means unique for someone to become completely obsessed with healthy eating (orthorexia) or exercise (hymorexia). Like any other form of perfectionism, such extremes can be stressful to say the least and, in the worst cases, very dangerous.

Household

Does folding and folding laundry calm you down, or does it make your blood boil with anger?

If you are in a situation in life where you feel responsible for doing an unfair amount of housework, then even the tasks you once enjoyed may now feel like torture. Dividing household duties and parental responsibilities fairly can be difficult, especially if both parents work outside the home. And your attitude towards homework depends on whether you consider the current division to be equal or unequal.

Uncertainty

According to Ken Yeager, stress can be interpreted as any perceived or real threat, and any doubts that plague you can contribute to increased anxiety levels on a daily basis. “When you know that something can change at any moment, you are constantly on guard, and it is difficult for you to even just relax, let alone enjoy reality.” Financial uncertainty may be the most obvious example of such a stressor: not knowing whether you'll keep your job during the next downsizing, or not knowing how you'll pay all your mortgage bills. Lack of security in other areas of your life, such as close relationships or a place to live, can also literally eat away at you.

Pet

It doesn't matter how much you love your furry friends, but there's no doubt that their presence adds extra responsibility to a cup that's already nearly overflowing. Even a healthy animal must be fed and walked, cleaned up after it and given regular attention; if the pet is sick, then this is a completely different story. “Pets can be the most positive source of unconditional love, but they also require a lot of energy,” says Yeager. “In addition, people tend to underestimate the stress they face when they lose a pet. More than once or twice in my office people told me that they cried more about their dead dog than about their dead parents. It's a very intense emotional connection."

Your education

Having a higher education increases your chances of getting a well-paid job. So while there may be less risk of stress and anxiety that may be associated with your financial future, questions about your education may put you under a different type of stress. This is stated in a research report conducted in 2014 by the team of Professor Scott Schieman at the University of Toronto. It was found that highly educated people are more susceptible to stress, which is caused by pressure from functional duties and responsibilities, overload, and conflicts between work and family. “High levels of power and responsibility come with much heavier interpersonal burdens, such as the need to monitor other people's work or make decisions about their career advancement,” says S. Shiman. “People with such responsibilities begin to perceive certain things, such as someone’s incompetence or shirking of duties, as their own personal problem, which ultimately increases their stress levels dramatically.”

Noise

If you live on a busy street in a big city, you are chronically exposed to acoustic pollution.

Numerous studies have shown that even low levels of constant noise can cause sleep disturbances, which in turn is a stress trigger. Noise can also directly cause stress if you voluntarily or involuntarily fixate your attention on it (hello, who would enjoy a day spent listening to the sound of jackhammers?). “The most stressful thing is an unpredictable, high-pitched noise,” says Frank Ghinassi, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Center for Behavioral Therapy at Rutgers University. – In general, this is any noise that you can hear in an urban environment. It can interfere with concentration and thus require increased energy expenditure to overcome this frustration.”

Psychologist John Mayer, Ph.D., owner of the podcast “Anxiety's a B!tch,” adds: “Specifically, your amygdala, the brain structure that Normally regulates emotions. And if the noise is detected, the amygdala activates the release of cortisol.”

Get stressed. Should you wrap it?

Life during a pandemic

It's easy to give up and convince yourself that you're doing everything right during a global pandemic. However, J. Mayer believes that it is much more difficult not to fall victim to at least one of the factors of the COVID-19 crisis, be it irritation about the inability to carry out a normal lifestyle, anxiety about the place of work or the real fear of contracting the coronavirus. “First of all, a person’s defense mechanism of denial is triggered,” says Mayer. – And if it seems to you that the stressors are somewhere out there, far beyond the boundaries of your own life, this means that this psychological defense mechanism is already involved. You can continue to live in denial until you or someone close to you suffers the immediate consequences of the pandemic, but the stress remains with you all the time.”

“The problem here is that stress accumulates over time, leaving you feeling completely exhausted,” adds F. Ghinassi.

Nagging

On the one hand, if you whine and complain about fate, then you get rid of the painful thoughts that have accumulated inside, as if in a corked bottle. But on the other hand, you once again double-check and repeat everything that has already become a source of constant tension, and again you get upset.

Frank Ghinassi recommends reconsidering the manner of wording, while trying to make the reason for whining less scary. One example: call something “annoying” (meaning it's something you can live with) rather than calling it “horrible” (which sounds borderline catastrophic).

Alcohol

Of course, sometimes a glass of wine after a long hard day can help you relax. But sometimes this can also work against you. Alcohol can actually cause the stress hormone cortisol to be released, leaving you even more groggy when it comes to coming out of your relaxed state. According to John Mayer, if you drink too much, you'll later struggle with things like memory problems and difficulty verbalizing judgment, which don't do anything to reduce your stress levels.

Based on materials from the Health website

See also Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Types of responses to stress

All people react to stress differently. Some become despondent and apathetic. Others begin to show aggression. If measures are not taken in time, the state of stress can turn into prolonged depression, which can only be cured with the help of specialists.

Defensive reaction

A person under stress is always in tension. The most common defensive reaction is aggression or irritability. A person cannot show patience and tact, and breaks down over trifles.

Depression

A mental disorder that develops from various causes requires qualified treatment. Depression often affects people who cannot solve their problems for a very long time. Alcoholics and drug addicts also suffer from depression.

Ways to get out of stress

You can get out of stress on your own, it is only important to find a suitable way. The most important thing is to bring bright colors into your life, improve your mood, and learn to think positively. Even in a negative situation, you can see the benefits if you want.

Healthy lifestyle

It is necessary to build the correct day and night routine. Meals should be complete and on time. Moderate physical activity, sports and healthy family relationships will only help overcome stress. Don't overwork yourself at work and at home.

Vitamins

Overcoming stress is possible for everyone. It is important that the body receives all the necessary vitamins and microelements. You can buy pharmaceutical complexes, and also eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins. In a healthy body, protective functions work perfectly. The psyche and internal systems are not so susceptible to stress.

Rest

Rational rest helps relieve stress and restore. You can’t work too hard, because psychological fatigue is added to physical fatigue. And this is already fraught with stress. During rest, you should not think about work, but while at work, you should not think about home. The ability to switch will help avoid stress.

Full sleep

Nothing restores the body better than healthy, full sleep. During sleep, the body produces hormones responsible for growth and restoration of functions. Therefore, you should try to go to bed before 23-00 in order to get enough sleep and wake up cheerful and in a good mood.

Hobbies

When a person does what he loves, he experiences joy and satisfaction. Any hobby may take time, but it has a beneficial effect on a person’s mental state. This helps to get rid of problems and forget all the bad things for a while. A rested brain will quickly tell you how to cope with negativity.

Physical exercise

Regular physical activity will help release excess adrenaline and help the body relax. Exercising in the fresh air will help normalize breathing and enrich internal organs with oxygen. A morning jog in nature will have a positive effect on your mood, and happiness hormones will begin to be produced.

Aromatherapy, dancing, music

The healing power of aromatic oils has been known since ancient times. They can be added to the bath, applied to the body, or used as an air freshener. When essential oils enter the body, they cause a surge of good mood and euphoria, and calm the nervous system. Dancing and pleasant, soothing music, such as classical, have the same effect on a person.

Treatment of stress

Do not delay making an appointment with a specialist if you feel that you cannot cope with stress on your own. Based on the patient's complaints, a treatment plan is prescribed.

An approximate treatment regimen looks like this:

• Therapeutic practice with a psychologist. At the moment, there are many psychological techniques that will help you cope with stress and return to normal life. The specialist will choose the one you need based on the patient’s condition and personal characteristics.
• Collection of analyses. Since stress can affect many organs, it is important to identify the problem early.
• Drug therapy. If the stress is not prolonged, then mild sedatives are prescribed that will reduce anxiety and anxiety. In more severe cases, patients are recommended to take tranquilizers and antidepressants.
• Relaxation. Healthy relaxation techniques include breathing techniques, massage and yoga.

Fighting stress in a clinic in Moscow

When you can’t cope with stress on your own, you need to seek help from specialists. Our clinic has created all the conditions to combat psycho-emotional disorders. Each patient has an individual approach, treatment is carried out in several stages. For the greatest effectiveness, complex treatment is used, including drug therapy and psychological assistance.

Drug therapy

Reducing stress occurs with the help of high-quality and effective medicines. Thanks to effective medications, a person’s sleep is normalized, anxiety levels are reduced, and the functioning of internal systems is normalized. Clinic specialists prescribe medications individually to each patient, depending on the severity of the stressful condition, age and the presence of concomitant diseases.

Help from a psychologist

Prolonged experiences, anxiety and panic negatively affect the human psyche. Drug treatment alone is not enough to relieve the patient from stress. This requires the help of an experienced, qualified psychologist. The specialist will conduct a personal conversation and identify the reasons that led to the stressful situation. The support of a psychologist will help you cope with difficulties and problems without harm to the body.

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Symptoms

Symptoms of nervous stress are as follows:

• Uncontrollable panic;
• Increased heart rate;
• Increased sweating;
• Unreasonable anxiety;
• Anxiety;
• Increased muscle tension;
• General fatigue;
• Sleep disturbance;
• Irritability;
• Loss of concentration.

Symptoms can increase gradually or suddenly fill the consciousness. Panic attacks most often do not last long. Psychologically, they are expressed by uncontrollable and inexplicable horror. Physiologically, panic is manifested by increased heart rate and sweating, chest compression, and suffocation. Nausea appears, breathing becomes shallow, and the body begins to tremble. A rise in temperature can also be a sign of a panic attack. The most obvious signs of this are anxiety and restlessness.