CAUSES OF STRESS

-Article by Amiya Santhosh

XII CIE
Introduction to Stress

Stress is a biological and psychological response experienced on encountering

a threat that we feel we do not have the resources to deal with.
A stressor is the stimulus (or threat) that causes stress, e.g. exam, divorce,
death of loved one, moving house, loss of job.
Sudden and severe stress generally produces:
● Increase in heart rate
● Increase in breathing (lungs dilate)
● Decrease in digestive activity (don’t feel hungry)
● Liver released glucose for energy

Stress can be external and related to the environment, but may also be caused
by internal perceptions that cause an individual to experience anxiety or other
negative emotions surrounding a situation, such as pressure, discomfort, etc.,
which they then deem stressful.

Many of life’s demands can cause stress, particularly work, relationships and
money problems. When you feel stressed, the stress itself can get in the way of
sorting out these demands, and can affect everything you do. Stress is an
inevitable part of life, but it is not a purely negative phenomenon. It can also
result from intense joy or pleasure as well as fear or anxiety. Researchers have
coined the term eustress, or beneficial stress, to reflect the fact that positive
experiences such as a promotion, marriage, having children and many others
are also stressful

Causes of stress

There are many different things in life that can cause stress. Some of the main
sources of stress include work, finances, relationships, parenting, and
day-to-day inconveniences.

Stress can trigger the body’s response to a perceived threat or danger, known
as the fight-or-flight response.During this reaction, certain hormones like
adrenaline and cortisol are released. This speeds the heart rate, slows
digestion, shunts blood flow to major muscle groups, and changes various
other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and
strength.

Common major life events that can trigger stress include:

● job issues or retirement

● lack of time or money
● bereavement
● family problems
● illness
● moving home
● relationships, marriage, and divorce

Other commonly reported causes of stress are:

● abortion or pregnancy loss

● driving in heavy traffic or fear of an accident
● fear of crime or problems with neighbors
● pregnancy and becoming a parent
● excessive noise, overcrowding, and pollution
● uncertainty or waiting for an important outcome

Lack of control Rotter (1966) identified a personality variable he called the

locus of control. People who attribute control to factors they cannot govern,
such as chance or the behaviour of other people, are described as having an
external locus of control. Those who believe that they are responsible for
themselves have an internal locus of control. Wallston et al (1978) developed
the health locus of control scale. This measure, which looks specifically at
individuals' beliefs about the factors that determine their health outcomes,
assesses three dimensions:

● Internal health locus of control - this is the extent to which individuals

feel able to be responsible for their own stress levels. For example, a
person may state "My own lifestyle choices are what will affect my stress
levels
 ● Powerful others' control over health - this refers to individuals' belief
that other, important, people (such as doctors, fan1ily and friends) play
an important role in their experience of stress. For example, a person
may hold views such as "Whenever I feel stressed, I should consult a
trained professional”

● Chance health locus of control - this refers to the role that individuals
assign to pure "luck” An individual may believe "No matter what I do, if
I am going to get stressed, I will get stressed'.'

Work (Chandola et al, 2008)

Investigated which biological and behavioral factors link work stress to

coronary heart disease (CHD). 10,308 civil servants from Whitehall, London
were recruited in this study. Data was gathered through questionnaires and
clinical assessments. Participants were classified as being under work stress if
the report job strain, felt job control was low and felt socially isolated at work.
Various follow-up measures were taken, including: Fatal and non-fatal CHD
episodes, Biological risk factors (e.g. morning rise in cortisol, blood pressure,
waist circumference, etc.), Behavioral risk factors (e.g. alcohol, smoking,
activity, diet). Results indicate that cumulative work stress is a high-risk factor
for developing CHD, especially at the younger, working aged population. 32%
of effect of work stress on CHD can be explained by the effect of work stress on
health behaviors such as low physical activity and poor diet. Chronic work
stress was associated with CHD and this association is stronger among
participants under 50.

Life Events (Holmes and Rahe, 1967)

Investigated on what makes a life event stressful. Used case histories and
interviews to study a large amount of people who suffered extreme stress.
Developed a social readjustment scale from these case material. Using 394
participants, researchers were able to rank 43 events on their scale. The events
ranged from most stressful (death of spouse, n = 100) to least stressful (minor
violations in law, n = 11
Personality (Friedman and Rosenman, 1974)

Believes that stress comes from the individual’s personality. Type A and B
models are used to explain this theory. These models were developed to
explain why some people are prone to CHD. People who seemed to be
particularly susceptible to CHD tended to have certain similar personalities.
As a result, the Type A and Type B personalities are developed. In a
longitudinal study, 3000 healthy men between aged 39 and 59 were assessed
to determine their personality type and then followed up for the next nine
years. The men were then split into two groups depending on whether they
were assessed as Type A or B. 70% of the 257 men who died were from the
Type A group. Concluded that people who are of Type A are more susceptible
to stress because of their behaviour traits. Type A people are also more likely
to suffer from stress-related illnesses

TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL & THEIR CHARACTERISTICS

TYPE A :-
1. Competitive
2. Works Fast
3. Strong Desire to succeed
4. Likes control
5. Prone to stress

TYPE B :-
1. Non-competitive
2. Works slowly
3. Less desire to succeed
4. Does not enjoy control
5. Less prone to stress

Coping
Although stress is inevitable, it can be manageable. When you understand the
toll it takes on you and the steps to combat stress, you can take charge of your
health and reduce the impact stress has on your life.
​ Learn to recognize the signs of burnout.
​ High levels of stress may place you at a high risk of burnout. Burnout
can leave you feeling exhausted and apathetic about your job.When you
start to feel symptoms of emotional exhaustion, it's a sign that you need
to find a way to get a handle on your stress.
​ Try to get regular exercise.
​ Physical activity has a big impact on your body and your brain. Whether
you enjoy Tai Chi or you want to begin jogging, exercise reduces stress
and improves many symptoms associated with mental illness.
​ Take care of yourself.
​ Incorporating regular self-care activities in your daily life is essential to
stress management. Learn how to take care of your mind, body, and
spirit and discover how to equip yourself to live your best life.
​ Practice mindfulness in your life.
​ Mindfulness isn't just something you practice for 10 minutes each day.
It can also be a way of life. Discover how to live mindfully throughout
your day so you can become more awake and conscious throughout your
life.
REFERENCES
https://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-biology.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_stress

https://www.verywellmind.com/stress-and-health-3145086

Work stress and coronary heart disease: what are the mechanisms?

Tarani Chandola , Annie Britton, Eric Brunner, Harry Hemingway, Marek Malik, Meena Kumari, Ellena
Badrick, Mika Kivimaki, Michael Marmot

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320410647_The_Holmes-Rahe_Stress_Inventory/link/5b6ff
59545851546c9fbf62e/download

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316936177_Type_AB_Personalities