Meeting Life ChallengesClass 12 Psychology Notes

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Section 1 of 5

Nature, Types and Sources of Stress

Life constantly presents us with challenges, from everyday problems to major difficult circumstances. The way our body and mind respond to these challenges is called stress. While we often think of stress as negative, it's not always bad. In fact, a moderate amount of stress can be motivating and help us perform better.

Example
Think about crossing a busy road. The temporary stress you feel makes you alert and vigilant, helping you cross safely. This is a positive use of stress.

However, too much stress can be harmful, just like too much electricity can damage an appliance.

  • Eustress: This is the term for the level of stress that is good for you. It acts as a motivator and helps you achieve peak performance and manage minor crises.
  • Distress: This is the negative form of stress that occurs when eustress becomes too much to handle. It causes wear and tear on our bodies.

Essentially, stress is the pattern of responses our body makes to any event that disturbs our balance (homeostasis) and goes beyond our ability to cope.

Nature of Stress

The word stress comes from the Latin word 'strictus', meaning tight or narrow, which reflects the physical feeling of tightness many people experience when stressed.

  • Stressors: These are the events or conditions in the environment that cause stress. Examples include noise, crowding, a difficult relationship, or daily commuting.
  • Strain: This is the reaction we have to external stressors.

Two Views on Stress:

  1. Hans Selye's View: Known as the father of modern stress research, Selye defined stress as "the nonspecific response of the body to any demand". He believed that the body reacts with the same physiological pattern, regardless of the cause of the stress.
  2. Lazarus's Cognitive Appraisal Model: This modern view argues that stress is not just about the event itself, but about how we perceive it. Our response depends on our cognitive appraisal of the situation and our ability to cope. Stress is an ongoing process between an individual and their environment.

Lazarus's Two-Level Appraisal Process:

  1. Primary Appraisal: This is our initial assessment of a new or changing situation. We judge it as positive, neutral, or negative. If we see it as negative, we further appraise it for:
    • Harm: Damage that has already been done.
    • Threat: Possible future damage.
    • Challenge: The potential to overcome the event and even benefit from it.
  2. Secondary Appraisal: If we perceive an event as stressful, we then assess our own coping abilities and resources. We ask ourselves, "Can I handle this?" These resources can be mental, physical, personal, or social. If we believe we have the resources to cope, we feel less stressed.
Note
Our perception of stress is highly subjective. Past experiences and our sense of control over a situation significantly influence whether we see an event as a threat or a challenge.

Stress Reactions:

When we experience stress, our bodies and minds react in several ways:

  • Physiological Reactions: The hypothalamus activates two pathways. One involves the autonomic nervous system releasing hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine (causing the fight-or-flight response). The second pathway involves the pituitary gland secreting cortisol to provide energy.
  • Emotional Reactions: These include negative emotions like fear, anxiety, anger, or depression.
  • Behavioural Reactions: Common responses are either confronting the stressor (fight) or withdrawing from it (flight).
  • Cognitive Reactions: These include beliefs about the threat, its causes, and its controllability. It can lead to an inability to concentrate and repetitive, morbid thoughts.

Types of Stress

Stress can be categorized into three main, interrelated types:

  • Physical and Environmental Stress:

    • Physical stresses are demands that change our body's state, such as physical overexertion, injury, lack of sleep, or a poor diet.
    • Environmental stresses are aspects of our surroundings like air pollution, crowding, noise, or extreme temperatures. Catastrophic events like earthquakes or floods also fall into this category.

  • Psychological Stress:

    • These are stresses we generate in our own minds. They are internal and unique to each person. Key sources include:
      • Frustration: Occurs when our needs or goals are blocked.
      • Conflicts: Arise when we have to choose between two or more incompatible needs or motives (e.g., continue studies or take a job).
      • Internal Pressures: Stem from our own high expectations, like the belief "I must do everything perfectly."
      • Social Pressures: Result from excessive demands made on us by other people.

  • Social Stress:

    • This stress is caused by our interactions with other people. Examples include the death of a family member, strained relationships, or trouble with neighbours. What is socially stressful varies from person to person.

Sources of Stress

Stress can arise from various events and conditions in our lives.

  • Life Events: Major changes, whether planned (moving to a new house) or unplanned (a relationship breakup), can be stressful because they disrupt our routine. When several major life events happen in a short period, coping becomes difficult.

  • Hassles: These are the minor, annoying stresses of daily life, such as traffic jams, quarrelsome neighbours, or water shortages. While they seem small, the cumulative effect of daily hassles can significantly impact our psychological well-being.

  • Traumatic Events: These are extreme events like fires, accidents, robberies, or natural disasters. The effects can be long-lasting, causing symptoms like anxiety, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts. Professional help is often needed to cope with severe trauma.