Name : Usama

dept : kubs
Roll No : (34)
Subject : Human behavior
topic : stress
assigned by : sir fakhar e alam

What is Stress:
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or
sthought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stress is your body's
reaction to a challenge or demand. In short bursts, stress can be positive, such as when
it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline.

How does stress affect health?

The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be
positive, keeping us alert, motivated, and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes
negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation
between stressors. As a result, the person becomes overworked, and stress-related
tension builds. The body's autonomic nervous system has a built-in stress response that
causes physiological changes to allow the body to combat stressful situations. This
stress response, also known as the "fight or flight response", is activated in case of an
emergency. However, this response can become chronically activated during prolonged
periods of stress. Prolonged activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on
the body – both physical and emotional. Stress that continues without relief can lead to
a condition called distress – a negative stress reaction. Distress can disturb the body's
internal balance or equilibrium, leading to physical symptoms such as headaches,
an upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, sexual dysfunction, and
problems sleeping. Emotional problems can also result from distress. These problems
include depression, panic attacks, or other forms of anxiety and worry. Research
suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases. Stress
is linked to 6 of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments,
accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide

What are the warning signs of stress?

Chronic stress can wear down the body's natural defenses, leading to a variety of
physical symptoms, including the following:

 Dizziness or a general feeling of "being out of it."

 General aches and pains.
 Grinding teeth, clenched jaw.
 Headaches.
 Indigestion or acid reflux symptoms.
 Increase in or loss of appetite.
 Muscle tension in neck, face or shoulders.
 Problems sleeping.
 Racing heart.
 Cold and sweaty palms.
 Tiredness, exhaustion.
 Trembling/shaking.
 Weight gain or loss.
 Upset stomach, diarrhea.
 Sexual difficulties.

Tips for reducing stress

People can learn to manage stress and lead happier, healthier lives. You may want to
begin with the following tips:

 Keep a positive attitude.

 Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
 Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs
instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
 Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga, or tai-chi.
 Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.
 Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
 Learn to manage your time more effectively.
 Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive
stress in your life.
 Make time for hobbies and interests.
 Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful
events.
 Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.
 Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you love.

Types of Stress:
There are three kinds of stress that each take a toll on the body.
 Stress can help you know more quickly when you need help.Stress is our built-in
response to danger, a surge in hormones as we choose between fighting,
fleeing, or freezing. The danger may be real or imagined, immediate or farther
away; our bodies don’t know the difference. According to the American
Psychological Association, the three types of stress  acute stress, episodic acute
stress, and chronic stress can all make us feel out of sorts or even ill, but chronic
stress is often ignored.

Acute Stress :
You know the feeling when you’re behind on a seemingly all-important deadline and
then you get a call from your child’s school asking you to come by or you barely miss a
serious car accident. Your heart might race and your blood pressure might rise. Your
sense of emergency might trigger a migraine or even chest pain. Other possible
symptoms include irritability, anxiety, sadness, headaches, back pain, and gut
problems. These may appear for a short time and subside when the stress eases. Our
minds extend acute stress. A recent argument may replay in your mind, keeping you up
at night. Or you might keep worrying about the future, a deadline ahead. You might
benefit from learning techniques to calm your mind, but stress isn’t interfering with your
relationships or career.

Episodic acute stress:

Some people experience these mini-crises regularly and live in a state of tension. They
may be taking on too much or simply be overburdened by their lives. If you tend to
worry, your body will be tense or angry. The symptoms are similar but occur more often
and accumulate. Maybe your company is poorly managed and your boss is stressed
out, passing along emergencies to you. Those tight deadlines keep cropping up. In
modern life, we often can’t take big, immediate actions to solve our problems. Instead,
we can take small steps that build up over time. You might need to spend more time
getting physical exercise while rethinking your finances in case you need to quit. You
might need the help of a therapist to change your circumstances or your responses to
them. Over time, a pattern of episodic acute stress can wear away at your relationships
and work. That risk is greater if you turn to unhealthy coping strategies like binge
drinking, overeating, or clinging to bad relationships. Many people also slowly give up
pursuing pleasurable activities or meaningful goals. If poorly managed, episodic acute
stress can contribute to serious illnesses like heart disease or clinical depression.

Episodic acute stress occurs when someone gets frequent bouts of acute stress.
People with this kind of stress will oftentimes take on more responsibilities and projects
than they can handle. They may seem like they're constantly in a rush, always running
late, and are disorganized.

Signs of Episodic Acute Stress

Disorder

It can be difficult for people with

this disorder to get the treatment
they need because they feel as
though the stress is the right
reaction and their support system
may dismiss the symptoms. Some
signs of episodic stress include:

 Irritability or uncontrolled anger

 Rapid heartbeat
 Panic attack
 Heartburn and other gastrointestinal troubles
 Muscular pain and tightnessLeft untreated, this disorder can lead to larger health
problems, including
 Heart disease
 Frequent headaches
 Hypertension

Chronic Stress:
A patient with chronic stress almost constantly experiences elevated cortisol and
adrenaline levels. These feelings cause the patient to always feel on high-alert, have
difficulty relaxing, and even develop anxiety disorders.

Chronic stress is typically a response to one or more long-term triggers. For example,
someone with a chronically ill loved one may feel stressed more often than not in their
daily lives. Over time, this becomes chronic stress that can have several physical and
mental effects.

Signs of Chronic Stress

Someone with chronic stress disorder may exhibit several troubling symptoms. The
build-up of stress over time may cause them to act out or behave differently than they
used to. While this disorder affects everyone differently, some common symptoms
include:

 Extreme or unusual irritability

 Difficulty concentrating on daily tasks
 Frequent headaches
 Low self-esteem
 Changes in appetite and digestion
 Helplessness
 Sleeping problems
 Feeling out-of-control

Chronic Stress Effects

The signs of chronic stress are just some of the things that this disorder can cause in
the body. Over a long enough period, people with chronic stress may develop additional
complications of the body and mind. Without treatment, these patients may develop:

 Anxiety disorders
 Heart disease
 Weight gain
 Memory disorders
 Depression
 Digestive disorders
Chronic stress is the response to emotional pressure suffered for a prolonged period of
time in which an individual perceives they have little or no control.
Chronic stress this is stress resulting from repeated exposure to situations that lead to
the release of stress hormones. This type of stress can cause wear and tear 
Chronic stress causes the body to stay in a constant state of alertness, despite being in
no danger. Prolonged stress can disturb the immune, digestive, cardiovascular, sleep,
and reproductive systems. Other symptoms people may experience
include anxiety, depression sadness, anger irritability, social isolation, headache, skin
problems, menstrual problems, abdominal pain, back pain and difficulty
concentrating Other symptoms include panic attacks or a panic disorder. Chronic stress
can increase an individual's risk for psychiatric disorders and some physical disorders
such as cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Since chronic stress is due to a wide variety of environmental, nutritional, chemical,
pathological, or genetic factors, a wide range of physiological systems can be damaged.
Stress can cause such things as atrophy of muscles, push the body to store energy as
fat, and keep blood sugar abnormally high. All of these are symptoms of diabetes.
Overexposure to gluco corticoids can also cause hypertension (high blood pressure)
and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which increases heart attack risk.

How Stress triggers and Stress management

techniques:
We all experience stress for different reasons – one situation that stresses an individual
may not be stressful for someone else. Knowing what your stress triggers are is an
important step in understanding and managing your stress which is why, in this blog, I
explore some of the main stress triggers and share how you can identify and manage
them better.
Short-term or acute stress is a normal part of our life and is actually beneficial for our
health, however, when we experience stress long-term (also known as chronic stress) a
number of health problems can crop up as a result. Identifying what stresses you out in
the first place will help you to manage, cope and understand your stress better in the
future. Below I’ve listed a few of the main causes of stress to help you identify what
yours could be.

People may find that the following lifestyle measures can help them manage or prevent
stress-induced feelings of being overwhelmed.

 Exercise: A 2018 systematic review of animal studies found that exercise can

reduce memory impairment in subjects with stress, although studies on humans
are necessary to confirm this.
 Reducing the intake of alcohol, drugs, and caffeine: These substances will not
help prevent stress, and they can make it worse.
 Nutrition: A healthful, balanced diet containing plenty of fruit and vegetables can
help maintain the immune system at times of stress. A poor diet can lead to ill
health and additional stress.
 Priority management: It may help to spend a little time organizing a daily to-do list
and focusing on urgent or time sensitive tasks. People can then focus on what
they have completed or accomplished for the day, rather than on the tasks they
have yet to complete.
 Time: People should set aside some time to organize their schedules, relax, and
pursue their own interests.
 Breathing and relaxation: Meditation, massage, and yoga can help. Breathing
and relaxation techniques can slow down the heart rate and promote relaxation.
Deep breathing is also a central part of mindfulness meditation.
 Talking: Sharing feelings and concerns with family, friends, and work colleagues
may help a person “let off steam” and reduce feelings of isolation. Other people
may be able to suggest unexpected, workable solutions to the stressor.
 Acknowledging the signs: A person can be so anxious about the problem causing
the stress that they do not notice the effects on their body. It is important to be
mindful of any changes.

Noticing signs and symptoms is the first step to taking action. People who experience
work stress due to long hours may need to “take a step back.” It may be time for them to
review their working practices or talk to a supervisor about finding ways to reduce the
load.Most people have an activity that helps them relax, such as reading a book, going
for a walk, listening to music, or spending time with a friend, loved one, or pet. Joining a
choir or a gym also helps some people relax.

The APA encourage people to develop networks of social support, for example, by

talking to neighbors and others in the local community or joining a club, charity, or
religious organization.

Those who often feel as though they do not have the time or energy for hobbies should
try some enjoyable new activities that make them feel good. People can turn to their
support network if they need ideas. Being part of a group can reduce the risk of stress
developing and provide support and practical help when challenging circumstances
develop. People who find that stress is affecting their daily life should seek professional
help. A doctor or psychiatric specialist can often help, for example, through stress
management training.

Stress management techniques

Stress management can help by:

 removing or changing the source of stress

 altering how a person views a stressful event
 lowering the effects that stress might have on the body
 learning alternative ways of coping

Stress management therapy pursues one or more of these approaches.

People can develop their stress management techniques by using self-help books or
online resources. Alternatively, they can attend a stress management course.

A counselor or psychotherapist can connect an individual who has stress with personal
development courses or individual and group therapy sessions.