Stress- an appropriate adaptive reaction that ensures adaptation to diverse living conditions. This concept was introduced by the English scientist G. Selye. Stress literally means tension.

American psychologists Holmes and Ray developed a scale of stressful situations, distributing important life events according to the degree of emotional stress they cause. The highest score on this scale is the death of a close relative. Next in descending order comes divorce, imprisonment, serious illness, large debt... Researchers believe that the accumulation of stress exceeding 300 points over the course of 1 year poses a serious threat to our mental and even physical well-being.

The paradox is that this scale also includes events such as a wedding, the birth of a child, an outstanding personal achievement, moving to a new place of residence, and even a vacation. Thus, if within a year you managed to graduate from university, find a job and new housing, get married, go to honeymoon and have offspring, then your personal indicator of emotional stress begins to go off scale. The result is “inexplicable” irritation and loss of strength.

There are 3 phases in stress:

1. Anxiety reaction;

2. Stabilization phase;

3. Exhaustion phase.

In the first phase, the body functions with great stress. By the end of this phase, performance and resistance to a specific traumatic stressor increase.

In the second phase, all parameters that were thrown out of balance in the first phase are stabilized and strengthened at a new level. The body begins to work in a relatively normal mode. But if stress continues for a long time, then due to the limited reserves of the body, the third phase (exhaustion) becomes inevitable. The last phase may not occur if there are enough adaptation reserves.

For some people under stress activity continues to grow, there is an increase in overall tone and vitality, self-confidence, composure and determination. For others, stress is accompanied by a decrease in activity efficiency, confusion, inability to focus attention and maintain it at the required level of concentration; fussiness, speech incontinence, aggression, and signs of psychological deafness in relation to others appear.

The most destructive stressor is recognized mental stress, the result of which is neurotic states. Their main source is information deficiency, a situation of uncertainty, the inability to find a way out of a critical situation, internal conflict, a feeling of guilt, attributing responsibility to oneself even for those actions that did not depend on the person and which he did not commit.

Frustration(from lat. frustatio -“deception”, “frustration”, “destruction of plans”) is a human state caused by objectively insurmountable (or subjectively perceived) difficulties that arise on the way to achieving a goal.

Frustration is accompanied by a whole range of negative emotions that can disorganize consciousness and activity. In a state of frustration, a person can show anger, depression, external and internal aggression.

The level of frustration depends on the strength and intensity of the influencing factor, the person’s condition and his or her existing forms of response to life’s difficulties. Especially often the source of frustration is a negative social assessment that affects significant relationships personality. A person’s resistance (tolerance) to frustrating factors depends on the degree of his emotional excitability, type of temperament, and experience of interaction with such factors.

A person experiences the most severe stress when there are negative changes in relationships with those closest to him, significant people(parents, children, spouses, close friends). The loss of a partner (spouse) affects the 4 most important areas of socio-psychological functioning of relationships.

Firstly, the possibility of comparing human judgments, including those about one’s own importance, with the opinion of the person most significant to the individual is lost. The loss of a partner’s point of view can create difficulties for confident, appropriate behavior; a state of self-doubt arises, which can lead to the destabilization of interpersonal relationships. Second, social and emotional support is lost. Thirdly, material and targeted support is lost. Fourthly, a feeling of social security.

Thus, it is obvious that stress is an integral part of our lives. It is caused by any somewhat significant events - both pleasant and unpleasant. And dealing with stress would mean not only an attempt to prevent potential bad luck, but also a rejection of unnecessary achievements and the joys of life.

No matter how hard a person tries to avoid unpleasant experiences, it fails. But negative experiences are just as necessary in life as positive ones. As J. Steinbeck noted: “What is the use of warmth if the cold does not emphasize all its charm?”

To overcome negative experiences and prevent them from turning into pathological stress, psychologists suggest:

Physical activity, as the simplest means (walking, playing sports, various types physical work);

Changing types of activities, when positive emotions from a new type of activity displace negative ones.

To relieve the state of tension, a thorough analysis of all components of the stressful situation is necessary, shifting attention to external circumstances, accepting the situation as an already accomplished fact.

Stress (English stress – pressure, pressure, tension) is a condition that occurs in response to extreme exposure – a stressor [ 43 ]. The word “stress” came into English, and now into Russian, from Old French and Medieval English and was initially pronounced as “distress”. The first syllable gradually disappeared due to “smearing” or “swallowing” and now the word “stress” is understood to mean “ distress” (English distress - grief, need).

Distress always harmful or unpleasant [40, p.29], causes negative emotions, a feeling of displeasure. In contrast to him “eustress” causes positive emotions, a feeling of pleasure. Of course, it would be more convenient to divide the concept of “stress” into “distress” and “eustress” and operate with these two concepts, but the use of the word “stress” in the sense of “distress” has become so widely and deeply used that in order to avoid misunderstandings we will consider that stress – a state of mental tension that causes negative emotions.

Depending on the stress factor, there are two main types of stress: physiological And psychological. Psychological will be divided into informational And emotional; the latter develops in situations of threat, danger, resentment, etc.

Eustress Distress

Physiological Psychological

Informational Emotional

Figure 17 – Types of stress

The founder of the concept of stress, Canadian physician Hans Selye (1907–1982) in 1936, established that any type of stress causes the same type (nonspecific) reaction of the body, which became known as general adaptation syndrome (GAS) [40, p.35]. In it, G. Selye identified three phases (stages): first – reaction of alarm and mobilization of the body’s defenses. In this phase, the body begins to adapt to new conditions. At this stage, a person copes with the load through the functional mobilization of the relevant organs and systems of the body, without structural changes.

In the second phase - resistance phase– all parameters that were brought out of balance in the first phase are stabilized and fixed at a new level. There is an intensive overexpenditure of adaptation reserves. The duration of resistance depends on the innate adaptive ability of the body and the strength of the stressor. If the stressful situation continues to persist, then the third phase begins - exhaustion, because the ability to adapt is not unlimited.

Duration of stress

1 – phase of the alarm reaction and mobilization of all forces

2 - phase of resistance and adaptation

3 – exhaustion phase

Figure 18 – Three phases of stress

In the third phase, so-called adaptation diseases or stress diseases may appear, when the body’s adaptive reaction acts as a pathogenic factor (for example, inflammatory changes in joints, eye tissues, hypertension, neuropsychiatric disorders. Excess of steroid hormones, for example, the release of which is the body's first endocrine reaction to stress; with frequent and intense stress, it can contribute to the occurrence of lesions of the gastrointestinal tract (steroid ulcer), etc.

Emotional stress- a state of tension in body functions caused by exposure to an emotionally significant stimulus for the individual. The main cause of emotional stress is conflict situations in which a person for a long time cannot satisfy an urgent, vital social or biological need.

Failure of one or another function of an organ (for example, the secretion of bile, insulin and other hormones, gastric juice, immunoglobulins, etc. and the development of the corresponding disease are due to genetic predisposition and their selective involvement in emotional arousal.

Observations and experiments have shown that the development of emotional stress in a conflict situation in different individuals can lead to different results.

With high stress resistance, there may not be any violations. In other cases, either disturbances in the activity of the nervous system may develop in the form neuroses, or violations somatic functions of individual organs in the form of coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, damage to the gastrointestinal tract, etc. In certain cases, a combined violation of both functions may be observed.

Which organ will be damaged as a result of stress? Hans Selye himself, who studied the physiological mechanisms of adaptation to stress in the laboratory for almost four decades, believes that adaptation diseases selectively affect predisposed body area. “But whether the heart, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract or brain are affected depends largely on random conditioning factors. In the body, as in a chain, the weakest link breaks, although all links are equally under load” [Selye, p. 40].

Research has shown that the degree of exposure to stress is largely determined by temperament. Choleric and melancholic people are more susceptible to it.

The influence of stress on activity [Karpov, p. ]

The effect of stress on activity depends on the phase of stress.

Mobilization phase– stress has a sthenic effect on all mental and physiological processes. All the body's resources are mobilized, perception, attention, memory are sharpened, long-term memory is translated into increased readiness, originality, productivity and creativity of thinking increases. Observed the phenomenon of hyperactivation of thinking and other processes. The ability to formulate alternatives and analyze them increases, which increases the efficiency of decision-making processes. Performance results improve.

Adaptation phase – a person adapts to the current situation, all functioning parameters are fixed at a new level - the person “gets involved” and gets used to it. Performance indicators are consistently high. But a person cannot work “at the limit” for long. Sooner or later exhaustion sets in.

Exhaustion phase – the phase when strength is exhausted and the psyche begins to malfunction. How far can this go? To consider the phenomena occurring in this phase, we divide this phase into two stages: disorder stage (corresponds to the branch of the graph descending to the level of normal mental activity) Andstage of destruction (corresponds to the branch of the graph below the x-axis - which has passed down beyond the line of the level of normal mental activity) - see figure .

On stage of the disorder changes occur primarily in the cognitive sphere, therefore the productivity and adequacy of information processing and creativity of thinking decreases. The scope of perception narrows, the quality of RAM decreases, and the ability to retrieve information from long-term memory decreases - observed the phenomenon of blocking past experience. Particularly significant changes are characteristic of thinking. His stereotypicality increases, productivity and ability to adequately process information sharply decrease. The search for a solution is replaced by attempts to remember solutions encountered previously ( phenomenon reproduction thinking); originality of thinking decreases ( phenomenon flattening of thinking).

For activity as a whole, attempts to organize it become characteristic not by the type of creating a method adequate to the situation, but by the type of finding a familiar method in past experience (the phenomenon algorithmized activities). In management decision-making processes, a phenomenon arises global reactions. It consists of a tendency to choose too general and imprecise options for action; decisions lose specificity and feasibility; in addition, they become either impulsive or overly drawn out - inert. It is clear that performance results are significantly deteriorating.

Destruction stage is characterized by a complete disintegration of the ability to organize activity and significant disturbances in the mental processes that ensure it. There may be a phenomenon blockade of perception, pacrumpling, thinking(phenomena such as “I don’t see or hear anything, I don’t understand”, “it’s dark in my eyes”, the phenomenon of a “white veil”, as well as memory loss, “switching off thinking”, “intellectual stupor”, etc.). The main regularity of the destruction phase in terms of the general organization of activity and behavior is that they take on one of two main forms: destruction by type hyperarousal and destruction by type hyperinhibition In the first case, behavior becomes completely chaotic, constructed as a chaotic sequence of disorganized actions, actions, impulsive reactions - the person “does not find a place for himself.”

In the second case, on the contrary, there is a complete blockade of activity and behavioral activity, a state of inhibition and numbness, “switched off” from the situation arises. The destruction phase is no longer characterized simply by a decrease in efficiency indicators

Karpov A.V. writes the following: However, along with general reactions, there are also quite pronounced individualsignificant differences in response to stress influences. They are expressed in the comparative duration of the indicated phases; in their general dynamics; depending on performance indicators on the strength of stress influences. To denote the “measure of a person’s resistance to stress”, the concept is used stress resistance personality. This is the ability to maintain high levels of mental functioning and activity under increasing stress loads. An important aspect of stress resistance is the ability not only to maintain, but also to increase indicators of efficiency and productivity under stressful conditions. In other words, this ability depends on how strongly the first phase of stress development is represented in a person - the mobilization phase.

Depending on the degree of stress resistance, as well as the ability to withstand stress for a long time, there are three main types of personalities. They differ in how for a long time a person can maintain stability (resistance) to the temporary pressure of chronic stressful conditions, which characterizes his individual threshold of stress resistance. Alone Managers can withstand stressful workloads for long periods of time by adapting to the stress. Other even with relatively short-term stress influences they already fail. Still others– in general, they can only work effectively under stress. Accordingly, these three types are designated as "ox stress", "rabbit stress" and "lion stress"(drawing) [according to Karpov, p. 459].

Under conditions of long-term stress, which is most characteristic of a manager’s activities, individual differences in resistance to it also appear depending on the parameter internality–externality personality. Typically, resistance is significantly higher in people of the interval type and lower in external people. The methods of adaptation and overcoming stress for the former are more constructive in nature, while for the latter they can be based on the type of refusal to actively and constructively overcome the situation (“come what may”).

Work intensity

Limits

"Ox Stress"

Conditional limit of stress loads

its general breakdown (which corresponds to the extreme values ​​of the descending branch of the graph in Fig. 19 ).

."Lion Stress"

10 Operating time

Rice. 19. The main types of personal resistance to stress according to

Another important condition for stress resistance is general motivational focus personality, its dominant orientation is either personal and career (“ on myself"), or socio-professional (" to the point"). It has been shown that the dominance of personal, including career, motives reduces stress resistance, while the dominance of motives associated with a professional orientation increases it. In this regard, two forms of behavior under stress are described - the so-called fear control And hazard control. In the first case (characteristic of a personal orientation “on oneself”), a person looks for ways to protect himself, reduce the consequences of the situation for himself personally, loses control over the situation to a greater extent and, ultimately, therefore “gives up” constructive attempts to organize activities. In the second case, control over the situation is maintained longer: ensuring personal safety is built as an attempt to constructively overcome a dangerous situation, and through this, eliminate the consequences for oneself. The second type of behavior is significantly more effective, and for the activities of a leader it is generally the only acceptable one.

Objective characteristics of stress [Aismontas]

Physiological level:

motor stiffness or restlessness;

changing the sensitivity threshold within different limits;

impaired motor coordination;

yawning, unreasonable tears or laughter, flushing or paleness of the face, hyperhidrosis, finger tremor, body itching, etc.

Psychological level:

disorders of all types of memory in various combinations;

attention – scattered and easily distracted;

thinking – difficult or accelerated;

speech difficulty or activity;

perception – inadequate;

accelerated experience of time;

sensory disorders.

Socio-psychological level:

reduction in qualitative and quantitative performance indicators;

disruption of activities;

reactions at the extreme points of the “excitation - inhibition” scale (panic - stupor);

inappropriate behavior.

Types of stress by duration

1. Short-term

2. Episodic

3. Chronic

Types of stress depending on the cause

1. The stress of dashed hope

2. Stress of pre-launch states

3. Stress of wasted time

4. Stress of change

5. Stress of monotony

6. Stress of passivity

7. The stress of unattainable perfection

8. Stress of suddenness

9. Stress of satiety

10 Achievement stress.

Major stressors

1. Information overload

2. Information uncertainty

3. Responsibility

4. Lack of time

5. Interpersonal conflicts

6. Intrapersonal conflicts

7. Multifunctionality of activities

8. External environment

9. Forced inactivity

10. Dissatisfaction with work, salary, position

11. Feeling of uselessness, uselessness and helplessness

12. Career growth anxiety

13. Difficulties in relationships with management, colleagues, relatives

14. Dichotomy between work and family

15. “Weather in the House”

16. Feeling unwell

17. Lack of independence, being in a dependent position

18. Injustice.

What to do about these stressors? Divide all stressors into three groups:

1. Those you can eliminate

2. Those you can loosen

3. Those with which nothing can be done.

“Lord, give me the strength to change what I can change, patience to endure what I cannot change, and the intelligence to separate the first from the second.”

And behave accordingly: fight; humble yourself and endure; or leave eventually.

Regardless of age, profession and gender (although it is a more common phenomenon), every person is subject to stress, which occurs in the same way for everyone. Therefore, in psychology the concept of “3 stages of stress” has emerged - anxiety, resistance and exhaustion.

The concept of “stress” was introduced into psychology in 1936 by Hans Selye. It is believed that the 3 stages of stress are his merit.

The main cause of stress is the regular influence of negative factors that are perceived by the body as dangerous. Accordingly, the person reacts to them inadequately. Negative factors can be anything - physical fatigue, illness, actions of people around, road accidents, etc.

When experiencing stress, a person gets health problems - rapid heartbeat, sexual disorders, increased blood pressure, stomach problems. The fight against stress should begin from the first stage.

Phases of stress

– Phase 1. Alarm reaction;

– Phase 2. Resistance stage;

– Phase h. Exhaustion stage.

Main characteristics of the stages of stress

The first stage of stress is a feeling of anxiety. The adrenal glands produce norepinephrine and adrenaline, hormones that prepare the body for defense. They affect the immune system and digestion, so a person, feeling anxious, becomes vulnerable to disease. This explains the fact that a person, feeling anxious, begins to eat a lot or goes to the other extreme - he can completely refuse food. In the first case, the walls of the stomach are stretched and the pancreas is loaded. A malfunction occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, the body begins to produce excessive amounts of enzymes that “corrode” the intestines from the inside. In the second case, the stomach suffers: gastric juice is produced, which begins to corrode the walls of the mucous membranes, and this is dangerous for the development of ulcers.

If we consider the 3 stages of stress, the first stage can be recognized by the following symptoms:

– aggression;

– depressive state;

– irritation;

– restless sleep;

– excessive appetite or loss of it.

At the anxiety stage, a person has poor digestion and elimination of food (natural bowel movements are disrupted).

If a stressful situation is resolved quickly or a person can give a natural reaction to stress (for example, this can manifest itself in the form of fight, flight), then the stress goes away on its own. If its solution is delayed, then the second stage is activated - resistance or resistance. The body adapts to the surrounding circumstances, a new surge of strength begins, and depression goes away. Signs of psychological stress become less pronounced. Irritation and anxiety almost completely disappear. The person seems adequate and cheerful again. But over time, the influence of the stressor may manifest itself again. Then the 3 stages of stress will remind you of themselves through exhaustion. It occurs when stress lasts for a long period.

If you do not provide adequate relief from stress, the body's reserves may become depleted. Then illnesses, injuries, even mortality (in severe cases) are possible.

The third stage resembles the first, only with it it is impossible to mobilize the body’s forces, the limit of which is reached. The body “cries out for help,” which is expressed in the appearance of somatic disorders and serious illnesses. A person may experience a nervous breakdown and severe depression. At the exhaustion phase, the stress dynamics are already irreversible. A person cannot get out of his condition without outside help. He has to take sedatives and visit a psychologist.

A person under stress needs help. Starting from the second stage, you cannot do without the help of doctors. Therapy must be comprehensive. It is important to give a person psychological support and help him change his lifestyle. Changes must occur radically - for example, the daily routine must change, the amount of alcohol must be reduced, physical activity. Physical activity– one of the best helpers.

Aware means armed. To paraphrase a well-known proverb, let's get acquainted with the stages of development ✅STRESS in order to panic less and remain calm.

A stressful state is familiar to almost everyone, and it usually becomes the basis for the appearance of any psychosomatic pathologies. A person in such a situation needs help, which depends on at what stage of stress therapy will be started. The phase influences the selection of techniques aimed at preventing the progression of the condition and getting rid of it negative influence on the body.

When does stress develop?

The formation of stress is caused by physical or psychological reasons.

The first group includes:

• burn;
• bone fracture;
• severe pain;

• surgical intervention;
• significant hypothermia or overheating;
• sepsis;
• infectious diseases, especially difficult to leak;
• overwork, heavy physical professional activity;
• severe environmental pollution.

Psychological factors are very diverse and are divided into two subgroups: internal and external.

The first include:

• strong and sharp fear;
• disappointment;
• availability internal conflict;
• the desire for perfectionism;
• pessimism;
• imbalance between a person’s own expectations and reality;
• high or low self-esteem;
• peer pressure;
• feeling of missing something important in life;
• impossibility of self-realization and self-expression.

External factors include:

• action that threatens life or health;
• attack by a person or animal;
• conflict situations at work or at home;
• financial problems;
• military situation in the country;
• natural or man-made disasters;
• divorce proceedings.

Phases of stress development

The state of stress varies in nature and etiology, but the principle of its formation is the same. G. Selye worked on systematizing the main stages of stress; according to his scheme, they guide the treatment of this condition. In this regard, the phases are also called Selye's triad.

The three stages of stress are called: anxious, resistant and the stage of exhaustion.

Phase 1 – alarming

Stress begins with the anxiety stage. It consists of the reaction of organs and systems to the increased secretion of stress hormones, which prepares it for further self-defense or escape. Two hormones primarily take part in the formation of this phase:

• adrenalin;
• norepinephrine.

They are synthesized by the adrenal glands.

The digestive tract and immune system are involved. There is a sharp decrease in the body's ability to resist the action of pathogenic factors, which increases the chances of developing any diseases. Appetite disappears, food is less digestible and its elimination is impaired.

At this time, some resources are also mobilized, and the perception of information, attention and memory are significantly improved. The phenomenon of hyperactive thinking is observed, when the ability to analyze the situation and options for action increases, the process of making any decision becomes more effective.

Phase 2 – resistant

When the first stage of development of a stressful state is completed, the second - resistant (resistance or adaptation) begins. The body functions in a mode similar to normal. He seems to get used to stress, and the psychological traits represented by anxiety, increased excitability and aggression are subtle or absent. The activity of all systems is increased and is at the maximum of its capabilities.

Phase 3 – exhaustion

The final stage in the formation of stress is exhaustion. All mobilized reserves of the body weaken, unable to withstand the load.

Changes in psychological state are divided into two additional stages: disorder and destruction.

• At the first stage, there is a decrease in productivity in any activity. The process of receiving and processing information becomes more difficult, and memory deteriorates. Several phenomena occur at this time. The first of them is a blockade of past experience, when the ability to receive an answer from one’s own long-term memory deteriorates. Another phenomenon is called reproduction of thinking. At the same time, a person, instead of looking for a solution to some issue, tries to remember other decisions that he made earlier. The last phenomenon is the flattening of thinking, when the ability to present is lost. original ideas and thoughts.
• The second stage is destruction, when significant disturbances occur in mental processes. A blockade of perception, memory and thinking occurs, which is also called intellectual stupor, alternating with amnesia. Destruction occurs according to the type of hyperexcitation or hyperinhibition. The first option is characterized by chaotic, impulsive behavior without meaning. The second version is characterized by a state of numbness, when a person simply ceases to perceive himself as part of some situation. At the same time, physiological exhaustion becomes the cause of the development of new and exacerbation of old somatic pathologies.

Therapeutic assistance for stress

A person copes with the first stage of stress on his own. To do this, he needs rest, isolation from the stress factor and healthy sleep.

Subscribe to our VIBER channel!

At the second and third stages it is no longer possible to do without outside help. In accordance with the state of the body, the causes of stress and the phase, the psychotherapist develops a scheme of regular meetings with the patient, using relaxation and recovery techniques peace of mind which, in his opinion, are suitable for the patient. He also gives recommendations on lifestyle changes and exercises to do at home. If necessary, the doctor prescribes appropriate medications.

Stress is an integral part of life, but the extent of its impact varies depending on the phase. To help a person in this condition, it is necessary to address the root causes of stress and select treatment methods that correspond to one of the three stages. Prevention is also important, including maintaining proper nutrition, a normal sleep-wake cycle, and maintaining a balance between work and rest. published .

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness, we are changing the world together! © econet

Today, the word stress is familiar to many, but not everyone knows its exact meaning and what stages of stress are usually distinguished in psychology and medicine.

Stress is the body's reaction to stimuli that exceed the natural threshold of sensitivity. Absolutely anything can be a stressor, even natural weather changes.

Every person subconsciously considers the safety of his life, loved ones and relatives to be the most important value. Therefore, with any threat in this direction, the body immediately reacts in the form of stress.

Lack of money and dirty tricks with it cause a stressful process in the body.

Any conflicts in couples, the inability to organize personal life, divorce, betrayal, can cause a state of severe traumatic stress and trigger self-destruction mechanisms. It is these facts that explain the large number of suicides motivated by love.

Washed away life? How to find your place in this world? Why can’t I be a leader in a team? Misunderstanding with parents. These problems cause stress in children, more often in adolescents. If assistance is not provided in a timely manner, the likelihood of death is also high.

A large number of specialists have studied the stressful state of a person, and each of them has identified the main stages of stress.

Return to contents

Types of stress

In medicine, it is customary to classify stress into two types: positive and distress (negative). Considering psychological signs manifestations, there are several types of stress:

1. Informational. The reason for its occurrence is information overload. Most often, this is a person’s increased interest in some issue that requires quick study large quantity information.
2. Emotional. The reasons for triggering the stress mechanism are situations that threaten the life of the person himself or his loved ones.
3. Biological. This type is characterized by the inclusion of the protective phase of the body in the fight against stress.

Return to contents

Dynamics of stress

A person who is under stress needs to organize the right help, i.e. select the necessary recovery steps. To do this, you need to understand what types and stages of stress development there can be:

1. Stage of tension. Some psychotherapists and psychologists use another concept - mobilization. A person becomes more active, begins to remember more, and his productivity in the workplace accelerates. It is at this stage that a person can give his best, while doing everything on time and in the best possible way. External stressful situations only enhance the intensification of all processes, which makes it possible to involve a person in any activity as much as possible. The uniqueness of this phase is that a person not only completes all the tasks assigned to him, but at the same time shows creativity and originality. This phase in medicine is considered as a mobilization reaction of the psyche to the complexity of external stimuli and situations.
2. Internal stress or stage of maladjustment. This is a consequence of mobilization, provided that it lasts a long period of time. The person stops performing minimum required work, sometimes prohibited braking occurs. Disorganization and forgetfulness become clearly noticeable; decisions are made without making advance calculations. All work performed has a lot of errors. Changes in the nature of thinking become especially noticeable. It becomes stereotypical, sometimes information is processed in an inappropriate way.
3. Stage of disorganization. This stage is characterized by changeable mood, inadequate reaction to many situations, and loss of control over one’s emotions and behavior. If you do not respond to this condition correctly and on time, it can cause serious diseases in the human body. A person’s activity and perception of everything around him occurs according to two principles: hyperexcitation or hyperinhibition.

When contacting a specialist, the stage of development of stress must be taken into account: it is this knowledge that helps to quickly find a way to eliminate them and return the patient to normal life.

Return to contents

Selye's theory

An interesting experiment on studying stress and its stages of development was conducted by Hans Selye at the Medical Institute. According to his observations, it was clear that any serious disease in humans causes the same symptoms. Why is this happening? He took patients with various complex diseases, mostly fatal ones, and observed the reasons for their development in the body.

An interesting discovery was that almost all patients, before a complex diagnosis, received for a long time an increased dose of adrenaline, which was released in their body. Stress stimulated this release. Therefore, Selye identified the following stages of stress:

1. The first stage of stress. A person has a constant feeling of anxiety. All the body's forces are directed to fight this feeling. Normal control over the functioning of organs is lost, and the stomach, intestines, adrenal glands, and immune system are the first to react. From severe stress, according to the scientist’s observations, even death may occur. Body temperature rises high or drops to critical levels, the body ceases to control the proper functioning of internal organs.
2. Second stage of stress. If the body has not received complete exhaustion at the first stage, then the resistance mechanism is activated. Anxiety disappears and natural coping mechanisms are activated.
3. The third stage of stress. If professional help has not been organized for a person who suffers from stress, then the third phase may occur. Natural reserves of energy are running out. Anxiety returns and irreversible processes occur in the body. This phase is already irreversible, the physical body gradually ceases to adequately respond to brain impulses, and death occurs.

Modern medicine uses this scientist as a basis for its treatment, which makes it possible to successfully combat many deadly ailments of the body.

Return to contents

Manifestations of stress in human behavior and activity

Listed above are all the objective signs by which one can judge the presence of stress. This can be anxiety, irritability, restlessness, fatigue, tension in the body, pressure surges, problems in the cardiovascular system. But the most problematic thing remains a sick imagination, which actively begins to work at the first manifestations of a stressful situation.

As numerous studies have shown, 70% of many problems are far-fetched and are only the product of a sick imagination.

A person begins to consider each situation in more detail, to think out non-existent moments, while believing that this happened in reality. This only aggravates the person’s condition: he worries more, anxiety rises to the maximum.

Return to contents

How to protect yourself from stress?

Prevention of stressful conditions is very simple, and if you take it as a basis, you can avoid all negative manifestations.

The proposed series of preventive measures will benefit not only the psyche, but also the entire body:

1. Walking on fresh air, especially in squares and parks, are an excellent prevention that does not require effort, labor, and is available to everyone.
2. If you notice problems with memorization, you can keep a diary that will structure all your thoughts and help you find the right solution in a difficult situation.
3. In order to avoid exhaustion of the body's strength, you need to regularly organize rest, walks to your favorite places, hikes, trips out of town, and communication with people in an informal setting. Such situations help you relax and be yourself in a relaxed atmosphere.
4. Fitness classes. They always improve the health of the body. A breathing exercises help to achieve harmony, balance, calm within yourself.
5. In all difficult situations, you need to remember that there is always a right way out of everything, and only complete control over emotions and behavior will allow you to find positive sides in absolutely everything.