Stress(from the English stress - tension, pressure, load) - a state of neuropsychic tension of the body that occurs in difficult, extreme situations.

Persistent stress occurs in response to the action of extremely strong or long-acting environmental stimuli and is accompanied by a complex of protective physiological reactions: changes in the behavior, psyche and physiological state of a person.

For the first time the term "stress" was introduced into physiology and psychology by Walter Cannon ( Walter Canon) to denote "nerve-psychic" stress ("fight or flight" syndrome), and the famous stress researcher, Canadian physiologist Hans Selye, began to use the term "stress" for general adaptive stress ("a syndrome caused by various damaging agents").

The Encyclopedic Dictionary gives the following interpretation of stress: "The set of protective physiological reactions that occur in the body of animals and humans in response to the impact of various adverse factors."

Thus, the word "stress" defines the state of the body in which it tries to adapt to the difficult conditions of life. When a person is subjected to excessive physical or mental stress, his body first tries to defend itself. But then it adapts, and the reaction to increased stress becomes optimal. Such a state is called positive stress. It is necessary for the normal mental development of a person and adaptation to the environment. But often the body is not able to cope with mental or physical overload. In such a state, any additional stress can disturb the normal state of a person and cause illness. Therefore, allocate a positive ( eustress) and negative ( distress) forms of stress:

Eustress- has two meanings - "stress caused by positive emotions" and "mild stress that mobilizes the body."

"Positive" stress (like winning a million dollars or suddenly showing up an elderly relative - an oil magnate :about)) leads to a long stay in a state of high spirits, which, of course, has a very beneficial effect on the body: immunity increases, diseases recede, a person feels a surge of joy, looks great and feels great.
Unfortunately, the main feature of eustress is short duration. Eustress is often referred to as therapeutic stress because it promotes the generation of 'healing' positive emotions.

Distress- a negative type of stress that the body can not cope with. Distress is a nervous breakdown caused by adverse events in a person's life. Bad stress very often causes a loss of control over the situation. The death of a loved one, financial problems, high levels of responsibility and excessive workloads, strained relationships with other people or chronic illness - all these events can cause distress. Distress can be acute or chronic. While acute stress is usually short-lived, chronic stress can be very serious.
According to some Western experts, up to 70% of diseases are associated with emotional stress. In Europe, more than a million people die every year due to stress-related disorders of the cardiovascular system.

By the nature of the impact stress is divided into

Neuropsychic (emotional),

Thermal or cold

Light,

Anthropogenic and other stresses.

There is a common misconception:

In modern popular culture, stress is not understood at all as a physiological reaction of the body to external factors. There has been a tendency to identify stress simply with nervous tension (the term meaning “tension” in English is partly to blame) - the so-called “psychological” stress. However, stress is not just emotional excitement or nervous tension. First of all, stress is a universal physiological reaction to sufficiently strong influences, which has certain symptoms

Here are the main symptoms:

• Irritability.
• distraction
• Insomnia.
• Apathy.
• Hyperexcitability
• Mood swings.
• Constant fatigue
• Inability to concentrate.
• Memory impairment
• impulsive behavior.
• Tearfulness.
• Sometimes so-called "psychosomatic" pains in the head, back, stomach are possible.
• Addiction: a sharp increase in the number of cigarettes smoked, with a simultaneous addiction to alcoholic beverages.
• Nightmares.
• Hyperactivity.
• Anxiety.
• manic behavior.

Symptoms of stress largely depend on the stability of the nervous system. What makes one person literally climb a wall may not work at all on another. And at the same time, the stability of the nervous system is not the only factor influencing the formation of stress symptoms.

What happens to the human body?

Trying to cope with stress, the brain stimulates the release of adrenaline. This chemical enters the kidneys and begins the process by which stored glycogen is converted to glucose, thereby increasing blood flow. Blood pressure rises, breathing quickens (to activate the supply of oxygen to the blood), which disrupts the digestion process. When such a chemical process is regularly repeated in the body, the phenomenon becomes chronic. In this state, the slightest irritation, even mild excitement, can cause an overreaction that exhausts the body. Stress is not a disease, but a defense mechanism, but if such protection becomes chronic, then the person becomes vulnerable to disease.

The effect of stress on a person

In today's world, stress is a familiar part of our lives.

Stress is a normal physiological reaction of the human body to the influence of environmental factors.

Stress, depending on its duration, has either a short-term or long-term effect on the human body. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Short-term effects of stress:

1. Blood flow to vital organs. The blood supply to the heart and brain is the most active.
2. An increase in heart rate is the enrichment of blood with oxygen.
3. Increased consumption of glycogen from the muscles and liver to produce large amounts of glucose.

The impact of stress on the human body depends not only on its duration, but also on the quality of the stress itself. Positive short-term stress is a kind of hardening for our body, strengthening the nervous system. Eustress has a positive effect on the human body. While negative short-term stress does not bring anything good.

Changes in the human body caused by stress appear as short-term effects. Chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath. Goosebumps, cold sweats, dry mouth, insomnia, loss of appetite, trouble concentrating, memory problems, stomach discomfort, angry outbursts - all these are our body's various responses to stress.

Long-term effects of stress:

In cases of prolonged or constantly recurring stress, our body is under the constant influence of stress hormones. This leads to persistently high blood pressure levels and other functional changes. The constant influence of hormones can lead to irreversible physiological damage to the brain and other organs.

Everyone is familiar with the long-term effects of stress: chronic headaches, anxiety, mood swings, drug addiction, weight loss or gain, memory impairment, insomnia, decreased sex drive, exacerbation of chronic diseases, high risk of heart attack or stroke.

Both long term and short term negative stress is dangerous to health. This is supported by the data of numerous studies. With the consequences of such a remedy

The effects of stress

Negative prolonged stress affects the key systems and organs of the body:

• The immune system. Frequent colds and infectious diseases, acute exposure to diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.
• Nervous system. Inability to concentrate, loss of memory, lack of mental clarity.
• Oral cavity. Colds.
• The cardiovascular system. Rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, risk of heart attacks.
• Muscles. Constant muscle tension during stress can lead to pain in the neck, back or shoulders. Stress can cause rheumatoid arthritis. Tension, convulsions and nervous tics.
• Digestive system. Gastritis, peptic ulcer, constipation, diarrhea, intestinal irritation and colitis. If you have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, stress can exacerbate them.
• reproductive system. Delayed menstruation, inability to experience orgasm, impotence, premature ejaculation, fading of sexuality.
• Respiratory system. Allergy and asthma.
• Leather. Irritation, rash. Stress exacerbates skin problems such as psoriasis and acne.
• Hair loss.

Types of stress

There are several types of stress. All of them deserve attention. In some cases, the stress is barely noticeable; in others, urgent help is needed.

• Circumstance stress. Each of us periodically experiences this type of stress - for example, during a tense situation at work, passing exams. We only benefit from such stresses, as they energize and inspire us, which helps us to develop and act. In most cases, this stress can be controlled. If you lead a measured lifestyle, then during such stress you can not be afraid for your health.
• Hyperstress. This type of stress is more common in workaholics. Hyperstress is the result of prolonged emotional or physical overload. A person suffering from hyperstress, as a rule, breaks down over trifles. Even little things cause him a violent emotional reaction. You are probably suffering from hyperstress if you are a working mother who has to constantly maneuver between work and family responsibilities. The state of financial tension or life at a frantic pace - all this can cause hyperstress.
• Hypostress. Hypostress is the exact opposite of hyperstress. This type of stress is often subject to workers employed in monotonous production (factory workers). Hypostress can cause a bad mood and constant anxiety.
• chronic stress. Conflicts, family problems, overwhelming work tasks, problems with children, and/or difficult living conditions can lead to chronic stress. Trouble like this puts your physical and mental health at risk. If you suffer from such stress, you need to see a specialist.

Stress can hit you at any moment and at any age.

Women and men react to stress differently. It has been proven that women experience less stressful situations than men, although in general women suffer from stress much more.

To identify stress, make a list of the physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that upset you—both in your personal life and at work. And then compare them with the symptoms above. You will understand if you need medical help to get rid of stress.

Children and stress

Children experience stress when they are under psychological pressure or when their parents are stressed. If this situation drags on or becomes everyday, children get used to the increased level of adrenaline in the blood.

Gradually, they begin to feel uncomfortable when they have the opportunity to calm down. Later, as adults, some people create stressful situations for themselves because they cannot bear to be at rest.

Stress prevention

Stress prevention is the best cure for stress and its consequences. Stress prevention is somewhat reminiscent of the rules of personal hygiene - we wash our hands before eating, brush our teeth and take a shower, because we want to be healthy - after all, a healthy mind in a healthy body.

And in order for negative stress to bypass you, stress prevention is important, which includes, in general, well-known recommendations:

• Lead a healthy lifestyle: eat right, exercise, consume enough clean drinking water, get enough sleep.

DO NOT overeat and DO NOT abuse

Sleep as much as you want and a little more.

• Try to control difficult situations

Learning to maintain composure in difficult situations is difficult, but necessary. Try to always stay in a good mood, no matter how difficult it may be.
Perhaps the following suggestions will help you with this:

• Find a balance between work and leisure. Here are some unique recipes for raising vitality:

Hot chocolate, a fluffy blanket, a comfortable chair and an old favorite book.
- Good wine, chocolate, nuts and a passionate lover.
- At least a short vacation in a warm place in a pleasant company or alone, according to your taste.

• Make time for yourself to be alone and enjoy it:

You can try meditation, do yoga
- A real Russian bath, with a steam room, brooms and jumping into a snowdrift.
- Communication with nature: forest, field, garden
- Or cute animals: cats, dogs, horses.

• Set priorities and life goals.

To do this, you can use the most common diary: when you write down all the upcoming tasks in an even column in accordance with their priority, the world will seem much simpler and friendlier.

• Love yourself and be kind to people.

And the people who need you, who love you, appreciate, support, understand and cheer you up in any situation.

These simple rules will help to significantly limit the impact of stress.

Be healthy!

Stress is the state of an individual in extreme conditions at the physiological, psychological and behavioral levels. Depending on the type of stressor and the nature of its influence, several types of stress are distinguished. One of the classifications distinguishes physiological and psychological stresses, the latter are divided into informational and emotional. Physiological stress occurs under the influence of physiological stressors, such as increased temperature. Information stress occurs in situations of information overload, when a person does not cope with the task, does not have time to make the right decisions at the required pace, with a high degree of responsibility for the consequences of the decisions made. It seems to me that this type of stress is especially relevant in the modern world, where most people strive to build a successful career and occupy responsible positions. Emotional stress manifests itself in situations of threat, danger, resentment, etc. At the same time, its various forms lead to changes in the course of mental processes, emotional shifts, transformation of the motivational structure of activity, and violations of motor and speech behavior. All of these types of stress can have both a positive mobilizing effect on the vital activity of the organism, and a negative one.

Today, the point of view is extremely widespread, according to which stress is a rare and striking phenomenon in the life of ordinary people. G. Selye's opinion on this matter is extremely different. He believes that a person, even in a state of complete relaxation, as it seems to him, is under stress. The circulatory, respiratory, nervous and digestive systems are constantly working. The complete absence of stress would mean death. However, the level of physiological stress is lowest during periods of rest and relaxation, although it is never absolute zero. Emotional arousal of any direction is accompanied by an increase in the degree of physiological stress.

Summing up the intermediate results, I would like to say that the features of stress are quite diverse: there are several types of stress, depending on the type of stressor and consequences. Stress also has three phases of its course. And, finally, stress is a fairly common phenomenon in the life of any person, regardless of the type of activity, social status and age. If a person can still somehow avoid psychological stress, then physiological stress is beyond his control.

Obviously, a person cannot completely protect and protect himself from stress, which is an integral companion of a person and all animals throughout their life. It is now quite common to believe that stress can and should be avoided.

The Importance of Stress in the Modern World

In the modern world, there is a fairly wide propaganda of the idea that stress causes an exclusively destructive effect on a person, contributing to the development of various mental disorders and general deterioration of the body. Perhaps, to some extent, this is indeed true, and I will not refute it. However, I am convinced that stress can also have a positive effect, and further I will try to prove my point.

First, I think it's stupid to attribute any polarity to anything. I don't think you can definitely call something good and something bad. It seems to me that everything is relative, even those things that at first glance seem to be exclusively negative and negative, can find some positive aspects in themselves. Let me explain with an example. Let's say a person is fired from a job. Of course, at first glance it seems that this is an extremely negative event in the life of anyone, because a person has lost a source of livelihood, as well as the ability to work and fulfill himself. However, this situation forces a person to mobilize all his strength and opportunities for entering another job, which, perhaps, is more promising and highly paid. If a person had not been fired, he, most likely, due to his habit of stability, would not have decided to change jobs. Although another outcome is possible. For example, a person could not find a job and fell into depression. Then, of course, the whole series of these events is negative. However, it is not in vain that they say: "He who seeks will always find." I think that a person's ability to find a new job in a given situation depends solely on his personal qualities and perseverance. Thus, I believe that what impact certain events have on us depends only on our perception and attitude towards them, as well as on our behavior in this situation. The result of all the above can be my point of view, according to which any event or phenomenon, including stress, is of a dual nature. It is impossible to unequivocally call something good, and something bad.

Secondly, it seems to me that it is stupid in itself to give a negative meaning to a phenomenon that takes place in the life of any person and which is inevitable. After all, it would never occur to anyone to say that hair growth or breathing, for example, is bad. I think the same goes for stress. After all, stress, at least at the physiological level, accompanies a person throughout his life, like the growth of hair or nails.

Thirdly, even if stress is negative, its overall global impact on the body, in my opinion, is still positive. After all, a person who has not known misfortune cannot be truly happy. Likewise with stress. Stress gives color to our lives. Illnesses are replaced by periods of health, tears are replaced by laughter, and hard daily work is replaced by rest. It is this contrast that gives us a real opportunity to feel the taste of life, because "everything is known in comparison." Stress gives a person the opportunity to enjoy moments of stability and harmony, to appreciate them, which is especially important, in my opinion, in the modern world, when life takes on a frantic pace, when people are often deprived of a free minute just to think about their life, when a person cares only its monetary stability.

Summing up, I would like to say that stress affects the human body at the physiological, psychological and behavioral levels, which, it seems to me, can affect a person's life in two ways, both positively and negatively. Of course, each person is individual, each perceives this or that event in a special, subjective way. However, stress gives any of us the opportunity to taste life through comparison and acceptance of all unexpected twists of fate. But to take this opportunity or complain about life, it's up to us to decide. I hope I have been able to show that stress can have significant positive and positive effects as well as negative ones.

Depression is not a harmless weakness and a sign of laziness, but a serious illness that can overtake anyone. One in five on our planet suffers or has suffered at least one depressive episode in the past.

A healthy person cannot imagine the suffering of people suffering from depression. President Abraham Lincoln wrote about this: “I am the meanest man alive today. If my feelings were evenly distributed throughout the human race, there would not be a single smile on earth. Whether I'll ever feel better, I don't know."

Hopelessness, a sense of impasse, and pessimism emanate from these words, all of which are characteristic companions of depression. Any of us had to be upset, to become discouraged, but there is a considerable difference between these feelings and the picture of clinical depression. A person experiencing depression loses the ability to social and professional behavior. The thought haunts that all the successes were accidental, and all that failed was due to mediocrity. Memory, as if on purpose, throws up more and more memories of all sorts of failures, a person falls into a vicious circle, the way out of which he sees only in suicide.

The term "depression" is often used not only in medical literature, but also in everyday speech. Indeed, these concepts are so diverse; that allow you to describe the feeling of internal discomfort. In some cases, depression takes the form of melancholia - a severe mental disorder that leads to complete disability as often as a stroke, in others, a short-term deterioration in mood may be the result of losing your favorite football team. Describing their condition, patients may complain of a feeling of anxiety (or restlessness, nervousness) and at the same time a depressed mood (or a feeling of melancholy and sadness). It is not easy to understand these conflicting complaints without knowing the circumstances of the patient's life, his social status, personality traits, family and personal analysis. In addition, depression and anxiety are difficult to separate.

In addition, it must be remembered that the symptoms of neurotic disorders (depression, anxiety are typical non-psychotic diseases) change over time. Thus, the symptoms of depression observed in a patient last year may be replaced by classic signs of an anxiety disorder this year, and after another 2 years by symptoms of a panic disorder. Not surprisingly, expressions such as “depressive personality” or “permanently anxious person” are often found in the literature, apparently, some people are more prone to depression or anxiety disorders than others. It is believed that there is a family predisposition even to mild forms of neurosis.

Practitioners cannot and do not want to spend time formulating diagnoses, and if a patient complains of depressed mood or increased anxiety, the first question that an experienced clinician will ask him is: how does depression or anxiety affect your life?

Depression is a mental disorder that has a significant impact on social adaptation and quality of life and is characterized by a pathologically low mood with a pessimistic assessment of oneself and one's position in the surrounding reality, inhibition of intellectual and motor activity, decreased urges and somatovegetative disorders.

Depression is so common in the modern world that some call it a disease of the 21st century, others call it a “mental cold.” This disease has gone beyond the boundaries of psychiatry, doctors of all specialties meet with it.

Depression is traditionally considered one of the most common forms of mental illness. Modern epidemiological studies confirm this idea. It has been established that the frequency of depression in the population is steadily increasing. At any given moment, 110 million people on our planet suffer from depression.

By 2020, depression will be the second most disabling physical illness. In the coming millennia, this problem is put forward in the category of paramount importance. Depression affects millions of people around the world. The prevalence of this disease in the developed countries of Europe and in the USA was 5-10%.

Depression is now one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and the fourth of the nine leading causes of the global burden of disease (this indicator sums up the years deducted from a healthy life due to disability or premature death).

Although the “depressive illness” is not a pathology incompatible with life, and its course is more often relapsing in nature, i.e. there are “bright” intervals with the possibility of practical recovery, indicators of disability, mortality from this disease and a negative impact on the quality of life is not inferior to the corresponding data on severe, progressive somatic diseases.

Of the 10-20 million suicide attempts made every year (1 million ends fatally), a significant proportion (up to 50%) falls on patients suffering from depression, in which suicide is the most tragic outcome.

Due to the urgency of the problem, the main task is to provide psychopharmacological treatment of mental disorders and, first of all, depression. Public education plays an important role.

In 5-10% of cases, depression develops in elderly and older people. However, even severe depression is the reason for seeking medical help no more than in 35-50% of cases. Only 40% of patients with depression seek medical help, and only half of them receive antidepressants. About 40% of all depressions proceed with erased manifestations, and 60-80% of patients are treated by general practitioners.

Spontaneously, depression will not go away on its own. If you have experienced symptoms of this disease in yourself or your loved ones, seek medical help. Don't wait for depression to become chronic. In its acute form, it responds much better to treatment.

The article was prepared by professor Nikiforov Igor Anatolyevich. Clinic at the Department of Narcology and Psychotherapy carries out depression treatment, helps get out of depression and completely deal with depression.

Stress and depression.

The history of the word "stress" has developed in such a way that today it has two different meanings. In Russian, the word "stress" came from English, in English - from Latin. In the 18-19 centuries in English, this word was used mainly in physics and meant: the force of pressure, tension, pushing, compression or torsion arising from the impact of one object on another; deformation that occurs in an object under the influence of such a force. In the 30s of the XX century, the world famous physician and biologist Hans Selye transferred the word "stress" to medicine. Today this term is widely used in medicine, biology and psychology and, just like in physics, it has 2 meanings: a physical, chemical or emotional factor that causes physiological or psychological stress and may be the cause of illness; physiological or psychological stress resulting from the impact of physical, chemical or emotional factors that violated the existing balance. These definitions show that in the first case, stress is a factor that affects the body; in the second - the result of the influence of such a factor. To avoid terminological confusion, we will use the word "stress" only in the second meaning, and for the first we will take the word "stressor". As a result, we get the following definitions: stressor- a physical-chemical or emotional-psychological factor that causes physiological or psychological stress and may be the cause of the disease. Stress- physiological and / or psychological stress resulting from the impact of stressors that violated the existing balance. Or briefly: stress is tension, and a stressor is a factor that causes it.

When stress saves a life.

It is customary to talk about stress as something unambiguously negative, harmful, undesirable. But this attitude is not always fair. In certain situations, stress in the literal sense of the word can save a person's life. When in August 1967, cosmonaut Alexei Leonov made a training parachute jump, an unforeseen incident happened to him. The parachute opened, but the strap wrapped around the cosmonaut's leg and caught on the metal back. As a result, he flew upside down. Sometimes skydivers break their legs. It's easy to imagine what would happen if you landed on your head. Of course, when you get into such a situation, a person develops a very strong stress reaction. It was thanks to stress that Alexei Leonov was able to bend the metal structure and release the strap. The landing went well. A little later, four (!) cosmonauts could not straighten the metal back to give it its original shape. Four strong, healthy men on the ground couldn't do what one in the air could do. Not only men are capable of super efforts in such situations. A young guy is repairing a car. The jack does not stand up, and the car presses it down. His parents see it. The young man's father, knowing the weight of the car and soberly assessing the situation, runs for help. His mother at this time runs up to the car and with her hands (!) raises the car. Stress gave her access to an inviolable reserve of forces. Many more examples can be cited, showing that a person in a state of severe stress is capable of gigantic muscular efforts that are inaccessible to him in a normal state. The stress response can save a person's life. But on the condition that a life-threatening problem can be solved through physical (muscular) efforts. Stress is a fight or flight response. And he is able to give a person super strength during a battle or super speed when fleeing from danger. If a fight or flight isn't needed to resolve the problem, the stress can be devastating. As a rule, life in the conditions of modern civilization is replete with just such problems. There is stress, but it is not needed. Stress builds up in the body and causes a number of adverse effects. That is why stress management skills are becoming increasingly important.

There are at least 4 groups of stress symptoms: physiological, intellectual, emotional and behavioral. PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS: Persistent headaches, migraine Headache Uncertain pains Digestive disorder Bloating of the abdomen with gases Constipation or diarrhea Spasmodic, sharp pains in the abdomen Palpitations (feeling that the heart is beating fast, irregularly, or frequently) Feeling short of breath convulsions Fatigue Exposure to allergies excessive sweating Clenched fists or jaws fainting Frequent colds, flu, infections Resurgence of diseases that occurred before Rapid gain or loss of body weight Frequent urination Tingling sensation in hands and feet Muscle tension, frequent neck and back pain Skin rashes Feeling of a lump in the throat Double vision and difficulty seeing objects INTELLIGENT SIGNS OF STRESS: indecisiveness Weakening of memory Impaired concentration Increased distractibility "Tunnel" vision Bad dreams, nightmares Mistakes Loss of initiative Persistent negative thoughts Impaired judgment, confused thinking Impulsive thinking, hasty decisions EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS: Irritability Anxiety Suspicion Gloomy mood, depression Fussiness Feeling tense exhaustion Exposure to fits of anger Cynical, inappropriate humor Feeling nervous, fearful, anxious Loss of confidence Decreased life satisfaction Feeling of alienation Lack of interest Reduced self-esteem Job dissatisfaction BEHAVIORAL SIGNS OF STRESS: Loss of appetite or overeating Bad car driving Increasing problems in the family Poor timing Avoidance of supportive, friendly relationships unkemptness Antisocial behavior, lying Failure to develop Low productivity prone to accidents Sleep disturbance or insomnia More intense smoking and drinking Finishing work at home Too busy to rest Each symptom is worth one point. A stress level of up to 10 points is considered acceptable, more than 10 - requiring action. At the same time, a score of 20 to 30 indicates a high level of stress, and more than 30 indicates a very high level.

Common Symptoms of Exam Stress

One of the most common types of stress is exam stress. As with “normal” stress, exam stress symptoms can be classified into one of four groups: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS: increased skin rash headache "bear disease" (diarrhea) muscle tension deepening and rapid breathing rapid pulse fluctuations in blood pressure EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS: feeling of general malaise confusion uncertainty depression depression irritability COGNITIVE (INTELLECTUAL) SYMPTOMS: excessive self-criticism, comparing one's preparedness with others in a unfavorable light for oneself unpleasant memories of past exam failures (one's own or others') imagining the negative consequences of failing an exam (expulsion from a university, deprivation of a scholarship, etc.) nightmares memory impairment decreased ability to concentrate, distraction BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS: the desire to do any other thing, just not to prepare for the exam avoiding any exam reminders decrease in efficiency in studies during the examination period engaging other people in anxious conversations about upcoming exams increased consumption of caffeine and alcohol sleep deterioration loss of appetite

Anxiety and aggression.

The fight-or-flight response is often referred to as stress. According to this definition, two types of stress can be distinguished: attack stress and flight stress. As a rule, the first type of stress is accompanied by aggressive emotions, the second - by anxiety. Emotions of the aggressive series: irritation disturbance indignation Emotions of an alarming series: feeling of tension anxiety excitement concern agitation sense of danger, threat feeling of confusion sense of anxiety confusion confusion Any of these emotions indicates more or less severe stress.

When the disease has already developed, it can be difficult to cope with it. Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Effective prevention of psychosomatic diseases are modern methods of stress management. The stress response is a rather complex phenomenon. It includes both psychological and physiological mechanisms. Therefore, emotional stress can cause the development of a number of serious diseases. Often they are combined under the general term "psychosomatic diseases" (psycho - soul, soma - body). Psychosomatic illnesses include: immunosuppression (suppression of the immune system) hives osteochondrosis tension headache Raynaud's disease rheumatoid arthritis hay fever hypertonic disease cardiac ischemia atherosclerosis diabetes thyroid disease peptic ulcer, etc.

Psychosomatic diseases

Stress and depression are two sides of the same process

Yu.V.Khmelevsky

Is depression a disease or condition? Let's try to figure this out together. Medicine characterizes depression with the following symptoms:

depressed, depressed mood, loss of interest in close, everyday affairs, work;

insomnia, early awakening in the morning or, on the contrary, excessively long sleep;

irritability and anxiety, fatigue and loss of strength;

lack of appetite and weight loss, or sometimes, conversely, overeating and weight gain;

inability to concentrate and make a decision;

decrease in sexual desire;

a feeling of worthlessness and guilt, a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness;

frequent bouts of sobbing;

thoughts of suicide.

On the other hand, depression can be seen as a response to stress. We are faced with stress almost constantly, solving certain problems. For example, a bad mark on an exam or not passing a test causes stress (strong negative emotions) to a greater or lesser extent. We can experience stress when standing in a long line, because of difficulties at work or problems in the family, in the absence of mutual love, when we want to do a lot and there is no time for this, when there are unrealized opportunities, when there are daily crime stories on TV and many other reasons, the list of which can be continued almost indefinitely. And after stress, a response (defensive) reaction of the body necessarily occurs - a state of depression. In response to every even the smallest (insignificant) stress, the body responds with adequate depression. But small stresses are even good for the body. They constantly train him, introducing him into a state of activation or training (in the terminology of the Canadian scientist Hans Selye). The more stress, the stronger (deeper) and longer the state of depression. In time, depression of moderate severity lasts up to two weeks. In severe cases (with severe stress, such as the death of loved ones), depression can last for several months or even several years. That is why the obligatory commemoration of the deceased after 3, 9 and especially 40 days (“farewell to the soul”) helps to first reduce stress, and then get out of the depressive state of family members, relatives and friends. During stress, the body mobilizes and maximizes its energy and directs it to protect the body. After stress, the body is in a state of “discharged battery”, exhaustion, i.e. depression, after which a gradual accumulation of energy (“recharging” of the body) begins until the moment of complete restoration of strength and energy. The process (duration) of depression or inhibition of the body in time (duration) is approximately three times longer than the time of exposure to a stressful situation (the process of excitation of the body) and this must be taken into account when eliminating the consequences of any stress, large or very small.

The graph shows the processes (two curves) of excitation and inhibition of the body in different stressful situations. The 1st graph reflects the body's response to a small (small amplitude and duration) stress that we encounter every day. Curve 2 reflects the body's response to severe stress. In the negative phase, the body is most energetically weakened, and against this background, various diseases can develop, especially during periods of prolonged depression. According to statistics, up to 70% of those who go to the clinic for somatic diseases have some form of depression.

And so, the "bombardment" of the body with small stresses and protection with small and short-term depressions is the usual state of the body, accustomed to constant protection from the environment. Severe stress takes a lot of energy from the body and causes deep (on the graph, the depth of depression is marked by the segment BC) and prolonged depression (severe inhibition of the body with a significant decrease in activity). The body gradually accumulates energy, trying to return to the state of dynamic balance that it had before the stress, i.e. self-healing. I would like to draw attention to the fact that the most difficult and dangerous time for the body to develop other diseases during depression does not occur immediately after the end of the stress (point A, for curve 2), but after some time, from the end of the stress (point B ). During this period of time, you need to take special care of your health. We can make an unambiguous conclusion that the cause of any depression (depressive state) is stress. Depression is a nonspecific response of the body to stress. Slight depressions, with mild stresses, are a normal state of the body, with which the body, as a rule, copes on its own. Strong, deep depressions are already a disease and one cannot do without the help of a doctor.

As a rule, in melancholic stress reactions are most often associated with excitation of the constitution, such as anxiety or fright, phobia or neurotic anxiety. Choleric people have a typical stress reaction - anger. That is why they are more likely to suffer from hypertension, stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis. In phlegmatic people, under the influence of stress, the activity of the thyroid gland decreases, the metabolism slows down and the blood sugar level can rise, which leads to a pre-diabetic state. In stressful situations, they “click” on food, as a result of which they can become obese. Sanguine people with their strong nervous system are the easiest to endure stress.

Ideally, the body should not react to any stress at all or with a minimal reaction, but in practice this does not happen in life, and in order to achieve this, persistent and long-term training of the body is necessary. People who do not have a culture of health, especially young people, try to solve problems associated with stress and depression with the help of drugs (the fastest, easiest and most affordable way to overcome stress or get out of depression, but also the most harmful to health). Subsequently, they develop an addiction (constant craving) to such drugs as tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and so on, from which it is already impossible to get rid of without outside help. And these problems are gradually moving from personal to state ones (the state's struggle against the drug mafia, the treatment of drug addicts, etc.). Traditional medicine solves these problems with its no less effective, but absolutely safe for health methods. And in order to minimize the effects of stress on the body, she developed certain recommendations and advice.

Stress can cause depression. This is due to the fact that during stress the body spends its reserves, and in the post-stress period it needs to be restored. Therefore, some depression, depression and unwillingness to do anything are quite natural results of stress. Such emotions impede further activity, which gives the body the opportunity to quickly restore its strength. Normally, this condition is not very pronounced, does not last long and disappears after rest. However, stress that is too long or too severe can lead to clinically significant depression, which requires the qualified help of a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. How to distinguish normal post-stress depression, which resolves on its own, from pathological depression, which requires medical or psychotherapeutic professional intervention? This can be done with the following 10 questions: Do you feel oppression, depression, melancholy? Have you lost the ability to enjoy the activities that you used to enjoy (work, hobbies, reading, etc.)? Do you constantly feel tired and lack of energy? Do you notice a decrease in confidence and self-esteem? Do you feel guilty towards others? Do you ever think that life no longer has value for you? Do you have difficulty concentrating and making decisions? Do you complain of anxiety or, on the contrary, a feeling of general lethargy? Do you suffer from insomnia or do you sleep more than usual? Do you notice a decrease or increase in appetite or weight? If you answered positively to any two of the first three questions, the total number of positive answers is four or more, these symptoms are not associated with somatic diseases, and you have been experiencing them for two or more weeks, the probability of a diagnosis of "Depression" is quite high . In this case, it would be right to consult a psychotherapist, psychoneurologist or psychiatrist to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. Abstract >> Psychology The exhaustion stage is characterized by restlessness, irritability, depression. experienced stress negatively affects the performance of ... its employees. If they are subject stress, hypersensitivity, depression and hostile moods, then this ...

Stress in modern society is the norm. The human nervous system is not always ready for stress. The main consequence of stress is depression. To consider her a blues means not to see the problem. Depression is a serious mental illness that needs to be treated.

Stress haunts modern man

Stress is the body's adaptation to the environment.

Stress is a common occurrence in today's world. It has always been so. When the body is under stress, it tries to adapt to the changed conditions. If a person did not have protective reflexes, he would not be able to survive at all.

There is still a difference between ancient people and modern people. If earlier negative emotions could be thrown off in a fight, today it is customary to solve everything in a civilized way.

Stress resistance in the modern rhythm of life needs to be increased. This will help methods of strengthening the nervous system: breathing exercises, physical exercises, massage, etc.

What happens to the body during nervous tension? In a conflict situation, the nervous system gives a signal, activating its protective functions:

• the level of adrenaline and other hormones increases in the blood;
• heartbeat quickens;
• muscles tense up.

The whole body is in combat readiness, as before an attack. Usually, discharging does not occur. This provokes a breakdown, because the body worked at the limit of its capabilities, but did not have time to recover.

Stress can trigger any event. Every day we are faced with situations that can cause stress: the callousness of acquaintances, an unpleasant conversation with superiors, the need to work seven days a week. The reaction to them depends on the person's perception of the world. Impressive natures are more likely to experience stress than people with a rational mindset.

The effect of stress on the body

The problem of stress in society mainly concerns residents of large cities. The influence of the metropolis, its accelerated pace, makes people hostages of stress. The stress state itself can be divided into three stages.

1. Protection.
2. Adaptation.
3. Exhaustion.

At the stage of defense, all body systems are activated: it prepares to defend itself or flee. At the stage of adaptation, the work of the body is aimed at getting used to the current situation. At this point, the body is working for wear and tear. Very often, in a state of stress, a person does not feel hunger and fatigue. This is provoked by a powerful release of hormones into the blood. At this point, nerve cells begin to die. The protective functions of the body are reduced.

Previously, it was believed that nerve cells do not regenerate. Scientists have proven that their regeneration occurs, but slowly. To maintain a healthy nervous system, you need to increase stress resistance.

Stress and its effect on the human body

How to identify stress

The effects of stress don't show up right away. For a long time, a person does not have any symptoms of nervous exhaustion, but all organ systems are already suffering. Symptoms of stress:

• fast fatiguability;
• overeating or lack of appetite;
• violation of the digestive tract;
• problems with the autonomic nervous system;
• frequent headaches;
• irritability, the appearance of phobic disorders;
• prolonged depression.

Depression is not just a depressed mood. Typical symptoms: loss of interest in life, anxiety, panic attacks, unwillingness to communicate with people, sleep disturbances. Stress cannot be avoided, but it is possible to increase the body's resistance to the effects of stress.

Secrets of increasing stress resistance

Give your body a chance to recover. Improper nutrition and lack of sleep provoke the appearance of nervous exhaustion. The main thing is to adjust the diet and sleep. If you cannot sleep, you need to help your nervous system relax. To do this, take a relaxing bath with sea salt and drink herbal decoction.

It has long been proven that medicinal plants contain unique components necessary for the restoration of nerve cells. With stress and for prevention, you can use decoctions of herbs:

• valerian;
• motherwort;
• chamomile with mint;
• St. John's wort and lemon balm;
• elecampane;
• hawthorn.

To prepare a decoction, take 1 tbsp. l. vegetable raw materials per 1 liter of boiling water. Leave for 1 hour. Take 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day or as a tea. Herbal solution should be diluted in a ratio of 1:3.

Do not get carried away with concentrated decoctions, so as not to provoke intoxication of the body. Be especially careful with a decoction of hawthorn and motherwort - follow the dosage.

Elecampane is an excellent sedative

vitamin therapy

Nerve cells need to be nourished with vitamins. Avitaminosis often causes many diseases. Vitamins of groups B, A, E, D, proteins are involved in the construction of nerve cells. With a lack of these substances, the following symptoms develop:

• overwork;
• irritability;
• panic attacks;
• insomnia;
• skin rashes;
• disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

All the necessary vitamins are found in fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. The source of protein is white meat, cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, wheat, barley), dairy products. Bananas and apples will help replenish energy reserves. Snack fruit or vegetables between your three main meals.

Dairy products are a source of protein

Work on yourself

In the prevention and treatment of stress, the psychological state of a person is important. Depression comes from a misperception of the situation. Don't worry about trifles. Learn to appreciate what you have. To do this, try relaxation techniques, psychological stimulation. So you can do without drugs.

Learn to disconnect from the outside world, at least for a little while. So you can quickly relax the muscles and give the nervous system a break. As a result, you will calm down and be able to find the right solution to the problem. Do not forget about moderate physical activity. Exercise releases energy and releases endorphins.

Hang out with nice people. Do not replace a meeting with a friend in a cafe for correspondence in social networks: a heart-to-heart conversation will help you understand that not everything is so bad in life.

Do what you love. Try to get more positive emotions. During an emotional upsurge, the body produces substances necessary for the restoration of the nervous system.

Stress is a problem for everyone

Not only adults suffer from stress. Children are also affected by it. Many psychological problems arise in people in adulthood because in childhood there was no opportunity to cope with fears, learn to communicate positively.

If every person in childhood learned to deal with fears, then in the future there would be no worries about passing exams or getting a job. Studying at school, communicating with peers, the unwillingness of adults to take children's problems seriously - all this is a strong stress for the child.

Self-doubt is often provoked by teachers and people around. Parents should help the child realize that each person is a person who develops in his own way.

If a child does not succeed, do not call him stupid. Say it better like this: "Try, and you will definitely succeed." It is necessary to teach the child how to get out of conflict situations correctly. This will help to avoid communication problems in the future.

Frequent severe stress can injure the child's psyche and make him a sociophobe. Talk and find out the reason for the child's bad mood. Confidential conversation is necessary because the child may be in danger. There are groups on social networks that provoke children to commit suicide. Another problem is bullying from other children. This poses a real threat to the life and health of the child.

Causes of nervous exhaustion in adults and children:

• misperception of the situation;
• excessive susceptibility;
• physical fatigue.

In many ways, the appearance of stress provokes an accelerated rhythm of life and children's fears. If a child is taught to deal with stress, then many problems can be avoided in the future. Try to calmly respond to problems and not dwell on those that you cannot solve.