Complete classification of stress: stages and phases of development, types and varieties

We are accustomed to using the word “stress,” intuitively using it to denote strong neuropsychic tension. However, this meaning is not entirely correct.

The mechanism of stress was studied and described in detail by Hans Selye, and the term itself was introduced by Walter Cannon.

Stress is the body's general response to various factors (for example, shock, hypothermia, infection, death of a loved one, job loss) that disrupt its balance. The main function of stress is adaptation to changed environmental conditions.

Thus, the emotional reaction is only part of the body's overall response to a stressor.

Factors that cause stress can be absolutely anything - both negative and positive (wedding, moving, new job). All that matters is that they lead to changes in a person’s life at one level or another. It is typical for a person to have stressors of a psychological nature: stress is caused not by the situation itself, but by how a person subjectively evaluates and perceives it. Or even a fantasy, a memory of some situation.

Mechanism of stress

There are three main stages of stress:

• Mobilization stage. At this stage, the alarm reaction is activated. It mobilizes all the adaptive resources of the body and prepares it for urgent action. Energy exchange increases, heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, breathing quickens, digestion slows down, blood rushes to the muscles. In emergency situations, such as a fire, the alarm response can be very useful.
• Resistance stage. All body systems return to normal operation, and the development of new action programs (adaptation, adaptation to new circumstances) begins. The body has a certain reserve of resistance to stressors and adaptation.
• Exhaustion stage. In the case when the body was unable to adapt to new environmental conditions or develop a new program of action, resources are depleted. In this case, a person (and any organism) can get sick and even die.

"Happy" heart attack

Since positive stress is good for the body, it is advisable to learn how to create events that can lead to a “good” shake-up. Of course, having weddings and birthdays all the time is unrealistic, but there are other ways to get “good” stress.

For example, learning is associated with such experiences. After all, the learning process is always partly stressful, but it gives the body, and first of all, the brain, a huge positive charge.

Another useful stress is physical education. Change sports, don't focus on one thing. Spice up the gym with Spanish dancing and the pool with exercise equipment. The body experiences stress from new and unusual movements, but gradually learns to adapt to them.

Be curious about everything around you. Try everything unknown to get unusual emotions. Even if you don't like the taste of an exotic fruit, this stress will still be positive.

The main thing is not to overdo it. It’s not for nothing that there is a saying “to die of happiness.” It did not arise out of nowhere. History knows examples when people said goodbye to life because of very good events: a long-awaited child was born, a career step was reached, a favorite sports team won. And it is precisely at the moment of greatest happiness that the body can fail. Why?

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Impact of stress

Under stress, hormonal changes occur in the body, which regulate the functioning of all body systems and cause the activation of resistance resources. Stress mechanisms involve, in particular, the subcortical parts of the brain, which are also responsible for emotions. Thus, during times of stress, one of the most typical emotional states is anxiety and worry. .

As a result of the action of neuroendocrine stress mechanisms, the so-called triad is formed: proliferation of the adrenal cortex, reduction of the thymus gland and gastric ulceration. These reactions can be easily compared with symptoms characteristic of almost any disease, such as a feeling of malaise, diffuse pain and aching sensations in the joints and muscles, gastrointestinal disorders with loss of appetite and loss of body weight.

Thus, severe or chronic stress is the basis for the occurrence of psychosomatic diseases .

Classification of stress - types and subtypes

The duration of stress is:

• short-term;
• episodic;
• chronic.

Stress is divided into groups depending on the reasons that provoked its occurrence:

• unfulfilled hopes;
• excitement before competitions;
• lost time;
• changes in life;
• monotony of life;
• the emergence of passivity;
• the unattainability of perfection;
• sudden changes;
• satiety with benefits;
• achieving your goals.

Stress depends on many factors that determine the type of emotional stress. These are everyday conflicts, dissatisfaction with life, salary, position, fear of one’s uselessness to society, lack of time, constant change of time zones, hierarchy of relations between employees and management.

There are many reasons and they are divided into 3 groups:

• manageable stressors;
• stressors undergoing attenuation;
• constant stressors.

14 stages of stress development according to Torsunov:

Benefits from stress

Exposure to mild stressors is somewhat beneficial. Firstly, mild short-term stress helps to activate resources and mobilize to perform a specific task (for example, to pass an exam). Secondly, with each stress, the psyche appears several new activity programs, that is, a person expands and replenishes his behavioral “repertoire” with new ways of interacting with the outside world, and increases self-confidence with each obstacle overcome. The natural need for renewal of emotions is saturated. It is important that the body has enough reserves to adapt.

What is a plus, what is a minus?

Science divides stress into two types: distress and eustress. The first one is negative, the second one is positive. This difference is best seen with a simple example. Is divorce stressful? Of course, a very difficult psychological situation. What about the wedding? Well, no, of course, this is joy, happiness! But it turns out that this event is also stressful. Only with a plus sign.

In theory, all stress is of the same nature. Under the influence of traumatic situations, the body tenses up and turns on its protective and adaptation mechanisms. So from a physiological point of view, we react to both “good” and “bad” stress in almost the same way. Although there is a difference - in at least two things. Firstly, in the emotional “accompaniment” of this or that experience, and secondly, in its duration and intensity.

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Help from a psychologist for stress

A psychologist’s help with stress can be used in two ways:

• If any new situation is stressful for you. You often experience a state of causeless anxiety, are depressed, irritable, depressed in the absence of objective reasons. For you, there are a large number of stress factors of psychological origin. Stress is not caused by objective reasons, but by your subjective assessment of what is happening, expectation of the worst consequences, etc. In this case, sessions with a psychologist will help change your assessment of what is happening and reduce the amount of stress of psychological origin.

• Neutralizing the effects of stress. Classes with a psychologist in this direction will help if you have already experienced severe stress , your energy reserves have been depleted, and you feel the need to recover. It is also important to work through and understand the emotional causes of the psychosomatic illness that has arisen in order to prevent its further development.

Amber Center specialists have experience in successfully working with the causes and consequences of stress. After a psychological diagnosis, a psychologist (psychotherapist) will develop an individual training route and, if necessary, give exercises for independent work at home.

Make an appointment with a specialist by calling (812) 642-47-02 or fill out the application form on the website.

Stress is a nonspecific (abnormal) state or reaction of the body to various unfavorable factors (stressors) affecting it. Small stressful situations are necessary for a person, because... they play an important role in further favorable changes in the life of the person himself. This is due to the release of adrenaline into a person’s blood during a stressful situation, as well as other biochemical reactions that help a person solve a particular problem. In addition to its positive effects, stress can also contribute to negative consequences. When a person is constantly exposed to stressful situations, his body intensively wastes its strength (energy), which leads to its rapid exhaustion. Since all organs are in a tense state, they are more susceptible to secondary adverse factors, for example, diseases. Thus, scientists have established two main types of stress - eustress (positive stress) and distress (negative stress) .

Causes of stress

There are a great many causes of stress, because... Each person has his own individual body, psyche, way of life, therefore, the same factor may not affect one person at all, or have an insignificant effect, while another person literally gets sick, for example, a conflict with another person. The most popular causes and/or stress factors:

• a conflict situation with another person - at work, at home, with friends or even with strangers, a quarrel;
• dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, the people around him, success at work, self-realization in the world, the environment (home, work), standard of living;
• low cost of living, lack of money, debts;
• long-term absence of vacation and proper rest from everyday activities and everyday life;
• routine life with the absence or small amount of positive emotions and changes;
• long-term chronic diseases, especially those affecting appearance, as well as illnesses of relatives;
• overweight;
• death of a relative or simply a close or acquaintance;
• lack of vitamins and microelements in the body;
• watching emotional films, or vice versa, horror films;
• problems in sexual life;
• frequent fears, especially of fatal diseases (cancer), the opinions of others, old age, a small pension;
• loneliness;
• excessive physical activity, or unfavorable environmental conditions (cold, heat, rainy weather, high or low atmospheric pressure);
• a sudden change in the environment - moving to another place of residence, changing jobs;
• hard music;
• other reasons or situations that can hook or irritate a person.

Symptoms of stress

Among the most popular reactions of the body to stress are:

• causeless and frequent attacks of irritability, anger, dissatisfaction with the people around a person, the situation, the world;
• lethargy, weakness, depression, passive attitude and unwillingness to communicate with people, even with family and friends, fatigue, reluctance to do anything;
• insomnia, restless sleep;
• inability to relax, constant tension in the nervous system and physical body;
• attacks of fear, panic;
• poor concentration, lethargy, difficulty understanding ordinary things, decreased intellectual capabilities, memory problems, stuttering;
• distrust of oneself and others, fussiness;
• frequent desire to cry and sobbing, melancholy, self-pity;
• lack of desire to eat food, or, conversely, excessive desire to eat;
• nervous tics, non-specific desires for the patient to bite one’s nails or bite one’s lips;
• increased sweating, increased excitability, digestive system disorders (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting), itching, headache, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, chest discomfort, breathing problems, feelings of suffocation, sudden increase in body temperature, chills, numbness or tingling in the limbs;
• - increased interest in alcohol, drugs, smoking, computer games and other things that previously did not interest the person.

Phases of stress

The development of stress occurs in three phases:

1. Mobilization. The body reacts to a stressor with anxiety and mobilizes its defenses and resources to withstand the stress factor.
2. Confrontation. The body resists a stressful situation, the person actively seeks a way out of it.
3. Exhaustion. With a long duration of influence of a stress factor on a person, the body begins to deplete and becomes vulnerable to secondary threats (various diseases).

Principles of stress treatment

Treatment of stress includes the following points: removal of the stressor (stress factor); physiological procedures; taking sedatives; psychological correction.

Stress Prevention

To minimize the development of stress, you should pay attention to the following recommendations:

• to live an active lifestyle;
• eat food enriched with vitamins;
• try to find a job you like;
• get enough sleep;
• give up alcoholic beverages and do not use drugs;
• spend more time outdoors, relax in nature;
• limit yourself in caffeine consumption (coffee, strong black tea);
• do not watch or listen to things that cause trouble (movies, music, news);
• monitor your child - what he reads and watches, limit him from information of a violent, otherworldly and occult nature;
• share your experiences with trusted friends or relatives;

It is important to remember: if you feel that it is impossible to overcome stressful situations, you should seek advice from a specialist psychologist, or a neurologist or psychotherapist.

Table

Summary

In psychology (by the way, we recommend reading the article “Stress and Psychology: How They Are Connected”), there are two types of stress: short-term and long-term, each of which affects the human body in a certain way. It is the first type of stress that can be called favorable, because the second leads to dangerous consequences.

Short-term stress allows and is even necessary to mobilize all the body’s capabilities, activate intellectual potential, and increase physical strength. You've probably heard about people who, in extreme situations, climbed steep walls, lifted cars, jumped over chasms and did other unusual things that they would not be able to do in normal life - this is precisely because of the sudden impact of stress.

But, of course, not each of us needs to temporarily become a superman or a genius, because for a harmonious life and successful activities it is enough to be in good health and mood, in a cheerful mood, and in good shape. Therefore, it is important to benefit from small shocks, realizing that this is how we become stronger, and for serious shocks, always have a secret weapon at the ready - stress resistance.

In fact, developing this quality in yourself is not so difficult - you just need to know how to do it. And you will learn about this from our articles “Preventing stress and developing stress resistance” and “Stress resistance: characteristics, advantages, methods of increasing.” If you want to become more adapted to the modern pace of life and learn how to respond competently to stress factors, be sure to read them.

We wish you as little stress as possible and the ability to overcome it!

We also recommend reading:

• Storytelling
• Stress while studying: causes and prevention
• Stress and psychology: how they are connected
• Surprising facts about stress
• Formation of a healthy lifestyle: general rules
• Coping strategies as a way to deal with stress
• Impact of stress on quality of life
• How to cope with stress
• How to sleep and relax more
• 15 Vital Facts About Stress
• Prevention of stress and development of stress resistance

Key words:1Psychoregulation

A fine line between benefit and harm

We have already found out that a lot of benefits can be derived from stressful situations, but it is very important, firstly, to understand that stress can harm, and secondly, to understand for yourself where the border between positive and negative stress is. This will help you form a conscious attitude towards events and learn to react to them correctly.

Many scientists have sought the answer to the question of what is the difference between moderate and chronic stress, and a variety of opinions can be found on this matter. However, all experts agree that if stressful situations occur once and a person has no further contact with stress factors, there is no need to fear negative consequences.

But if sources of psycho-emotional stress act systematically, then you should prepare for serious consequences. Regular stress is a very dangerous phenomenon, and it can easily develop into a chronic form. And here it’s not far from psychological and physiological problems.

In the article “Stress resistance. How to stay calm and productive” we wrote in detail about the harm that stress causes to the body, so here we will only briefly indicate that it:

• disrupts the functioning of vital systems of the body (cardiovascular, digestive, nervous and others);
• increases the risk of developing deadly diseases (heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure problems, brain degradation);
• the appearance of daily health problems (headaches, stomach upsets, sleep disorders, etc.);
• development of negative mental states (nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, aggressiveness).

Based on this, it is very important to prevent systematic and long-term exposure to stress, and if this is not possible, it is necessary to master special techniques for working with stress and apply recommendations to minimize its destructive influence.

As a matter of fact, systematicity and duration are the main signs of negative stress, which does not bring any benefit. It is enough to focus on these two indicators in order to distinguish “good” stress from “bad” and, if necessary, take appropriate measures in time.