Stress: what is it, stress phases, stressors

O stress it is defined as a state of the organism's effort to adapt to situations that threaten life and internal balance. This adaptation process causes several changes, such as increased adrenaline secretion. Currently, the term stress is used both to name this body response and to refer to situations that promote the effects of this state.

In general, we can say that this mechanism is necessary for the body, however, an overload affects it negatively. It is worth noting that each organism deals with a stressful situation in a different way. This situation can even cause frames of depression, anxiety and definitive disorders, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

→ Stress phases

The term stress was introduced in the healthcare field in 1936, by Hans Selye. He proposed that stress would be a general and nonspecific response to a particular stressor and can be divided into three phases:

• Alert Phase: It is a relatively quick phase that occurs right after the stressors are stimulated. Upon perceiving this stimulus, the body prepares a response, which will not be sustained for long. In this phase, there is the participation of the sympathetic nervous system.

• Resistance phase: in this phase, the body tries to keep itself in balance, and the acute manifestations disappear. At this point, signs of wear and tear appear, and the body becomes more susceptible to illness and other mental, physical, and emotional problems.

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• Exhaustion phase: that's when all symptoms are most intense. At this moment, are observed sleep difficulties, social isolation, hair loss, sexual problems and irritability. When prolonged, this phase can trigger even more serious problems, such as heart disease, depression and ulcers.

→ Stressors

There are several stressors, that is, the events or stimuli that cause stress. In the literature, they appear in three groups: vital events, minor daily events and chronic stress situations.

You vital events they are those that involve important events in life, which may or may not be controlled by the person. As an example, we can cite marriage or separation, a new job, accidents, pregnancy, among other changes that can occur in a person's life.

You minor daily events they relate to everyday situations that significantly affect your life. A noisy neighbor, chaotic traffic in big cities, barking dogs, long lines and other stressful everyday situations are examples of these events.

Finally, the group of chronic stress situations refers to those that stay for a long time and generate intense stress. Abusive relationships, in which a person is subjected to years of psychological or even physical abuse, can be examples of this type of chronic stress situation.
By Ma. Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos

Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:

SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Stress"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/saude-na-escola/estresse.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.