THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND “STRESS”

HAVE you ever wondered what exactly stress is, what causes it and when to know if it is chronic, needs professional or medical attention?

Throughout this month of April, we will be discussing and unpacking all things stress, so stay tuned on a weekly basis to have a firm understanding of stress and how to overcome or prevent it.

What is stress?

Simply put, stress is a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. It usually happens when we are in a situation that we don’t feel we can manage or control. Those events, situations, and/or people that an individual finds demanding, challenging, or threatening that cause a stress response are called stressors. It is important to note that stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Sometimes a small amount of stress can give us that sense of urgency and help us to complete tasks. However, stress can become a problem when it lasts for a long time or is very intense.

What happens when you have stress?

When a stressful event occurs, your nervous system releases a flood of stress hormones, which include adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare and arouse the body for an emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper.

Types of stress Acute stress

Acute stress results from your body’s reaction to a new or challenging situation. It is that feeling you get from an approaching deadline or when you narrowly avoid being hit by a car. We can even experience it because of something we enjoy like an outstanding personal achievement. Acute stress is classified as short-term meaning that emotions and the body return to their normal state relatively soon.

Episodic acute stress

Episodic acute stress is when acute stress happens on a frequent basis. This can be because of repeatedly tight work deadlines, living on a paycheck-to-paycheck basis, toxic work, or home environments, etc. Because you are in these stressful situations more often than not, the stress hormones are released at a higher level than with acute stress and can leave you feeling as if you are moving from one crisis to another. This stress, although worrisome, comes in a periodic manner, meaning a person can have moments or days when they are not under stress.

Chronic stress

Chronic stress is the result of stressors that continue for or a long period of time. Situations, environments that trigger your body’s stress response that you are always around such as having a partner who abuses you or living in a high-crime neighbourhood. This type of stress feels never-ending, and we often have difficulty seeing any way to improve or change the situation that causes chronic stress.

Is stress a mental health problem?

Stress is not considered a mental health problem, but it is connected to our mental health in several ways. Stress can cause mental health problems and it can make existing mental health problems worse. For example, if you experience a lot stress, this might lead you to develop a mental health problem such as anxiety or depression. Extreme and traumatic stress might lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Frequent stressful events can tempt an individual into relieving stress with substances such as tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, methcathinone (cat), etc. These maladaptive coping skills could also affect a person’s mental health and cause further stress.

It is important to be aware of ourselves, environment and, most important, our mental health. Being self-aware will allow you to notice the pattens of stress, how badly stressful situation your mental health and body. This will help you realise when you need to seek professional help and medical assistance.

BOSASNET offers counselling services to people experiencing problems with substance use, depression, anxiety, stress, anger management and adjustment issues. If you think that you might have a problem regarding gender-based violence or if you have a friend or family member who does, we encourage you to seek help. For some, it can mean the difference between life and death. You can find BOSASNET on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok or call us on 3959119 or 72659891 for more information.