Stress in modern life. Stress and its characteristics in modern society

Do you know how small, seemingly harmless worms destroy a huge, healthy and beautiful tree? They gradually, in all possible ways, penetrate into the tree, settle there, multiply and gradually "undermine" it from the inside until the plant organism dies.

Do you know how small, seemingly harmless worms destroy a huge, healthy and beautiful tree? They gradually, in all possible ways, penetrate into the tree, settle there, multiply and gradually "undermine" it from the inside until the plant organism dies. In modern society, like a tree, it has its own "worms", which imperceptibly "undermine" it from the inside, turning it into a gradually dying and decrepit formation. Against the background of the modern frantic pace of life and the abundance of information in the world of people, stress and depression act as worms. The scale of the activity of these pests in recent years has acquired colossal proportions. And this is truly the scourge of modern society!

Most recently, October 10 was World Mental Health Day. This date has been celebrated since 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health.

The goal of World Mental Health Day is to reduce the prevalence of depressive disorders, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, drug addiction, epilepsy, and mental retardation.

According to the World Health Organization, today there are more than 450 million people with mental illness on the planet. This is a very large number! And in Western countries already every seventh is either paranoid (schizophrenic), or is prone to depression and suffers from alcoholism!

Information overload, political and economic cataclysms in the country contribute to the growth of morbidity, and stress is a harbinger of diseases.

Life in modern megacities in itself is stressful. Even the daily commute to work on public transport contributes to this. I’m already silent about troubles at work, family problems, and so on. We are so strongly exposed to stressful situations on a daily basis that we begin to accept it, and depression is not far from it.

Do not scold yourself for all the failures, it is better to calm down, think about what your mistake is, and then try to solve the problem in a different way.

Make a daily routine and try to follow it.

Reward yourself for any achievements (for example, buy nice clothes, etc.).

Exercise daily (exercise) or at least 2 times a week.

Rest periodically, both alone and with your family.

Chat with family and friends more often.

And finally, I would like to say once again - it is better to prevent the disease and fight its causes than with the consequences.

Be healthy!

In the modern world, everyone is subject to stress and depression. And today's young people are most harsh about many issues and problems. A lot of information is being bombarded on students now, they study a lot. Someone does not have time to master the program, and because of this is depressed, someone is well versed in one subject, but does not understand anything in another. Also, students may have problems in the family, at work, with friends. And all this affects the health of students.

In the first year of college life, the main cause of stress can be dramatic changes. The student needs to adapt to a new place, to new orders, he is surrounded by a new environment and people unfamiliar to him. In addition, the strength of the union with former classmates, with the usual circle of friends, is lost. It is difficult for some to say goodbye to the life of a reckless schoolboy, it is difficult to realize that childhood has already ended. And for them it is also a colossal stress.

Another reason for stress in a student's life can be life in another city, isolation from home environment, distance from parents. This also includes the limited finances or the inability to properly manage them.

As you know, students lead a very active lifestyle. Students spend most of their time studying at the university, then preparing their homework, the rest of the time they spend on communicating with friends and relatives and on other personal matters. In this regard, irregular eating and insufficient amount of sleep can be cited as another cause of stress among students.

Other personal factors influencing the causes of stress in students include:

illness or death of family members (the death of a loved one is always tragic, even the death of a pet can cause stress);
conflicts with classmates and close people;
moving;
relationship problems with a soul mate;
health problems (Most people believe that personal health is one of the main causes of stress. Some have obesity and a desire to lose weight. Other reasons may be bad habits such as smoking, alcohol abuse or drug addiction).

A special place in a student's life is occupied by the stress associated with studying at a higher education institution. Academic stress is a condition characterized by excessive body tension, a decrease in emotional and intellectual potential, leading in the long term to psychosomatic illnesses and stopping the student's personal growth.

Causes of learning stress include:

not submitted on time and unprotected practical, laboratory work;
not completed or performed incorrectly tasks;
a large number of passes in any subject;
insufficient knowledge of the discipline;
poor performance in a particular discipline;
lack of interest in the discipline or the job offered to the student;
the emergence of conflict situations with the teacher;
lack of educational material;
dissatisfaction with the received grade;
disappointment in the chosen profession.

The most pronounced form of educational stress can be attributed to examination stress - this is a particular form of mental stress, which often causes examination neurosis and is an undoubted psychotraumatic factor.

To relieve stress, many students begin to smoke intensively and consume alcoholic beverages. The most terrible consequence is the beginning of the use of various types of drugs for alleged "stress relief".

Also, the consequences of stress include:

physical breakdown;
susceptibility to accidents;
nervous collapse;
decreased academic performance;
problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
headaches from constant tension;
constant feeling of tiredness;
loss of orientation;
insomnia, loss of sleep;
irritability;
Frequent feeling of depression
Constant feeling of being overwhelmed
increased or decreased appetite;
violation of social contacts, communication problems;
heart palpitations, pain in the heart;
fear, anxiety;
loss of confidence, decreased self-esteem;
apathy, depression.

Therefore, it can be concluded that there are many reasons that can lead to stress in a student's life. In turn, stress leads to various consequences that negatively affect the health of students.

Stress- a common and frequent occurrence. We all experience it at times - maybe as a feeling of emptiness in the depths of the stomach when we get up, presenting ourselves in a new place, or as increased irritability or insomnia during an exam session. Minor stress is inevitable and harmless. It is excessive stress that creates problems for individuals. Stress is an integral part of human existence, you just need to learn to distinguish between an acceptable degree of stress and too much stress. Zero stress is not possible.

Stress can have direct and indirect health effects. It is the cause of many diseases, which means that it causes significant harm to human health, while health is one of the conditions for achieving success in any activity. Exposure to stress can lead to painful emotions such as anxiety or depression. It can also cause physical illness, both mild and severe. But people's reactions to stressful events are significantly different: some in a stressful situation have serious psychological or physiological problems, while others in the same stressful situation do not experience any problems and perceive it as interesting, finding new tasks for themselves. This means that the very occurrence and experience of stress depends not so much on objective as on subjective factors, on the characteristics of the person himself: his assessment of the situation, comparing his strengths and abilities with what is required of him, etc.

Depression(from Lat. - suppression, oppression) - a mental disorder that can take a person out of emotional balance for a long time and significantly worsen the quality of his life (work activity, personal relationships, etc.). Depression often occurs as a response to psychological trauma or negative event (death of a loved one, dismissal from work). Depression, or painfully low mood, can be both an independent disease and a manifestation of many others. A low mood can also be in perfectly healthy people. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders. You need to know that depression in all its manifestations is a disease that must be treated, otherwise it will take a protracted course and lead to disability. Timely treatment in most cases leads to a complete recovery.

Effects of depression on health

Immunity: the human body has a well-established system of resistance to many infections and diseases. Depression lowers the body's resistance and makes it susceptible to disease.
Skeletal system: depression contributes to the development of osteoporosis (brittle bones).
The cardiovascular system: depression affects the work of the heart and blood vessels. The disorder doubles the risk of developing diseases of the given system.
Nervous system: Depression is similar to dementia in terms of its effect on memory, concentration and other thought processes. It also contributes to the development of dementia: the area of the brain that controls memory is reduced in size in people suffering from chronic depression. Chronic, undiagnosed and untreated depression over time destroys neural connections in the brain, leading to the death of nerve cells.
Perception of pain: The depressed person experiences untold emotional pain.

Depression affects the functions of the whole body. For example, changes in appetite lead to overeating and excess weight, or malnutrition and weight loss. Depression is fraught with hormonal disruptions and many other physiological changes. Thus, the insidiousness of depression is that it affects the body, mind and soul at the same time.

Sport is the best stress reliever. Exercising in the gym improves blood circulation, oxygen supply to the brain and increases overall tone. Sport takes pride of place among the ways to get rid of stress.

fitness and aerobics, as well as dancing, promote deep breathing, relieve oxygen deprivation, in addition, communication in a group allows you to overcome depression;
swimming perfectly relaxes, distracts from problems, and water has an additional massaging effect;
team games: football, volleyball, basketball. They distract from loneliness, allow you to increase self-esteem;
jogging, skiing and skating. The combination of fresh air, physical activity and communication with nature gives a huge effect.

Of course, when depressed, it is difficult to force yourself to do difficult exercises and experience serious stress. In this case, you can replace physical education with walks in the fresh air - sunlight has a positive effect on mood and psychological state.

Ways to prevent and manage stress

Anti-stress lifestyle

Our lifestyle is a reflection of our personality. Changing your lifestyle is the most important condition for overcoming destructive stressful influences. To optimize the lifestyle will help: healthy eating, rational rest, correct personal life.

Healthy eating

Throughout the history of mankind, in all cultures without exception, a great influence has been given to proper nutrition. Improper diet is a serious stressor. The most common mistakes that lead to stress are: irregular eating, eating on the go, eating unhealthy foods, thinking about something negative while eating, overeating.

During times of stress, our body produces a large amount of hormones - adrenaline and cortisol. For the "production" of these hormones, vitamins C, B, zinc, magnesium and other minerals are needed. Under stress, these elements are urgently "confiscated" from their workplaces in the body, where, in turn, their shortage is formed. As a result, a lack of vitamin C and zinc prevents the production of enough collagen, which affects our skin. Lack of vitamin B12 inhibits energy production and mental performance. Magnesium deficiency leads to headaches and hypertension. Therefore, you need to consume more vitamins.

Rational rest

It has been known for a long time that the best rest is a change of activities. You need to be able to properly rest after a working day, on weekends, during holidays. And here the most important thing is to be able to switch your attention. The situation when we think about work at home, but at work about our household chores is not so impossible and makes it very difficult to concentrate on performing a certain type of activity, which only creates certain difficulties, problems, breakdowns and often leads to stress.

Healthy sleep to combat stress

Nothing restores more strength than a healthy sleep. Sleep preserves not so much the physical activity of a person as psychological balance. During sleep, our body produces hormones that are responsible for the growth and restoration of body functions.

Stress and exercise

It is common knowledge that physical activity is one of the most affordable ways to get rid of stress. Since stress in the body triggers the mechanisms that prepare it for intense physical exertion, it is physical exercise that is the most natural way to release the accumulated energy. Exercise has a relaxing effect that occurs after exercise and lasts up to 2 hours. If exercise is performed regularly for 7-8 weeks, it begins to have a long-term effect, expressed in an increase in the body's resistance to stress.

Medicine explains differently the positive effect of physical activity on the emotional state. Traditionally, physical activity is thought to increase the level of chemicals that can improve mood.

From all of the above, everyone should learn:

Stress and depression can and should be dealt with.
You need to learn to perceive events as they are.
You need to eat right.
You need to properly manage your time.
You need to devote more time to sports and exercise.
You need to walk your thoughts in the fresh air.

When a student learns to do all this, and do it right, it will be much easier for him to cope with stressful situations.

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

Persistent tension arises 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 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 Cannon) to denote "neuropsychic" stress ("fight or flight" syndrome), and the famous stress researcher Canadian physiologist Hans Selye began to use the term "stress" for general adaptive stress ("syndrome caused by different 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 effects of various adverse factors."

Thus, the word "stress" defines the state of the body, in which it tries to adapt to difficult living conditions. When a person is exposed to excessive physical or mental stress, his body first tries to defend itself. But then it adjusts, and the response to increased stress becomes optimal. This state is called positive stress. It is necessary for normal human mental development and adaptation to the environment. But often the body is unable to cope with mental or physical stress. In this state, any additional stress can disrupt the normal state of a person and cause illness. Therefore, a positive ( eustress) and negative ( distress) forms of stress:

Eustress- has two meanings - "stress caused by positive emotions" and "light stress, mobilizing the body."

"Positive" stress (like a million dollar win or a suddenly announced elderly relative - an oil tycoon :O)) 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 its short duration. Eustress is often referred to as curative stress because it generates “curative” positive emotions.

Distress- a negative type of stress that the body is unable to cope with. Distress is a nervous disorder caused by adverse events in a person's life. Bad stress is very often the reason for the loss of control over the situation. The death of a loved one, financial problems, a high level of responsibility and excessive workload, strained relationships with other people, or chronic illness - all these events can cause distress. Distress can be acute or chronic. While acute stress is generally 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 as a physiological reaction of the body to external factors. There is a tendency to equate stress simply with nervous tension (this is partly due to the term meaning "tension" in translation from English) - the so-called "psychological" stress. However, stress is not just anxiety or tension. First of all, stress is a universal physiological reaction to sufficiently strong influences, which has certain symptoms

Here are the main symptoms:

Irritability.
Absent-mindedness
Insomnia.
Apathy.
Increased excitability
Mood swings.
Constant fatigue
Inability to concentrate.
Memory impairment
Impulsive behavior.
Tearfulness.
Sometimes the 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.

Stress symptoms depend a lot on the stability of the nervous system. What makes one person literally climb a wall may have absolutely no effect 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?

In an attempt to cope with stress, the brain stimulates the release of adrenaline. This chemical travels to the kidneys and begins a process by which the stored glycogen is converted to glucose, thereby increasing blood flow. Blood pressure rises, breathing becomes more frequent (in order to activate the flow of oxygen into the blood), which disrupts the process of digestion. When this 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 a defense becomes chronic, then a person becomes vulnerable to disease.

Effects of stress on humans

In the modern world, stress is a familiar part of life for each of us.

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

Stress, depending on its duration, has either short-term or long-term effects on the human body. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Short-term effects of stress:

Blood flow to vital organs. The blood supply to the heart and brain is most active.
Increased heart rate - oxygenation of the blood.
Increased consumption of glycogen from muscles and liver to produce large amounts of glucose.

The effect 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. Whereas negative short-term stress is not good.

The changes in the human body caused by stress are manifested in the form of short-term effects. Chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath. Goose bumps, cold sweats, dry mouth, insomnia, loss of appetite, problems concentrating, memory disturbances, abdominal discomfort, outbursts of anger - these are all diverse reactions of our body to stress.

Long-term effects of stress:

In cases of prolonged or repetitive stress, our body is constantly under the influence of stress hormones. This leads to constantly 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 headache, anxiety, mood swings, drug addiction, weight loss or gain, memory impairment, insomnia, decreased sex drive, exacerbation of chronic diseases, and a high likelihood of heart attack or stroke.

Both long-term and short-term negative stress, hazardous to health. This is proved by the data of numerous studies. With the consequences of such a remedy

The effects of stress

Long-term negative stress affects 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, memory loss, lack of mental clarity.
Oral cavity... Colds.
The cardiovascular system... Heart palpitations, high blood pressure, risk of heart attacks.
Muscles. Constant muscle tension under stress can lead to neck, back or shoulder pain. Stress can lead to rheumatoid arthritis. Tension, cramps, and nervous tics.
Digestive system... Gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, constipation, diarrhea, bowel irritation and colitis. If you have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, stress can exacerbate them.
Reproductive system... Delayed menses, inability to experience orgasm, impotence, premature ejaculation, extinction of sexuality.
Respiratory system... Allergies and asthma.
Leather. Irritation, rash. Stress aggravates skin problems such as psoriasis and acne.
Hair loss.

Types of stress

There are several types of stress. They all deserve attention. In some cases, the stress is subtle; in others, urgent help is needed.

Stress of circumstance... This type of stress is periodically experienced by each of us - for example, during a tense situation at work, passing exams. We only benefit from such stress, as it energizes and inspires 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 among workaholics. Hyperstress is the result of prolonged emotional or physical overload. A person suffering from hyper stress, as a rule, breaks down over trifles. Even the little things provoke a violent emotional reaction in him. You are likely to suffer from hyper stress if you are a working mother who has to constantly maneuver between work and family responsibilities. Being in financial stress or living at a frantic pace can all lead to hyper-stress.
Hypostress. Hypostress is the exact opposite of hyper stress. Workers in repetitive jobs (factory workers) are often exposed to this type of stress. Hypostress can lead to bad moods and constant anxiety.
Chronic stress... Conflict, family problems, overwhelming tasks at work, problems with children and / or difficult living conditions can lead to chronic stress. These kinds of troubles put your physical and mental health at risk. If you are suffering from this kind of stress, you need to see a specialist.

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

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

To identify stress, list 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 attention to relieve stress.

Children and stress

Children experience stress when they are under psychological pressure or when their parents are stressed. If this situation is prolonged or becomes everyday, children become accustomed to the increased level of adrenaline in the blood.

Gradually, they begin to feel uncomfortable when they have the opportunity to calm down. Later, having matured, some people create stressful situations for themselves, because they cannot withstand a state of rest.

Preventing stress

Stress prevention is the best cure for stress and its consequences. Stress prevention is somewhat similar to 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 is in a healthy body.

And so that negative stress bypasses you, stress prevention is important, which includes, in general, well-known recommendations:

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

DO NOT overeat or overuse

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 stay in a good mood at all times, no matter how difficult it may be.
Perhaps the following recommendations will help you with this:

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

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

Take time just for yourself to be alone and enjoy it:

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

Set priorities and goals in life.

To do this, you can use the most ordinary 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 people who need you, who love you, appreciate, support, understand and amuse you in any situation.

These simple rules can help you significantly limit the effects of stress.

Be healthy!

It is impossible to hide from stress: it occurs even with a banal change in air temperature. It is important how our body copes and how stable it is.

A person cannot completely avoid stress throughout their life.

Stress in the modern world has been modified: the need to escape from a predator has been replaced by the need for self-realization; the search for food has been replaced in our time by a complex pattern of diet and exercise; and the relationship has become something more than just an ordinary continuation of the species. Here you can add conflicts at work, in the family, difficulties in social adaptation, health problems, lack of money.

What is stress

This concept appeared in 1930 thanks to the Canadian physiologist Hans Selye. Despite the short period of time, the term is firmly entrenched in our vocabulary.

Stress is a condition that occurs in response to environmental conditions and their changes; it is characterized not only by mental, but also by physical manifestation. And contrary to popular belief, stress is not always a negative phenomenon, positive events load our psyche no less.

Types of stress

spicy;
chronic;
informational;
physical and mental.

Acute - an instant response to a problem in life: the loss of a loved one, a serious quarrel, illness, any unforeseen event that upsets the balance.

Chronic occurs with constant nervous tension or frequent shocks. It can lead to depression, diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive systems, general exhaustion. Chronic stress is a response to the low ability of our body to adapt to modern realities.

Informational - a modern type of stress, relevant for the 21st century. There is too much data around, and our body simply does not have time to respond to all incoming information. This can be especially noticed among the inhabitants of the metropolis. The human brain is designed to react to the outlines of objects in the wild, to analyze them, to perceive danger; in cities, the landscape is completely identical, which creates an information "vacuum". Urban developers are now trying to remedy this problem by creating diversified home designs, parks and green spaces.

Physical-mental-intense physical and mental stress has a great impact on our body and mind.

Depending on how stress affects a person, positive stress (eustress) and negative stress (distress) are distinguished.

Eustress activates the human body to fight and overcome obstacles, gives a feeling of victory when the trouble is left behind.

If the problem remains in life for a long time, and given many environmental factors, it is possible, then eustress turns into distress. The body quickly spends its resources, there is a feeling of constant depression, depression, aggression, irritability begin.

It is worth remembering that depression is a serious illness, not just a "bad mood" and should be treated by combining psychological and medical methods. Serious treatment may be required if depression is having strong physiological effects on the body.

Depression is a serious disorder

Dealing with stress

Stress in modern society is a dangerous phenomenon that can lead to illness (depression, physical and mental disorders), but it is unrealistic to get rid of it completely, even if you change the usual accelerated rhythm of life to a slower one (move from the city to the countryside).

There are several ways you can reduce the effects of stress on your body:

Sports loads. During sports, endorphin and adrenaline are released, which have a positive effect on the body. In addition to a powerful dose of the "happiness hormone", a person also gets a beautiful figure and good health, which is great in itself.
Pets. In psychology, there is a method of "animal therapy", which is used for people with difficulties in social adaptation. Having a dog or cat prolongs a person's life, as their owners lead a more active lifestyle. Pets help you relax after a busy day and find harmony.
Meditation. In life, you need to manage not only to do everything at once, but also to relax, slow down and stop, observing the world around you. Yoga today is gaining relevance among people, because it is a physical activity that produces the appropriate hormones that have a positive effect on the body.
Travels. Nothing hits depression like a change of scenery, the need to adapt to new conditions, getting rid of routine, new experiences. It is not necessary to go on a trip around the world, it is enough to go to a neighboring city, by the sea in summer, to explore an unknown area of your own city. There are many budget day trips available. A pleasant new experience will temporarily switch attention, provide an opportunity to escape from a stressful life.
Medications. Stress can cause insomnia, heart disease, and digestive upset. Many cope with the consequences by ingesting countless tablets of sedatives and digestive aids. As prescribed by the doctor, you should take medications that help restore the body: sedatives, antidepressants, vitamin complexes, such medications help get rid of the source of the disease, restore the internal system, raise immunity and improve your own adaptation.

Pets are great at relieving stress

The influence of stress on the body is inevitable, everyone faces it, regardless of the area of residence, social status, gender, age. There is no single right solution that will get rid of all problems immediately.

You need to deal with stress by increasing your own resilience, combining different methods, choosing the one that will have the most beneficial effect.

The life of a modern person is full of stress. Difficulties at work, lack of money, family troubles, problems with children, health problems - all kinds of problems literally surround us at every step. Few manage to break the “vicious circle” and protect themselves from experiences. The rest continue to be regularly nervous, tormented by anxiety and suffer from insomnia. What is stress and can you reduce its impact on your life?

Is stress a disease or not?

For the first time the concept of "stress" was introduced into practice by the Canadian physiologist Hans Selye in 1936. Today this term has become a part of our everyday life. Under stress, doctors understand the state of mental stress that occurs in a person during activities in difficult conditions (both in everyday life and in specific circumstances, for example, during space flight).

Experts identify several types of stress in the life of a modern person. Acute stress is the body's response to an event as a result of which it has lost its psychological balance. For example, a conflict with a boss or a quarrel with loved ones. The presence in life of a constant significant physical or mental stress, such as an unsuccessful job search or conflicts in the family, leads to the development of chronic stress.

Physical overload, exposure to harmful environmental factors, work in hazardous working conditions, for example, in a face, can lead to physiological stress. And psychological stress is a response to a violation of the psychological stability of a person due to psychological overload, for example, at work, insult or other factors. In the 21st century, another type of stress has been identified - information stress. It can be caused both by a continuous stream of a huge number of news reports, and by a complete information "vacuum".

It is impossible to unequivocally assess the impact of stress on the human body; it is customary to divide it into positive (eustress) and negative (distress). Eustress has a positive effect, mobilizing all the forces of the body, helping it to gather, for example, before passing a difficult exam or before an important presentation at a workshop.

On the other hand, the body, being in a state of constant stress, quickly wastes its resources. The person becomes distracted, irritable, the reserve of strength quickly expires. This negative state is called distress. Here, the provoking factors can be the death of a loved one, serious illness, trauma. Distress has a disruptive effect on a person's activities and behavior, knocking him out of his usual rut for a long time.

It is important not to miss the moment and not allow stress to turn into a form of chronic depression, which is already becoming a medical diagnosis and requires serious therapy, up to hospitalization and treatment under the constant supervision of doctors.

How to deal with stress?

Most people face various stressful situations almost every day and intuitively try to deal with them in available ways. Someone copes with the consequences of experiences with the help of yoga and meditation, others relax in a bar, and still others prefer modern medications. Experts offer a number of fairly effective non-drug ways to deal with stress.

Sport... The secret of sports is simple: during physical exertion, "hormones of happiness" - endorphins are released. By relieving stress in the gym, you throw out negative emotions, get a beautiful figure and a regular rush of good mood. Unlike alcohol, sports builds your long-term ability to resist stress throughout the day.

Travels... A change of scenery is one of the pleasant ways to relax and escape from everyday stress and routine. Even a short trip, for example, out of town or weekend excursions, will bring a lot of new positive emotions.

Pets... Animals know how to support their owners in difficult times, soothe and cheer up. It is no coincidence that they are popular with single and elderly people. Scientists have also shown that therapy with cats, dogs and other animals can help combatants recover from PTSD.

Relaxation and Meditation Techniques... Yoga and meditation are in demand more than ever. It is not difficult to master the relaxation technique, and the result will appear soon enough. Another plus of meditation is that constant practice helps to develop the ability to abstract in a stressful situation and not get nervous about trifles.

Affordable solution

The listed methods of dealing with stress are effective, but not always available, especially when you need to get together in the middle of the working day or try to fall asleep late at night, despite the tormenting insomnia. In this case, sedatives, sedatives, which have a mild normalizing effect on the nervous system, can become a timely assistant.

One of such remedies is Valoserdin drops, it reduces irritability, anxiety and insomnia. Valoserdin has a calming and mild hypnotic effect, helps to reduce the excitation of the central nervous system and facilitates the onset of natural sleep. In addition to the sedative, the drug has an antispasmodic and reflex vasodilator effect.

Its action has been tested by more than one generation, and it has long passed into the category of practically folk remedies for functional disorders of the cardiovascular system, with neurosis-like conditions, which are accompanied by increased agitation, irritability and anxiety, insomnia, and tachycardia.

Of course, it is impossible to completely avoid all stress and anxiety while living in a huge metropolis and even a small town. No miracle drug will make your life happy and comfortable by relieving anxiety. Yes, modern means allow you to survive the effects of stress, help support the body, but the task of learning how to cope with all anxieties and experiences on your own remains the most important.