FREE ESSAY ON STRESS

STRESS

I have chosen the topic of stress and coping for my psychology reflection paper. This
course provided in-depth information on stress, coping with stress, and the favorable or
unfavorable aspects that stress has on our psychological makeup. It also clearly defines
the psychological factors that create social dysfunctions, the methods of psychological
research, and treatment theories that assist us with stress-related coping.
I discovered that psychophysiological disorders are in fact physical disorders, in which
our emotions are believed to play a central role. The stress factors that people
routinely face lead to disorders on both a mental and physical basis. A common
misconception, shared by me prior to completing this course, was that people who suffer
from psychophysiological disorders are not "really" sick. I now realize that
psychological disturbances such as stress can easily impact on the human anatomy in the
same manner as any disease. A good example would be a peptic ulcer that has been caused
by stress. This ulcer is indistinguishable from an ulcer that may have been caused by an
overuse of medication. 
This course effectively discussed the effects that stress has on our health,
productivity, budget, and lives. I learned that a degree of stress is necessary; even
desirable. It excites or challenges us to achieve better results. Experiencing events
such as the birth of a child, completion of a major project at work, or moving to a new
city, can generate as much stress as any tragedy or disaster. But without it, life would
be dull.
Through this course I have found that stress reducers help individuals regain a sense of
control and equilibrium. Some stress reducing strategies may relieve the immediate stress
symptoms but others may require developing new behavior patterns to cope with the
stresses of life. Some of these strategies include: 
1. Relaxing - Close your eyes and breathe for 10 minutes. Think of relaxing places and
blot all else out.
2. Exercising - Relaxed muscles make relaxed nerves. Take a brisk walk at lunch or choose
some other exercise that is comfortable and realistic.
3. Eating Right - Develop eating habits that fit your situation but limit fat, sugar and
salt.
4. Talking to a Friend - Find someone who won't butt in and give advice. Find someone who
listens.
5. Not Relying on Alcohol or Drugs - Moderation of some substances may be fine but if
used to avoid problems, they may lead to abuse or addiction.
6. Confronting the Situation - Often, to avoid dealing with something is more stressful
than addressing it directly.
7. Prioritizing Your Responsibilities - Decide what is more important. You don't have to
do everything.
8. Doing Something for Yourself - Listen to music; go shopping; read a book. Choose
something you enjoy.
9. Seeking Professional Help - If nothing seems to work, allow a professional counselor
to assist you in getting unstuck.
The subject of stress has become a favorite topic in everyday conversation. It's not
unusual to hear my friends, coworkers, and family members talk about the difficulty they
have with managing the stress of everyday living. We talk about being burned out,
overwhelmed and losing it. We also talk about our efforts to control the events that
cause stress. 
Most of us understand the results of not controlling our reactions to stress. But we are
generally unaware of the many other emotional, cognitive and physical consequences
associated with unmanaged stress. 
We learn to interpret our experiences very early in life. We learn from our parents, our
teachers, and our peers. Those of us who have children know that they are natural mimics.
I constantly see my kids imitate and assimilate the behavior they see. A good example of
interpretation would be a thirteen-year-old who wants to understand her developing
sexuality. Her mother says, "Ask your teacher." Her teacher says, "Ask your minister."
Her minister says, "Ask your mother." From this conspiracy of silence she learns to
assign a meaning to sex and sexuality: "It's something too awful to discuss." 
Parents and teachers aren't the only ones who train perceptions. We learn to assign
meanings from the very culture we live in-ethnic groups, neighborhoods, colleagues,
churches, geographic locations, and friends. In addition, television, books, movies,
billboards, newspapers and magazines are powerful influences on the way we view the
world.
I think one of the most intriguing things about this topic is that stress will always be
a constant in our daily life. As we move towards the millennium, there will be increasing
competition in most areas of business and industry. (The falling trade barriers and
competition from developing countries will see to that.) The successful companies will be
those with the most efficient and highly motivated workforce - and that means those which
pay due regard to the physical and mental health of their employees. 
The first step in coping with stress is recognizing the signs that indicate a buildup of
stress. The manner in which we cope with stressful situations can determine our future
physiological stability.
There is no such thing as a stress free life. In fact a certain amount of stress improves
performance; I have worked with several senior executives that feel stress is related to
the business and employees should be able to cope on their own. They feel that their
responsibility is to make profits for the shareholders, not to "mollycoddle" the
employees. 
It has been acknowledged that many of the people who get to more senior jobs are
relatively tough and resilient. For that reason they may find it hard to understand why
some of their subordinates find difficulty in coping. This view, however, is fast
changing. Just as employers can generate stress, they can also help to alleviate it. Poor
employee health costs money and a healthy workforce is a productive workforce. The
introduction of technology, e.g. fax and email, means that the pace of work is
increasing. People expect quicker answers to questions. People are also becoming more
accessible as a result of the mobile phone and pager. They are not able to "get away from
work" to totally relax.
The goal of stress management is to show people that stress is a normal part of a healthy
life, which can, however, get out of control. We can increase our coping skills but
ideally we should seek to eliminate or reduce the sources of stress. It is important to
be able to recognize - in oneself and others - when stress levels are becoming too great,
and to do something about it before overload is reached: that is to learn 'stress
management skills'.
When you start to feel stress, first retrace your steps until you find the event you have
perceived as threatening. Second, identify what meaning you attached to the experience.
Finally, if you don't like the way you feel, you can consciously change your mind and
choose a different, more positive interpretation.
I believe that the study of psychology is very interesting and worthwhile. Since
psychology affects so many aspects of our life, I feel that it's essential for everyone,
even if they don't intend to specialize in the field, to know the basic facts and
methods. This course and others like it are instrumental in giving us a better
understanding of why people think and act as they do. Psychology affects our life through
its influence on laws and public policy. It also provides insight to our social attitudes
and reactions, which ultimately assist us in dealing with the trials and tribulations of
everyday life.