Stress And its Medical Value

the whole person in all the human dimensions, the perception of stress and the responses to it are highly individualised, not only from person to person, but also from one time to another in the same person.

Stress is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand for change Stress as that which occurs when “ an individual perceives that the demands of an external situation are beyond his or her perceived ability to cope with them”

DEFENITION

stress.Example: Death of a loved one, Chronic illness
2.Eustress or stress that protects health.Eustress is motivating energy, such as happiness, hopefulness and purposeful movement.
Example: Learning a new hobby

According to Lazarus, (1999) there are several types of stress –
Work stress,
Family stress,
Chronic stress,
Acute stress,
Daily hassles,
Trauma
Crisis.

be a threat.
CLASSIFICATION OF STRESSORS:
1. Life events or daily hassels:
Death of a loved one
Divorce, injury, being fired at work
Trouble with in laws

2. External or Internal:
External Stressors are adverse physical conditions.
Example: Hot or Cold temperatures
Stressful Psychological environments,Poor housing,Traffic Jams.
Internal Stressors can be Physical conditions
Example: Illness,Unrealistic Expectations Tendency to worry

diet, Hyperglycemia
Psychological:
unhappy childhood, Unemployment
excessive anger, low self esteem
Social:
Poverty, Racial Prejudice, Victim of crime
Harassement and bureaucracy

3.ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS:
Nature and manmade Catastrophies:
- Earth quakes, floods, Fire breaking incidence and accidents.
Death of the near and dear
Robbery and cheating
Terrorist attacks
Communal Violence

particular type of behaviour more prone to stress than others.
Depending on the stress bearing or tolerance capacity
Poor health, defective sensory organ, illness and fatal diseases.
Sleeping disorders, Drug addiction
Unhappiness and frustration

financial situation
Low academic Performance
Chronic illness
Sudden hospitalisation

ADOLESCENCE:
Coping with academic pressures
Lack of acceptance by peers
Increased arguments with friends
Accepting their own physical changes
Relationship with opposite sex
Leaving home for higher studies

children
Taking care of aged parents
Job burnout
Mid-career changes

OLD AGE:
Failing health and stamina
Relocating with children
Living alone
Living with reduced income
Adjusting to retirement
Loneliness

advises you on what to do.
In small doses, stress has many advantages. For instance, stress can help you meet daily challenges and motivates you to reach your goals. In fact, stress can help you accomplish tasks more efficiently. It can even boost memory.
Stress is also a vital warning system, producing the fight-or-flight response. When the brain perceives some kind of stress, it starts flooding the body with chemicals like epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol. This creates a variety of reactions such as an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Plus, the senses suddenly have a laser-like focus so you can avoid physically stressful situations — such as jumping away from a moving car — and be safe.
In addition, there are various health benefits with a little bit of stress. Researchers believe that some stress can help to fortify the immune system. For instance, stress can improve how your heart works and protect your body from infection. In one study, individuals who experienced moderate levels of stress before surgery were able to recover faster than individuals who had low or high levels.

Medical values of stress

to experience the ride of your life, you might not enjoy that panicky feeling in the pit of your stomach. On the other hand, if this feeling occurs in response to moderate stress levels, the upside is that the pressure and nervousness you feel can potentially boost your brain’s performance. This is because moderate stress strengthens the connection between neurons in your brain, improving memory and attention span, and helping you become more productive.
In one study, researchers at the University of Berkeley found that in lab rats “brief stressful events caused the stem cells in their brains to proliferate into new nerve cells” resulting in increased mental performance after two weeks.
Better brain performance likely explains why many people, including myself, work better when under stress. For example, I’ve had clients throw me last-minute assignments with tight deadlines. After accepting the work, sometimes I panic because I bit off more than I can chew. But in every situation, I’ve gotten through the assignment and have received positive feedback, even though I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked.
If you doubt the health benefits of stress on your brain, do a self-evaluation of your performance on days when you’re experiencing a higher amount of stress at work. You may discover that you’re more focused and productive than on low-stress days.

when stressed is designed to protect you, whether it’s from injury or another perceived threat. What’s interesting about low doses of the stress hormone is that it also helps protect from infections. Moderate stress stimulates the production of a chemical called interleukins and gives the immune system a quick boost to protect against illnesses — unlike its evil twin, chronic stress, which lowers immunity and increases inflammation.
So, the next time you experience a shock to the system and your stress level elevates, remember this benefit. If a virus or cold spreads around your school or office, the “good” stress in your life might be the only drug you need to stay healthy

I hate the way it makes me feel, and I hate how stressful situations consume my mind — even if it’s only for a few hours. On the flip-side, stress has helped me become a stronger person over the years.
There’s no denying how going through a tough situation builds resiliency. When you experience something for the first time, you might think it’s the worst situation and crumble because you don’t know how to cope. But as you confront different situations and overcome various problems, you train yourself to deal with similar incidents in the future.

women who dealt with severe depression and anxiety during their pregnancies and gave birth prematurely or had babies with low birth weights. It’s true that elevated stress levels can have a negative impact on both mom and baby. As such, most expecting mothers do everything humanly possible to stay healthy and minimize stress and anxiety while pregnant.
Although chronic stress can negatively affect pregnancy, the good news is that moderate levels of normal stress during pregnancy won’t harm a baby. A 2006 Johns Hopkins study followed 137 women from mid-pregnancy to their children’s second birthdays. The study found that babies born to women who experienced mild to moderate stress during pregnancy had more advanced early developmental skills by the age of 2 than babies born to unstressed mothers.
Of course, this study doesn't suggest giving stress the red-carpet treatment while pregnant. But if you deal with periodic everyday stresses, don’t panic. It may actually help your baby’s development.