Essay, Research Paper: Let's Talk About Stress

The word stress is a very vague one. People in general
view stress as anything that upset or worry them. Therefor
stress and stressors, anything which causes stress, are
viewed as very bad things. That is, however, sometimes very
far from the truth.
The official definition, by the Lefton Psychology text
book is: A nonspecific, often global, response by an
organism to real or imagined demands made on it. (A person
must appraise a situation as stressful for it to be
stressful.). This brings up an interesting point. A
situation does not even have to happen for it to bring about
stress. The possibility of being fired or released from a
job is a stressful situation. The actual firing or release
does not have to happen for stress to be evident.
Another, more simplified definition is explained in
different terms, according to a persons body and how it
determines what is and is not stressful. This definition
is: To your body, stress ins synonymous with change. So
labeled "good" changes are still stressful; as are the "bad"
changes. Getting a major job promotion is just as, even
more stressful as being demoted or losing a job. Going to a
party and having a great time until two o'clock in the A.M.
can be and usually is just as stressful as getting an
illness and missing work. The direct result is not
necessarily what is stressful, but the conversion or change
is what causes the anxiety or stress.
Some people can handle more stress than others. This
is according to their tolerance level for stress. This
level of tolerance is an inherited trait. It becomes
apparent for the first time if a person has a low stress
tolerance level when they enter their teen-age years. The
hormonic changes and peer pressures of becoming a teen are
very trying on any individual. A person who has a low
stress tolerance becomes overwhelmed by the stress of being
a teen. Signs of this are frequent crying spells, fatigue,
sleep problems and disorders, and an overall depression.
In an effort to relieve symptoms of stress, people
often use chemical "pick-me-ups" that are readily available
to them. The most widely used and probably most readily
available pick-me-up is sugar. Sugar can cause an almost
instantaneous relief from stress symptoms. The extent of
the relief is often not amazingly significant and can wear
off rather quickly. Sugar can be found in nearly every food
and/or drink. Everything from apples to candy bars to
Kool-aid® to sodas has sugar in it. Caffeine is another
widely used pick-me-up. It can be found in coffee,
chocolate, and sodas, among other things. Alcohol is a more
dangerous pick me up. It can help a person feel energized,
assertive, happy, and confident. It is also a mind-altering
drug however. It is most often consumed in beverages but
can be inhaled from solvents such as glue and nail polish
remover. Some more potent and very dangerous pick-me-ups
include tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, and
heroin. Most of these types of pick-me-ups are not only
widely used, but widely abused. Many, if not all of them
have the potential to become addictions.
There are some more healthy alternatives to the relief
of and prevention of stressful symptoms. Those ways do not
include chemical relief but are therapeutic. Giving and
receiving open affection on a daily basis is helpful.
Exercising to the point of sweating at least twice per week
is a stress reliever. Having one or more close personal
friends to confide personal problems in is a good mental
practice. Speaking openly about one's feelings can lead to
the prevention of stress in the first place. but can also be
used as a good vent. Good physical health practices can
also prevent mental health problems to do with stress. For
example, being the appropriate weight for your height can
reduce stress.
Using such therapeutic practices of relief is more
healthy and more in the long run more healthy. Resorting to
chemical solutions only produces temporary results. When
the effects wear off, the person is often left worse off
than they were in the first place.








Works Cited


Allyn and Bacon. "Psychology sixth edition" Lefton, pub.
USA. Copyright © 1997.

Burns, Steve., Burns, Kimberly (1997). Medical Basis of
Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Sleep problems, and Drug
Use. [Abstract] Retreived October 3, 1997 from the
World Wide Web: http://www.teachhealth.com

Stress Free Net. (no date given) [Abstract] Retrieved
October 3, 1997 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.stressfree.com