Table of contents:
- What is stress?
- Symptoms of stress
- Types of stress
- Acute stress
- Acute stress: examples
- Acute stress: symptoms
- Acute episodic stress
- Acute episodic stress: symptoms
- Chronic stress
- Chronic stress: examples
- Chronic stress symptoms
- Explanatory video of the stress response
Currently the word stress is used daily in our daily lives. What's more, surely you have said more than once "I'm very stressed or stressed" in times of exams or seasons with a lot of work. But what is stress really? Did you know that there are several types of stress with different characteristics and symptoms? Find out in this article on Psychology-Online: Types of stress and their symptoms. Where you will find what stress is and what each of the 3 main types of stress in psychology is like.
You may also be interested in: Types of bipolar disorder and their symptoms Index- What is stress?
- Symptoms of stress
- Types of stress
- Acute stress
- Acute episodic stress
- Chronic stress
What is stress?
The term "stress" was introduced in the health sciences in the 1930s by Hans Selye, who observed the existence of a global and common response in different people to pressure situations.
Stress is a reaction that our body generates to face a situation in which it perceives a threat or feels that it is not capable of meeting the demands of the environment. Therefore, stress appears when the person feels that the environmental demands are greater than the resources they have, so they feel overwhelmed by the situation and unable to cope.
It is important to know that stress is a natural and survival response, thanks to which our body is activated and is able to adapt to changes that occur in the environment. However, when this response lasts too long or is too intense, it can be harmful to our health, both physical and psychological, as well as affect our personal relationships, the professional and / or academic environment, etc. Depending on the characteristics of stress, such as duration and intensity, we find different types of stress.
Symptoms of stress
Just as each type of stress has its own characteristics, the symptoms that can accompany each of them differ. Next, we present the general symptoms of stress, as well as that of each of the types of stress. The stress symptoms generally are:
- Physical symptoms such as headache or chest pain, muscle tension, nausea, and vomiting.
- Emotional symptoms such as lack of motivation, irritability, anxiety, sadness, and worry.
- Behavioral symptoms such as social withdrawal, abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, overeating or under-eating.
- Cognitive or thought-level symptoms such as difficulties in attention, concentration and memory.
In the following article you will find the Effects of stress on the body.
Types of stress
Mainly, we can distinguish 3 types of stress in psychology:
- Acute stress
- Acute episodic stress
- Chronic stress
However, different names are also used depending on the area to which the stress is related. For example, the terms are used: work stress and academic stress.
Acute stress
Acute stress is the most common type of stress. It is a type of stress of short duration and its origin is in the daily demands and the anticipation of near future demands. As it is a type of short-term stress, its duration is not enough to cause significant wear and tear on the body with significant damage to people's health. Once the situation that generates stress is resolved, this type of stress decreases.
Acute stress: examples
- An example of this type of stress would be having to make a delivery within a certain time frame and having little time and going against the clock.
- Another example of acute stress is caused by moving.
Acute stress: symptoms
- Emotional discomfort with the presence of irritability, anxiety or frustration.
- Fatigue.
- Concentration difficulties.
- Muscle-type pain in the head, back and jaw, which may appear contractures.
- Stomach problems such as heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence.
- Overexcitation of the nervous system that results in accelerated heart rate, palpitations, migraines, nausea, etc.
Acute episodic stress
The Episodic acute stress is acute stress explained above, but more often. That is, this type of stress is present repeatedly and constantly in the lives of these people. Acute episodic stress is characterized by a high frequency.
People who suffer from it are often unable to organize their lives properly and usually have excessive demands or responsibilities, self-imposed or imposed by the context. That is why those who suffer from it live in a state of constant concern without resting or disconnecting, leading to intense physical and emotional wear.
Episodic acute stress also appears as a result of constant worry and fear, when the world is perceived with pessimism, always thinking that something negative is about to happen. An example of this type of stress would be a person who works long hours and under constant pressure and also has responsibilities and family responsibilities. It is important to know that stress requires treatment by professional help.
Acute episodic stress: symptoms
- Frequent malaise in which irritability, anxiety and tension appear.
- Hostility, aggressiveness, and impatience.
- Heart diseases.
- Pain in the chest and head.
- Hypertension.
Chronic stress
Chronic stress is the most exhausting and severe type of stress, with destructive consequences for health and damage to various vital areas. It produces long-term wear, and can leave sequelae for life. It arises when, as a result of prolonged exposure to stressors, a person is unable to see a way out of their situation and falls into a state of hopelessness. Like acute episodic stress, chronic stress requires the help of a professional person.
Chronic stress: examples
Chronic stress is a type of stress derived from the constant demands and demands of the environment, which seem endless, so the person feels trapped and unable to handle it, such as war conflicts or situations of extreme poverty. On the other hand, it can also be caused by traumatic experiences that take place in childhood and that generate depressive and threatening views and beliefs about the world.
Chronic stress symptoms
- Depression, anxiety and nervous breakdowns.
- Suicidal and violent thoughts.
- Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness (believing that they have no control over their situation and therefore cannot do anything to change it).
- Heart attacks.
- Stroke or stroke.
- Weakening of the immune system.
Explanatory video of the stress response
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Types of stress and their symptoms, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical Psychology.
Bibliography- Lazarus, RS and Folkman, S. (1986). Stress and cognitive processes . Barcelona: MartÃnez Roca.
- Regueiro, A. (sf). Basics: What is stress and how does it affect us? Psychological Care Service of the University of Malaga.
- Selye, H. (1956). The stress of life. New York: McGraw-Hill.