Types of stress and its symptoms

Types of stress and its symptoms
Currently the word stress is used daily in our daily lives. Moreover, surely you have said more than once "I am 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 Transkerja.com article: Types of stress and its symptoms . Where you will find what stress is and how is each of the 3 main types of stress in psychology.

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 situations of pressure.

Stress is a reaction that our body generates to face a situation in which it perceives a threat or feels that it is not able to meet the demands of the environment. Therefore, stress appears when the person feels that the environmental demands are higher than the resources he has, so he feels 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 the changes that occur in the environment. However, when this response is too long or too intense, it can be harmful to our health, both physical and psychological, as well as affect our personal relationships, 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 symptomatology of stress, as well as that of each type of stress. The general stress symptoms are as follows:

• 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 poorly.
• Cognitive or thought level symptoms such as difficulties in attention , concentration and memory.

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 with which the stress is related. For example, the terms work stress and academic stress are used.

Acute stress

Acute stress is the most common type of stress . It is a type of short-term stress and its origin is found in daily demands and anticipation of near future demands. Being a type of short-term stress, its duration is not enough to cause significant wear on the body with significant damage to people's health. Once the situation that causes us stress is resolved, this type of stress decreases.

Acute Stress: Examples

• An example of this type of stress would be to have to deliver within a certain period of time and have little time and go 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 pains in the head, back and jaw, and contractures may appear.
• Stomach problems such as heartburn, constipation, diarrhea and flatulence.
• Overexcitation of the nervous system that results in acceleration of heart rhythm, 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 repeatedly and constantly present in the lives of these people. Acute episodic stress is characterized by high frequency.

People who suffer from it are often unable to organize their life 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 worry without resting or disconnecting, resulting in intense physical and emotional wear.

Acute episodic 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 for many hours and under constant pressure and also has family responsibilities and burdens. It is important to know that stress requires treatment by professional help.

Acute episodic stress: symptoms

• Frequent discomfort in which irritability, anxiety and tension appear.
• Hostility, aggressiveness and impatience.
• Heart diseases.
• Chest and head aches.
• Hypertension.

Chronic stress

The chronic stress is the type most debilitating and severe stress , with destructive consequences for health and involvement in several vital areas. It produces long-term wear and tear, leaving sequels for life. It arises, when following prolonged exposure to stressors, a person is unable to see a way out of their situation and joins in 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 that the person feels trapped and unable to handle it, such as military 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 a vision and beliefs about the depressing and threatening world.

Chronic stress symptoms

• Depression, anxiety and nervous breakdowns.
• Thoughts of suicide and violence.
• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness (believing 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.