Stress Management

The term stress refers, on the one hand, to mental and physical (somatic; bodily) reactions caused by stressors (specific external stimuli; strains) that enable the body to cope with particular demands, and, on the other hand, to the physical and mental strain that results. Stress can therefore be described as any sensible reaction of the body to a possible danger. These are “flight-fight reactions”. A reaction that was indispensable for survival during evolution – especially during the hunter-gatherer period. All stress reactions of the body can be easily explained by such a flight-fight reaction. If danger threatens, the organism must prepare itself for physical activity. For this purpose, the heart rate increases, blood is shifted from the abdominal organs (abdominal organs) to the muscles, and at the same time perceptions are reduced to a minimum. Pain sensations are throttled, cognitive abilities are considerably reduced, the immune system prepares for possible injuries and thus the organism is prepared for flight or fight. If the energies made available in this way are not dissipated, the symptoms of permanent stress result (see below). This mechanism applies both to so-called eustress, i.e. stress that is perceived as pleasant, and to disstress, i.e. stress that is perceived as unpleasant. The higher the disstress, the more the occurrence of eustress is inhibited, because disstress decreases serotonergic neurotransmission. Serotonergic neurotransmission is the release of the neurotransmitter (messenger) serotonin and the binding of the same to the receptor.The term stress is often misused and misunderstood. First of all, “stress” is understood to be a normal and, above all, necessary reaction of our body to demands placed on us. “Stress” is thus a physical and mental state of activation and excitement. Only we ourselves decide whether stress “inspires” us or whether it makes us ill. If the organism were not sensitive to stress, it would not react to the external factors and would therefore not be able to adapt and would not be viable. It follows that there is a balance between the perceived demands and the available coping strategies. A central prevention factor of permanent stress is the mental closure with a stressful circumstance, i.e. a discontinuation of pathological overthinking. It is desirable to overthink stressful issues as little as possible if they are perceived as subjectively stressful. If this is perceived as subjectively burdensome, it means that the body has reached the limit of its “energetic reserve capacity”. As a result, increased oxidative stress occurs. Negative, i.e. disstressing thoughts, can only be compensated by eustressing thoughts that are perceived as pleasant. A goal-oriented measure for this is psychotherapy, in order to develop positive, optimistic thought structures. This can be quite a lengthy process in the case of experiences such as trauma (e.g. mental injury).

Symptoms or complaints of stress:

Psychovegetative disorders

  • Faster pulse rate, increased blood pressure.
  • Changes in breathing pattern: breaths become faster and also decrease in duration – this can lead to “hyperventilation”
  • Dry mouth, dry throat
  • Wet hands and feet
  • Feeling of heat
  • Restlessness, twitching

Organic disorders (as a rule, these are already secondary diseases of the permanent stress).

Stress leads, among other things, to cortisol and catecholamine release (biogenic amines noradrenaline, dopamine and adrenaline), this in turn can be the cause of numerous secondary diseases.

Consequential diseases of stress

The following are the most important diseases that can be co-caused by stress:

Stress management or stress management

People have different buffer zones, called individual resources, with which they face the daily stresses. These resources can be a high self-esteem, interpersonal empathy gifts or good training condition.Mental, interpersonal and physical aspects are interrelated. For example, great stress in working life can remain without negative effects if there is a strong family environment. A stable family environment or a circle of friends from which a sense of well-being grows is a significant preventive factor for chronic stress.Individual character traits also influence stress: one person takes everything to heart and the other makes the best of everything. The term resilience is used to describe the ability of people to renew themselves independently after deep crises, in the sense of self-regulation. The higher the resilience, the stronger the ability to come to terms with a psychological stress and the higher the probability of looking forward and finding solutions. The resilience ability is an individual characteristic. It is subject to genetic as well as epigenetic factors, most of which originate in early childhood. The focus of stress management or stress management is:

  • Emotional IntelligenceEmotional intelligence determines how stress is felt or managed. It describes the way one intuitively deals with other people and critical situations. The way one deals with people differs depending on the characteristics of the hemispheres of the brain. The more predominant the left brain is (= analytical thinking), the more factual and the more predominant the right brain is (= networked thinking and emotions), the more emotional.
  • Social supportWithout people to talk to, without support from partners, family or friends lacks an important help in dealing with stress and stressful life situations. They give strength. Many critical events and stresses lose their terror as long as you have people who care about you and with whom you can talk and who offer help. Note: As long as you are in good mental shape, a healthy positive self-dialogue can be a suitable complementary piece to the social environment in coping with stress.
  • Positive coping strategy or copingCoping strategies or coping (English : to cope with, “cope, overcome”) refers to the way of dealing with a life event (here: stress) or phase of life perceived as significant and difficult. [here: Ability to deal constructively with critical situations or stresses = disease-reducing]. Unlike emotional intelligence, constructive coping strategies can be learned.

A distinction is made between:

  • Positive coping strategies – ability to deal constructively with critical situations or stresses = disease-reducing.
  • Negative coping strategies – stress-reinforcing attitudes such as self-blame, isolation from fellow human beings = disease-promoting.

Stress management

Numerous ways lead to stress management. This refers to all the actions that maintain mental health such as meeting friends, exercise, laughter, learning and serenity. The following are the supporting pillars of stress management:

  • Time management
  • Healthy diet
  • Sports and exercise
  • Mental hygiene
  • Social contacts
  • Regular rest and sleep – meditation if necessary.
  • Learning a new area of knowledge (eg language), if it is associated with joy and motivation.