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Vishal
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Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 92
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# Posted: 16 Apr 2007 01:00 · Edited by: Vishal
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Stress is a common condition, and occurs when a person perceives an event as a threat. Thus, the way we interpret situations can cause us stress. How so? Think about it, any time something happens to us, we mentally process the situation. We determine whether or not the situation is threatening to us and consider how to handle it. If we find the situation is beyond our ability to deal with, it becomes stressful.
Of course, a situation that one person finds stressful, may not be stressful for another. For instance, while rush hour may make one feel tension and anxiety because traffic makes them nervous or they are afraid to be late, another may find this same drive to be relaxing because they have more time to themselves.
In addition, not all stress is bad. Your body is placed under stress when adrenalin is released. Adrenaline is meant to help motivate and keep us alert in tense situations such as taking an exam, while driving in bad weather, or helping us cope when facing challenging situations. Stress becomes negative when the body is subjected to prolonged bouts of adrenaline.
Stress can be caused by external and internal factors. Some of the more general causes of stress include:
External factors
Family
Work
Your working or living environment
Sudden events that are unpredictable
The condition of your community, country or the world
Internal factors
Health problems from a poor diet
Pessimism -negative thoughts and feelings
Perfectionism
Behaving irresponsibly
Having expectations that are not realistic
Additionally, there is more than one form of stress a person can experience. There is acute stress, episodic acute stress and chronic stress. Below is brief information about the causes leading to each stress type.
Acute stress This is the most common and recognizable stress type, because we know exactly what is causing acute stress. Examples include a car crash, a visit to the doctor, being chased by a vicious dog, or experiencing the thrill of a rollercoaster. Acute stress can also be brought on by noise, crowding or hunger. In most cases, acute stress is short-term and has a low health risk. It usually subsides after the event has finished and you adjust back to your normal life.
Episodic acute stress Episodic acute stress occurs frequently and is often experienced by people who lead fast-paced, chaotic lifestyles that lack control. Those suffering from episodic acute stress are usually worrywarts, and go-getters. Essentially, they are people who are frequently tense and stimulated. Those who have episodic acute stress usually ignore and become accustomed to the stress they feel. This leads to symptoms that can take a toll on a person's physical and mental health, increasing their risk of headaches, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Chronic stress Chronic stress is caused by prolonged and relentless pressures and demands. This may include having financial worries, continuous unemployment, feeling trapped in an unhappy career or relationship, being bullied, living in a high crime community, or caring for a loved one who's chronically ill. Chronic stress is the worst type of stress because it is constant and deteriorates mental and physical health. It dramatically increases the risk of illness, and if not taken care of, can result in eventual death.
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Dr_Broadland
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Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 62
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2007 10:08 · Edited by: Dr_Broadland
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Anxiety is a reaction to or manifestation of stress People who suffer from recurrent stress from the same triggering circumstances may end up getting panic attacks, in the presence of the triggering event There is a sudden surge of emotion and the person is usually unaware of the triggering factor.
A predominant symptom of a panic attack is rapid breathing. Panic Attacks can be devastating in a social sense, because they upset the loved ones and the strangers who happen to be near the person getting a panic attack. The person is often rushed to hospital.
There is a positive aspect of this (if there can be a positive aspect of an illness)! A person having episodic stress may not have sought help, but once she starts getting panic attacks, she usually ends up getting medical help.
The incidence of panic attacks is much higher in females than in males and is much higher in society than previously known. Perhaps it is a result of the highly stressed life after migration of the population to cities.
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TajviRAC
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Joined: 7 Apr 2008
Posts: 80
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2008 09:34
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Hello,
Could you please explain how perfectionism may lead to stress?
More or less I agree with your points that some external and internal factors may lead to stress.
However, it was interesting to note that even some psychological even like perfectionism could be an internal factor for stress.
Thanks.
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Dr_Broadland
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Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 62
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2008 14:14
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Perfectionism, as a personal trait or goal is in most cases a pathological condition, because perfectionism is a belief that work or output that is anything less than perfect is unacceptable. At such levels, then it is an unhealthy belief, and a pathological state of mind akin to obsession as a trait and obsessive compulsive disorder as a disease form.
Two types of perfectionism are described. Normal perfectionists "derive a very real sense of pleasure from the labours of a painstaking effort" and is merely a personality trait potentially harmful because eventually it may lead to the other form.
Neurotic perfectionists are "unable to feel satisfaction because in their own eyes they never seem to do things good enough to warrant that feeling". This is not just a trait but a compulsive disorder. The condition manifests in repetitive self-presentation, advertising one's own perfection, and avoiding situations in which one might appear to be imperfect and/or failing to disclose situations in which one has been imperfect.
The turning point between obsessive personality and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder; OCD is easy to see even by a layperson. You can easily recognize a workaholic who works not for financial need but from inbuilt OCD a clinical disorder. A person who unreasonably blames himself for the smallest of error is easily identified. Perfectionists are obsessives who need to feel in control at all times to protect themselves and ensure their own safety.
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StressedOut
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Joined: 3 Apr 2008
Posts: 25
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2008 21:01
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A friend of mine is a perfectionist and she is also one of the most stressed out people that I know. She gets stressed when things don't go as well as she plans.
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CoolNcalm
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Joined: 2 Apr 2008
Posts: 45
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2008 02:36
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Yes, the life of a person suffering OCD is not a pleasant thing. I live with someone like this, and even the simplest things freak her out. The cups have to have the handles facing all the same way-forks must be stacked in the drawer. Nothing can be out of place, and my daughter and her have an ongoing battle over the sofa cover. My daughter thinks it should be tucked in just so-and the woman likes it straight. I see them all day going back and setting it their own way (and let me say my daughter just turned three so it's not malicious)!
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Dr_Broadland
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Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 62
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2008 13:33
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Quoting: StressedOut ....let me say my daughter just turned three so it's not malicious
CoolNcalm : If your daughter is doing that at age three it is probably just stubborn less - wanting to get her own way. Three types of stubborn people are recognised in ancient Indian literature - a stubborn woman, a stubborn child and a stubborn king (streehuth, bahuth, rajhuth) She will outgrow it. The other woman who is obsessive or has OCD. When her actions seem totally unreasonable to you and other than you can say she has OCD and she would need treatment.
By the way, there are several drugs in the last 15 years that address OCD fairly effectively, at least in terms of controlling it. Perhaps you should encourage her to see her doctor to get her symptoms under control.
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TajviRAC
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Joined: 7 Apr 2008
Posts: 80
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# Posted: 15 May 2008 13:31
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Personally I'm not in support of administering drugs to control these sorts of problems. Medicines can't cure them "perfectly" (I'm not a perfectionist  ).
However, practice and the influence of the surroundings is a major factor here. Most of such attitude we get nurtured from our young age. And once the “mud” is dry and hard, you can’t mould it anymore.
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