Help with Stress Essay Writing: Ask Study Coach

Question: Study Coach, I have a Stress essay to write, how should I define Stress? Well, we might say that we are feeling pressured or feel like we have a heavy weight on our shoulders (these are general ways to explain stress). However from a psychological perspective Bartlett (1998); Goetsch & Fuller (1995) states that: stress is a stimulus, stress is a response; stress is an interaction between an organism and its environment. Selye (1956) defined stress as: ‘…the individual’s psychophysiological response, mediated largely by the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system, to any demands made on the individual’. Stress is therefore a combination of psychology and physiology.

The Engineering model states that stress is to be found in the stimulus characteristics of the environment. External events therefore give rise to a stress reaction, or strain, negatively affecting the individual. Stress (pressures of life) is what happens to a person. You could liken this to having a heavy load on your shoulders, hence a person might say ‘I feel pressured’.

On the other hand the Physiological model focuses on what happens within the person as a result of experiencing stress. This is the response aspect of the engineering model.

Physiology
The Endocrine System: A system of glands – which secretes hormones into the bloodstream

Hormones: These are chemicals released by glands which circulate in the bloodstream – they act as messengers affecting particular cells and organs

Pituitary glands: The main endocrine gland (the master gland) – it regulates the other glands in the endocrine system

Adrenal glands: The main stress glands – so called because they play a major role in the stress response (right adrenal and left adrenal)

The adrenal glands are found on top of our kidneys, they secrete adrenaline, and other stress hormones in response to stress. Adrenal hormones cause an increase in blood clotting, so prolonged stress can lead to the formation of arterial plaque and heart disease. Worrying (a stress response) activates the adrenal glands, resulting in raise blood pressure. Our adrenal glands play an important role in regards to our mood, our energy levels and our ability to cope with stress.

Do note that the adrenal glands can become enlarged in an extreme case of stress. The spleen and thymus glands may shrink and deep bleeding stomach ulcers may occur (stomach ulcer is an example of a disease of adaptation, Selye (1956). Diseases of adaptation can be fatal, so treat Stress with care.

Physiological responses at the Alarm Stage of GAS (Selye, 1956):

Chemicals released in the brain and body

Heart rate accelerates – increasing the blood being pumped round the body and the brain

Sugar released from the liver for extra energy and muscle strength

Saliva and mucus dry up increasing the size of the air passages to the lungs

Breathing deepens and this increases oxygen in the blood (these and other physiological changes increase energy and alertness in preparation for a rapid response to a threat).

References
Bartlett, D. (1998) Stress: Perspectives and Processes, Buckingham, Open University Press
Goetsch, V.L; Fuller, M.G. (1995) Stress and stress management; In D. Wedding (Ed) Behaviour and Medicine (2nd edition), St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Year Book.
Selye, H. (1956) The Stress of Life, New York, McGraw-Hill