In everyday life, we are used to often mention the phrase "strong stress", meaning by it absolutely all the anxieties, worries and problem situations that arise.
Is extreme stress really that dangerous? Is it possible to protect yourself from its destructive influence? The concept of stress from the category of scientific terms has long migrated into colloquial speech, and managed, in a somewhat distorted form, to acquire a variety of myths that it is time to refute. estet-portal will acquaint you with the most popular misconceptions and myths associated with this concept.
Myth 1 Stress — this is a very strong excitement
Very often, to the point and out of place, when we mention stress, we mean, first of all, emotions, & nbsp; that we experience in certain situations: fear, anxiety, anger and irritation. However, in reality - this is, first of all, a reflex physiological reaction of the body, when something suddenly aroused a feeling of fear in us, knocked us out of the usual course of life. When stress occurs in the body, a sharp release of adrenaline occurs, which stimulates the increased work of the cardiovascular system and provides the tissues and brain with an influx of oxygen and nutrients.
At the moment of stress, the human nervous system sends out an impulse, including a series of chain reactions, which allows you to feel a surge of energy. When the danger recedes, there is an active release of hormones (endorphin, dopamine and serotonin), the action of which returns us to a state of balance.
It should be noted that not all worries lead to stress when all the resources of the body are mobilized. But it is stress that helps the driver in a dangerous situation on the road to quickly make the right decision, and a person who is far from sports to escape from the chase.
Myth 2. A stress-free life would be perfect
Another common misconception is the opinion that stress — This is an extremely negative factor that poisons our lives. Of course, experiencing such a phenomenon is not very pleasant, even if the situation is resolved safely: a herd of angry buffalo could not climb a tree after you, and a ferocious boss found another goat. Nevertheless, it is in a state of stress, when the brain processes all incoming information many times faster than usual, that we are able to make non-standard and effective decisions that — literally or figuratively — able to save a life (reputation or career — underline). It is no exaggeration to say that stress is a necessary condition for progress.
Myth 3. Severe stress arises solely from the influence of negative factors
As a rule, we consider stress to be a necessary evil, a kind of price to pay for the opportunity to overcome this or that difficult or unpleasant situation. However, in reality, factors that are generally quite favorable can also lead to a state of severe stress. The reactions of the body corresponding to stress occur even in the case of bright positive experiences, if they are so strong that they disturb the state of equilibrium. An example could be a strong love or the approach of some joyful event, when a person cannot cope with his emotions.
Myth 4. Stress management methods are universal
There is an opinion that effective methods of dealing with stress are known to everyone. Alas, it is not. Otherwise, millions of people would not try to seize stress, then to experience new stress, looking at themselves in the mirror. It is important not only to switch to pleasant sensations, but also to relieve tension. That is why physical activity, in this case, can be very useful.
Humanity has come up with many different ways to deal with the consequences of fear, excitement or unforeseen situations. At the same time, many of them do not require much time and money. General cleaning, washing (or beating!) dishes, walking in the fresh air at a good pace can be no less effective than exotic yoga or breathing exercises. Alas, it is impossible to come up with a universal way, something suitable for each person — from visiting an exhibition of avant-garde paintings to a grueling workout in the gym.
Myth 5. Misconceptions about "good" and "bad" stress
In some sources, you can find mention of "good" and "bad" stress, which gained popularity with the light hand of a doctor from Canada, Hans Selye. He not only introduced the very concept of stress, but also distinguished between its various types. From his point of view, distress that causes tension should be avoided. But eustress, which provides a sense of concentration and confidence, was considered a positive phenomenon. Modern experts take a different point of view. They believe that negatively affects the body, mainly chronic stress, which, day after day, depletes our resources. It is he who can cause many diseases.
But acute stress is considered less dangerous, this is a normal reaction of the human body to an unfamiliar situation.
Myth 6. Resilience to stress is determined by heredity
While our response to stress is indeed programmed into our genes, resistance to stress is also significantly influenced by other factors. They are determined by the conditions of our life, temperament, upbringing and accumulated life experience. However, personal experience changes the attitude towards stress, fixing it at the gene level.
If we approach the issue of stress resistance very schematically, we can say that this indicator is determined by the level of serotonin. Stress-prone people have low levels of this hormone. Such people are characterized by the desire to avoid situations that are not comfortable for them. They try to plan everything in advance, think through everything to the smallest detail.
But people with high levels of "pleasure hormone" — these are just those madmen who are always looking for adventure. They usually choose extreme sports, love gambling.
Myth 7. There is no escape from stress, they follow us everywhere
This is the idea that commercials for various sedatives usually try to convey to us. Are stressful situations inevitable in our lives? Perhaps this is the case if you are forced to overcome them daily by the nature of your work: taming tigers or testing new aircraft models. Severe stress can be avoided with very little effort. Worried about being late for work? Get up half an hour earlier or look for another route with less chance of traffic jams. Try not to accumulate solutions to at least less complex problems, praise yourself for this — only in this way will you regain confidence in your abilities and a sense of control over the situation.
Myth 8. Only the main symptoms of stress matter
Alas, many of us, having experienced excitement, try not to pay attention to "minor troubles": a headache, indigestion. This is absolutely the wrong approach. Such symptoms indicate that there is too much stress in your life and your health is at risk. Most likely, it's time to analyze a lot and think about how you can regain control over your life.
Did you know that the level of stress can be measured using a special technical device. Of course, it will not relieve stress, but it will be able to inform that its level is too high, it's time to pull yourself together and calm down.
No matter how much we complain about constant experiences and difficult situations, it is not possible to get rid of them completely. They are an integral part of our life. However, by remembering the dangers of chronic stress, you can make your life much more peaceful and comfortable if you take some steps in this direction. More materials on stress management can be found on the estet-portal website.
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