ONTOLOGY OF STRESS

WHAT IS STRESS?

Stress is the excessive pressure on an individual due to physical or psychological demand.

ORIGIN

The term "stress" was first used by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in the 1930s to identify physiological responses in laboratory animals.

WHAT CAUSES STRESS? (STRESSORS)

Stressors are stimuli that cause stress Stressors – internal - e.g. pain, thoughts,

feelings, fear. external - e.g. heat, crowding, noise, the

death of a family member .

Stressstressor

TYPES OF STRESSES

STRESS

EUSTRESS

DISTRESS HYPOSTRESS HYPERSTRESS

EUSTRESS

Have you ever (I'm sure you have) felt:

- The feeling of excitement when you won a game- The excitement when you bought your first car- The accomplishment of a challenge- The excitement of going for a holiday

EUSTRESS

These feelings sure make us feel good and they are the so-called "good stress" or "positive stress". 

Exert healthy effect on you. Occurs for a short period of time. Eustress is also often called the curative stress because it

gives a person the ability to generate the best performance or maximum output.  

DISTRESS

Distress is a “negative stress”. It is a stress disorder that is caused by adverse events and it often influences a person’s ability to deal with. Some events leading to distress are:

- Death of a loved one- Financial problems- Heavy work responsibility and workload

Distress can be classified further as acute stress or chronic stress. Acute stress is short-lived while chronic stress is usually prolonged in nature.

HYPERSTRESS

When a person is pushed beyond what he or she can handle, they will experience hyperstress.

Hyperstress results from being overloaded or overworked. It’s like being stressed out. When someone is hyperstressed, even little things can trigger a strong emotional response. People who are most likely to suffer from hyperstress are:

- Working mothers who have to multi-task, juggling between work and family commitments- People who are under constant financial strains.- Generally people working in fast pace environment.

 

HYPOSTRESS

Hypostress is experienced by a person who is constantly bored. Someone in an unchallenging job, such as a factory worker performing the same task over and over, will often experience hypostress. The effect of hypostress is feelings of restlessness and a lack of motivation.

Model

General Adoptation Syndrome

Alarm is the first stage. When the threat or stressor is identified or realized, the body's stress response is a state of alarm

Resistance is the second stage. If the stressor continue, it becomes necessary to attempt some means of coping with the stress.

Exhaustion is the third and final stage in the GAS model. At this point, all of the body's resources are eventually washed-out and the body is unable to maintain normal function.

CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS

COMMON CAUSES OF STRESS: ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS

Task DemandsStressors associated with the specific job a person performs. Some occupations are by nature more stressful than others.

Physical DemandsStressors associated with the job’s physical setting, such as the satisfactoriness of temperature and lighting.

COMMON CAUSES OF STRESS: ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS

Role DemandsStressors associated with the role a person is

expected to play.Interpersonal Demands

Stressors associated with group pressures, leadership, and personality conflicts.

CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS: INDIVIDUAL CONSEQUENCES

Behavioral ConsequencesThe behavioral consequences of stress, such as

alcohol abuse, may harm the person under stress or others.

Psychological ConsequencesPsychological consequences relate to a person’s

mental health and well-being.Medical Consequences

Medical consequences affect a person’s physical well-being.

Heart disease and stroke, among other illnesses, have been linked to stress.

CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS: ORGANIZATIONAL CONSEQUENCES

PerformanceOne clear organizational consequence of too

much stress is a decline in performance.Withdrawal

The most significant forms of withdrawal behavior are absenteeism and quitting.

AttitudesStress can have a negative effect on job

satisfaction, morale, organizational commitment, and motivation to perform at high levels.

CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS: BURNOUT

BurnoutIs the general feeling of exhaustion that develops when an individual simultaneously experiences too much pressure and has too few sources of satisfaction.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

INDIVIDUAL Exercise Relaxation Role and task management Support group Vacation Spend time in nature

ORGANIZATIONAL Supportive work and family

policies Effective management

communication Health insurance coverage Flexible scheduling of work

hours Stress reduction workshops