Types of STRESS and their symptoms

Currently the word stress is used daily in our daily lives. Moreover, surely you have said more than once "I'm very stressed or stressed" in times of exams or seasons with a lot of work. But what is stress really? Did you know that there are several types of stress with different characteristics and symptoms? Find out in this Psychology-Online article: Types of stress and their symptoms. Where you will find what stress is and what each of the 3 main types of stress in psychology is like.

Index

1. What is stress?
2. Symptoms of stress
3. Types of stress
4. Acute stress
5. Acute episodic stress
6. Chronic stress

The term "stress" was introduced in the health sciences in the 1930s by Hans Selye, who observed the existence of a global response and common in different people in pressure situations.

Stress is a reaction that our body generates to face a situation in which he perceives a threat or feels that he is not capable of meeting the demands of the environment. Therefore, stress appears when the person feels that the environmental demands are higher. to the resources that she possesses, so she feels overwhelmed by the situation and unable to front.

It is important to know that stress is a natural and survival response, thanks to which our body is activated and is able to adapt to changes that occur in the environment. However, when this response is too prolonged in time or is too intense it can be harmful to our health, both physical and psychological, as well as affecting our personal relationships, the professional and / or academic field etc. According to the characteristics of stress, such as duration and intensity, we find different types of stress.

Just as each type of stress has its own characteristics, the symptoms that can accompany each of them differ. Next, we present the general symptoms of stress, as well as that of each of the types of stress. The stress symptoms general are the following:

• Physical symptoms such as headache or chest pain, muscle tension, nausea, and vomiting.
• Emotional symptoms as lack of motivation, irritability, anxiety, sadness and worry.
• Behavioral symptoms as social withdrawal, Alcohol abuse, tobacco or other drugs, eating too much or too little.
• Cognitive symptoms or at the level of thought as difficulties in attention, concentration and memory.

In the following article you will find the Effects of stress on the body.

Mainly, we can distinguish 3 types of stress in psychology:

• Acute stress
• Acute episodic stress
• Chronic stress

However, different names are also used depending on the area to which the stress is related. For example, the terms are used: work stress and academic stress.

Acute stress is the most common type of stress. It is a type of short-term stress and its origin is in the daily demands and the anticipation of near future demands. As it is a type of short-term stress, its duration is not enough to cause significant wear and tear on the body with significant damage to people's health. Once the situation that generates stress is resolved, this type of stress decreases.

Acute stress: examples

• An example of this type of stress would be having to perform a delivery within a certain period and have little time and go against the clock.
• Another example of acute stress is caused by performing A move.

Acute stress: symptoms

• Emotional distress with the presence of irritability, anxiety, or frustration.
• Fatigue.
• Concentration difficulties.
• Muscle-type pain in the head, back and jaw, which may appear contractures.
• Stomach problems such as heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence.
• Overexcitation of the nervous system that results in accelerated heart rate, palpitations, migraines, nausea, etc.

The acute episodic stress it consists of the acute stress explained above, but with a higher frequency. That is, this type of stress is present repeatedly and constant in the lives of these people. Acute episodic stress is characterized by a high frequency.

People who suffer from it are often unable to organize their life properly and usually have excessive demands or responsibilities, self-imposed or imposed by the context. That is why those who suffer from it live in a state of constant concern without resting or disconnecting, resulting in intense physical and emotional wear and tear.

Acute episodic stress also appears as a result of worry and fear constant, when the world is perceived with pessimism always thinking that something negative is about to happen. An example of this type of stress would be a person who works long hours and under constant pressure and also has responsibilities and family responsibilities. It is important to know that stress requires treatment by professional help.

Acute episodic stress: symptoms

• Frequent malaise in which irritability, anxiety and tension appear.
• Hostility, aggressiveness, and impatience.
• Heart diseases.
• Pain in the chest and head.
• Hypertension.

The chronic stress Its about most exhausting and severe type of stress, with destructive consequences for health and affectation in various vital areas. It produces long-term wear, and can leave sequelae for life. It arises when, as a result of prolonged exposure to stressors, a person is unable to see a way out of her situation and falls into a state of hopelessness. Like acute episodic stress, chronic stress requires the help of a professional person.

Chronic stress: examples

Chronic stress is a type of stress derived from the constant demands and demands of the environment, which seem endless, so the person feels trapped and unable to handle it, such as the war conflicts or situations of extreme poverty. On the other hand, it can also be caused by traumatic experiences that take place in childhood and that generate depressive and threatening views and beliefs about the world.

Chronic stress symptoms

• Depression, anxiety and nervous breakdowns.
• Suicidal thoughts and violence.
• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness (believing that they have no control over their situation and therefore cannot do anything to change it).
• Heart attacks.
• Stroke or stroke.
• Weakening of the immune system.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of stress and their symptoms, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.

• Lazarus, R.S and Folkman, S. (1986). Stress and cognitive processes. Barcelona: Martínez Roca.
• Regueiro, A. (s.f.). Basics: What is stress and how does it affect us? Psychological Attention Service of the University of Malaga.
• Selye, H. (1956). The stress of life. New York: McGraw-Hill.