Types Of Stress And Their Symptoms

The term “stress” was introduced into 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 you perceive a threat or feel that you are not capable of meeting the demands that your environment asks of you. Therefore, stress appears when the person feels that the environmental demands are greater than the resources they have, so they feel overwhelmed by the situation and unable to cope.

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 the changes that occur in the environment. However, when this response lasts too long or is too intense, it can be harmful to our health, both physical and psychological, as well as affecting our personal relationships, professional and/or academic fields, etc. Depending on 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. Below, we present the general symptoms of stress, as well as those 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 such as lack of motivation, irritability, anxiety, sadness and worry.
• Behavioral symptoms such as social withdrawal, abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, overeating or undereating.
• Cognitive symptoms or at the level of thought such as difficulties in attention, concentration and memory.

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

• acute stress
• Episodic acute 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 found in daily demands and the anticipation of near future demands. As it is a short-term type of stress, its duration is not sufficient to cause significant wear and tear on the body with significant damage to people’s health. Once the situation that causes us 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 that caused by performing A move.

Acute stress: symptoms

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

He episodic acute stress It consists of the acute stress explained above, but with greater frequency. That is, this type of stress is present repeatedly and constant in the lives of these people. Episodic acute stress is characterized by a high frequency.

People who suffer from it are usually unable to organize their lives 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 worry without resting or disconnecting, resulting in intense physical and emotional exhaustion.

Episodic acute stress also appears as a result of worry and fears constants, 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 is constantly under pressure and also has family responsibilities and burdens. It is important to know that stress requires treatment by professional help.

Acute episodic stress: symptoms

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

Chronic stress is 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 tear, and can leave lifelong consequences. It arises when, as a result of prolonged exposure to stressors, a person is unable to see a way out of their situation and falls into a state of hopelessness. Like acute episodic stress, chronic stress requires the help of a professional.

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 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 a depressive and threatening vision and beliefs about the world.

Chronic stress symptoms

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

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor 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.

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