Pressure Relief Valve -- Workplace Stress Adjustment

Author: Tai Qiying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features:
1. Stress Definition
Stress was originally a concept in physics, referring to an external force applied to an object. Canadian endocrinologist Hans Selye was the first to introduce the concept of stress into medicine and psychology. It can be said that he was the pioneer in studying the effects of stress on humans.
People have to endure various external and internal stimuli every day. Some stimuli can make them relax and feel pleasant, while others can cause anxiety, restlessness, and a tense state. Any stimulus that makes an individual feel tense can be called stress.
Other scholars have defined stress differently, but in general, they are all related to tension. Stress refers to the emotional and physiological tension response of an individual to an important situation for which they do not have enough ability to cope.
The U.S. Army Field Manual defines stress as follows: "Psychological, emotional, physical tension and excessive fatigue caused by being in a war or war-related environment, leading to emotional low."
Stress is a broad concept. Generally speaking, it is caused by a series of conditions, including conflict and frustration. Stress is a response of various emotions, such as anxiety, strong emotions, and physiological arousal. Stress is an internal state of the organism. This state consists of two factors: one is a threat, or a "stressor"; the other is a response composed of measurable physiological changes and individual behavior. For example, a person may not show any visible signs of stress, but they may exhibit abnormal physiological or behavioral responses, such as sweating or having nightmares.
The manifestations of stress can be divided into three stages, presenting different symptoms.
The first stage is somatic symptoms, which may include insomnia, anxiety, suspicion, poor appetite, and other conditions;
The second stage involves withdrawal behavior, such as reluctance to go to work, taking unjustified leave, and unwillingness to participate in various social activities;
The third stage may lead to aggressive behavior, such as irritability, frequent conflicts, a tendency to destroy, and even self-harm, self-abuse, or suicidal tendencies.
Stress can also affect an individual's physical and mental adaptation. When an individual experiences stress caused by a stressful stimulus, they may feel threatened by this attack and thus develop a psychological state of tension. This psychological tension affects the individual's internal balance, and to maintain this balance, the individual must make corresponding responses. These responses can lead to a series of physiological changes, blood changes, heart rate fluctuations, and other effects. If an individual remains in this tense psychological state for a long time, they will develop a specific physiological response pattern to repeatedly occurring psychological stressors. This pattern is known as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS).