Stages of Stress

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Writing Assignment: Stages of Stress Response Write a 300- to 500-word essay. Think of an example of a stressful incident or series of events in your life or someone that you know. Relate these events to the three stages of the stress response. Be specific in explaining the physical effect the stress was having in each stage. Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe University of Washington School of Medicine, develop a scale which is used by many psychologists and therapists to determine your level of stress, based on the most stressful life events that you have had, during the past year. It determined that the higher the number, the higher your stress level, and the more effort and diligence you will need to relieve stress and tension. They considered that life events scale is based on the theory that good and bad events in a person’s life can increase stress levels. And also increased stress levels make a person more susceptible to illness and mental health problems. The Phases of Stress What is stress? Life stressors involve changes in your environment that your central nervous system must adapt to during the course of daily living. Stressors include either positive or negative life events (e.g., death, divorce, new job, new house, new baby) that require you to adapt to these changes in your life. Stress results when pressures, challenges, or demands in life exceed your coping abilities. Stress can manifest itself in physical, emotional, or behavioral symptoms. Phases of the stress experience There are three basic phases of the stress experience. Understanding these phases can help you to identify and cope with the stress in your life. Phase I Stressors trigger your body's response to stress. This physiological response is also known as the "fight or flight" response in your nervous system. Symptoms include: • Increase in heart rate and blood pressure
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