Organizations depend on their employees to excel and propel their business endeavours into the future. Conversely, some issues prevent this mission from occurring. The issues of stress and burnout are evident in numerous organizations. Stress is a condition emanating when the body reacts to a given event. The body adjusts its mechanisms in preparation for the stressing variable. The situation is usually temporal but devastating when prolonged. Conversely, burnout is a consequential emotional and physical weariness/exhaustion emerging from stress and failures to attain some personal accomplishments. According to Hellriegel (2009), stress and burnout have numerous problems for both the employees and the organization following their devastating effects. This ranges from reduced employee morale to minimal productivity within the organization. Employees need to reduce their levels of stress and burnout for an organization to prosper.
Problems of burnout and stress to the organization and employees
One of the problems emanating from stress and burnout is the reduced productivity among employees and ultimately to the organization. Employees who suffer from these variables will register reduced performance within a given period. Since they are psychologically disturbed, the ultimate performance is minimized. Concurrently, output among the employees is always pegged on their physical and emotional preparedness (PHAC, 2012). If this provision is missing, the ultimate output per employee will similarly reduce significantly. Consequently, the organization will hardly achieve its previously set objectives and business ambitions. This claim indicates the alleged problems to both the organization and employees. It is crucial to consider such aspects before allowing stress and burnout to affect the entire organization. Relating individual performances to the ultimate productivity is a critical consideration (Hellriegel, 2009). Employees must perform exemplarily to be productive and excel within an organization.
Another astounding problem is the higher rates of absenteeism among employees who undergo stress and burnout. This might be on health grounds or emotional deprivation. Absent employees will not deliver to the company as expected. Additionally, they will reduce the periodic output of the organization concerned. This indicates how stress and burnout are devastating to both the organization and employees. Since employees might attain some health problems when the conditions extend, the organization will lose massively due to absenteeism among the concerned employees. It is vital to consider such impacts and prepare for them before they engulf the organization’s productivity. Another evident problem is the lowered efficiency among the workforce. Stressed employees will hardly perform their duties despite the efforts to do so (Kavitha, 2009). The efficiency with which the work should be done similarly reduces. Additionally, burnout victims will have physical and emotional exhaustion hence will be less efficient in their duties. Such instances indicate the alleged devastating effects of stress and burnout. The reduced efficiency among the concerned employees equally affects the involved organization in the realms of effectiveness and productivity.
Another evident problem is the deprived creativity and innovativeness among the concerned employees (PHAC, 2012). Organizations depend on the creativity of their employees to meet the emerging market demands, remain relevant in the market, and compete favourably with other contenders. Stress and burnout reduce the aspects of creativity among the concerned employees. Consequently, the concerned organization will suffer massively from such repercussions. It is crucial to consider such important factors within the organization following its ultimate relevancy within the market. Creativity helps in emerging with novel ideas and commodities within the market for extended customer satisfaction. Thus, deprivation of creativity is a serious problem for an organization.
Additionally, another effect of stress and burnout is reduced customer satisfaction. Stressed and physically/emotionally exhausted employees will not serve their clients with due attention. Consequently, customers will be less satisfied with the services provided. An organization might even lose customers from such grounds. A situation that merely started as simple stress might consequently lead to minimized customer satisfaction and reduced revenues. This indicates the impacts and problems of stress and burnout mentioned earlier in this paper. Another evident problem is the increased injury rates among the concerned employees (Kavitha, 2009). Notably, employees who operate machines are prone to injuries when they suffer from stress and burnout. This indicates why it is crucial to alleviate stress among employees to boost their morale and attention to their duties. This will eventually reduce the mentioned injuries. Workplace injuries will cost the company some financial losses in the realms of treatments and compensations. Besides this, the victimized employees will not perform their duties until they restore their health. These are problematic effects of stress and burnout as alleged earlier. Another concurrent problem is the increased property/equipment damages within the organization (PHAC, 2012). Stress and burnout victims have increased chances of damaging equipment thus distracting the company’s operations.
Conclusion
Stress and burnout are devastating variables to both the employees and the organization. They reduce the performance of employees and the subsequent productivity of the organizations. There are numerous problems associated with the two provisions as indicated earlier. The aspects of efficiency, absenteeism and deprived creativity are serious problems fronted by the alleged stress and burnout. Conclusively, employees must minimize and manage their stresses and burnouts to avert the damaging impacts.
References
Hellriegel, S. (2009). Organizational Behavior. Ohio, OH: Cengage Learning.
Kavitha, G. (2009). Occupational stress and coping strategies. New Delhi: Discovery Pub. House.
Anger is an emotion that comes naturally to every human being. It is an innate feature that varies in its occurrence, ranging from mild to extreme levels. An interesting feature of anger is that it has both positive and negative potential. The positive part involves psychologically influencing self-improvement while the negative part results in the harm of an individual or others. Anger as a concept can be examined from different perspectives, which are the cognitive, environmental and psychological (Gates, Fitzwater, and Succop 779).
On the other hand, stress is viewed as a contributing factor to the occurrence of anger. Just like anger, stress has two implications that are either positive or negative. The positive side yields some healthy stress, which makes a person productive as opposed to the unhealthy stress that makes a person angry (DeLisi and Conis 31).
Aggression is perceived to be detrimental to oneself as well as to others. Various types of aggression have been documented, but the most common are proactive and reactive. The intentions of the aggressor and the nature of the aggression offer the description of that form of aggression. The basic idea is that aggression is a form of expressing anger and stress (Gunn and Taylor 54)
The interaction of the three concepts can influence people into making inappropriate actions during social interactions. This can be the reason that informs the actions of violent offenders. Violence as a phenomenon takes different forms that vary depending on the causes and the reasons leading to the maintenance of such behavior. Most of the violent offenders point out anger and stress as the reasons for entering into fights, involvement in gang activity and robbery (Ware, Cieplucha, and Matsuo 3)
Relationship between anger, stress and aggression
Studies have shown that there is a considerable correlation between anger, stress and aggression. The nature of this relationship is that the first two concepts can explain a majority of aggressive and violent behavior (DeLisi and Conis 47).
Thus, understanding the relationship between anger, stress and aggression is important to the practitioners involved in the treatment of violent offenders (Townsend 12). An important aspect that arises when analyzing this relationship is impulsivity in individuals. This occurs when a person under stress and full of anger fails to apply the required control to resist the harmful behavior(Gunn and Taylor 63).
The concept of impulsivity develops because of anger and aggression. Impulsivity is a manifestation of the occurrence of anger, stress and aggression in an individual concurrently. When such an incident takes place, a violent reaction occurs, thus explaining the actions or conduct of various violent offenders (Townsend 12).
Implication of this relationship for the treatment of violent offenders
The importance of understanding the concepts of anger, stress and aggression as they relate to violent offenders becomes necessary when designing the required treatment. It becomes crucial for the practitioners to delve into details when examining the causes of violent behavior, and this can help in coming up with more effective treatments (Gates, Fitzwater, and Succop 779).
The consideration depends on how the concurrence of anger, stress and aggression can explain the behavior of the violent offenders. The nature of the manifestation of the three phenomena is also essential for practitioners dealing with violent offenders. While giving an interview about the experience of dealing with violent offenders, James Gillian points out that most of the violent offender treatments can be classified into cognitive and interpersonal treatments (Carlson and Korman 62).
Such treatments are given out as programs whereby cognitive programs focus on the antisocial cognitive aspects of an offender. They try to introduce new ways of thought that repel violent behavior. Anger management programs focus on conceptualizing and severing the connection between anger and violent behavior.
The Intimate partner violence programs are carried out for offenders who have assaulted their partners. On the other hand, the multi-modal programs tend to be individually oriented whereby the focus is on understanding a single offender’s situation (Ware, Cieplucha, and Matsuo 7).
Works Cited
Carlson, Jon, and Lorne Korman. Working with Anger. Washington: American Psychological Association, 2009. Print.
DeLisi, Matt, and Peter J. Conis. Violent Offenders: Theory, Research, Policy, and Practice. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2012. Print.
Gates, Donna, Evelyn Fitzwater, and Paul Succop. “Relationships of stressors, strain, and anger to caregiver assaults.” Issues in Mental Health Nursing 24.8 (2003): 775-793. Print.
Gunn, John C, and Pamela J. Taylor. Forensic Psychiatry: Clinical, Legal and Ethical Issues. 2nd ed. Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis, 2014. Print.
Townsend, Mary C. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: Concepts of Care in Evidence-Based Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Davis Company, 2015. Print.
Ware, Jayson, Cherice Cieplucha, and Danielle Matsuo. “The violent offenders therapeutic programme (VOTP)-Rationale and effectiveness 6 (2011): 1-12.” Australasian Journal of Correctional Staff Development 6.2 (2011): 1-12. Print.
An emotional dissonance is an internal form of stress caused by existing real-life threats and possible dangers involved like police or correctional officers jobs. Their professions demand unique strategies and skills in handling precarious situations such as confronting armed persons. They have to deal with cases of interpersonal hostility and physical confrontations from the emotionally charged persons such as victims of crime or accidents.
Severe suffering and deaths are also common encounters in their career. Stress associated with the job or what one has to deal with in the daily tasks has a huge impact on mental status and may end up affecting social or personal lifestyles. The critical situation that occurs in our lives is rigid to eliminate from the mind since the occurrences keep resonating in the mind since we fail to let go of such trauma associated with the disturbing event. Sharing and therapy sessions are the best professional procedures for such occurrences.
According to Zapf (p.7), “Emotional dissonance refers to the structural discrepancy between emotions on one hand and the emotional-display requirement that is appropriate in the working context on the other.” Long-term interaction with such severe cares is the main cause of emotional burnout of these professionals. Job-related stressors correlate strongly with emotions, compared to physical challenges.
Contrary, it is arguable that job-related tasks such as dealing with aggressive delinquents are not the main cause of mental dissonance. The situation comes in due to organization-related constrains such as the inadequate form of supervision, stiff rules or policies, workload, inadequate management systems, and insufficient payment (Gaines and Miller, p.154). This is the main reason why this topic requires deeper study and analysis.
Police force work situations
Mostly, police force personnel have to respond to surveillance calls, suspect arrests, and alert calls from the public. These trained police and correctional officers ought to remain solid, neutral, and in control of personal emotions at all times. They must suppress personal emotions during the performance of duty, for instance when dealing with conflict circumstances.
How can you manipulate aggressive situations and still express understanding and compassion to crime victims? One of the requirements is the ability to switch from disciplinary reactions to human expressive nature during duty, similar to the positive expressions put on by physicians or nurses as they attend to patients.
According to Porta et al (p.29), managing to uphold a professional attitude during such challenging tasks is one of the main sources of emotional dissonance among these officers. In line with Zapf (p.13), “several scholars have argued that regulation of emotions as part of the work role may also be stressful and detrimental to health.” Emotional dissonance can, therefore, have a close connection to both the negative and positive career requirements due to different stress-related effects.
The police force personnel face discrepancies are pertaining requirements to display the right form of emotions during service and authentic emotions due to career-related demands. Requirements to suppress true emotions or feelings are a detriment on the emotional well-being of an individual and affect their structural divergence, depending on the situation.
This is a critical demand for personal other than professional ability to manage individual control. In line with Gaines and Miller (p.154), “the suppression of work-related emotions, which demand neutrality in emotional expression among police and correctional officers, has been a major source of stress.”
Inhibiting emotions and lack of ability to express depressing sentiments are associable to mentally related conditions such as emotional dissonances as well as physical complications like cancer or high blood pressure (Zapf, p.7). Emotional dissonance occurs among employees who experience interactive related situations. Also, the police jobs demand a dissimilar form of emotional reactions over different situations.
The need to regulate emotions elevates the levels of mental dissonance depending on job requirements especially amid the felt sentiments, which must contradict professional emotions demanded by a situation. In line with Gaines and Miller (p.154), emotional dissonance is the root cause of job-related exhaustion and cynicism. Emotions are very important qualities in business for the reason that they determine organizational outcomes.
For instance, marketing demands excellence in public relation skills such as good responses and an appealing facial expression regardless of the situation. Sales clerks are the main sales-determining factors as opposed to the product or service. Customer satisfaction depends on the display of positive emotions. It is however rare to find a products personnel dealing with physically aggressive clients.
Conclusion
The psychological effects associable to emotional fatigue causes various negative outcomes within the police force profession. Demand for controlled personality causes organization related burnout thus leading to performance failures, elevated absenteeism and negative reactions towards affirmative situations. Most of the sick-related absences have a link to stress cases. Job specifications or requirements rarely indicate the exclusive inclusion of requirements while dealing with emotional tasks.
These are extra roles that the police force personnel acquire, mainly during training to maintain good performance levels. Arguably, they react unprofessionally due to emotional exhaustion caused by pressure from work, or failure to conceal true feeling to victims. Psychological related conditions are not easy to detect and take care of especially when the victim is accustomed to concealing true feelings.
Works Cited
Gaines, Larry, and Miller Roger. Criminal Justice in Action. Kentucky, KY: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.
Porta, Donatella, Peterson, Abby, and Reiter, Herbert. The policing of transnational protest. Vermont, VT: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2006. Print.
Zapf, Dieter. Emotion work and psychological strain: A review of the literature and some conceptual considerations. Human Resource Management Review, 12 (2002): 237–268. Print.
Post-traumatic disorder refers to a serious unease disorder that can build up following the experience of any occurrence that ends up in psychosomatic disturbance. It is also popularly referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder, abbreviated PTSD. The event leading up to such kind of a disorder may entail the danger of losing one’s life or that of some other person, it may as well involve a person’s own or someone else’s corporeal, sexual, or psychosomatic veracity (Lindley, Carlson & Benoit, 2004, p. 940).
Such occurrences end up overpowering the individual’s capability to muddle through. As a result of psychosomatic disturbance, post-traumatic stress disorder is not as much of frequent and more long-term than the more usually seen acute stress response.
Warning signs for post-traumatic stress disorder consist of re-experiencing the initial disturbance(s) by way of cut backs or incubuses, evading of spurs linked with the trauma, and greater than before stimulation – such as trouble falling or staying in slumber, irritation and hyper-alertness. Prescribed symptomatic standards call for the warning signs to last more over and above one month and result in considerable hurt in societal, professional, or other essential areas of operation.
Description of the disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder is categorized as nervousness upset, as aforementioned, and is set apart by aversive fretfulness-linked occurrences, manners, and physiological rejoinders that come up following contact with an expressively disturbing occurrence.
Its characteristics carry on for a period lasting more than 30 days, which sets it apart from the short-lived acute stress disorder. These enduring post-traumatic signs result in considerable distractions of one or more vital areas of life function. It usually has three secondary forms; heightened, never-ending, and delayed-onset.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is thought to be as a result of either corporeal disturbance or emotional disturbance, or more often a mishmash of both. Studies show that the disorder is more expected to be as a result of corporal or psychosomatic disturbance induced by humans such as sexual assault, battle, or radical attack than disturbance(s) as a result of natural catastrophes.
Probable starting places of disturbances comprise of experiencing or observing early days or grown-up corporeal, emotional or sexual assault. To add to this, witnessing occurrences seen to be life-threatening like corporeal attack, accidents, drug dependence, poor health, therapeutic problems, or working in situations open to the elements of war (especially combatants) or adversity (disaster service worker) (Secretary, 2005, p. 2).
A number of researches show that adult post-traumatic stress disorder and other posttraumatic disorders in parental psychosomatic operation can, in spite of a distressed parent’s best labors, get in the way of their reaction to their young one as well as their child’s rejoinder to disturbance.
Parents with violence-drawn post-traumatic disorders may, for instance, by accident render their children toward developmentally out of place sadistic media because of their requirement to deal with their own emotional deregulation. Irrefutable results point out that a failure make available enough cure to children after they undergo a distressing experience, hinging upon their susceptibility and the rigorousness of the disturbance, will at the end of the day lead to post-trauma stress disorder signs in later life.
Treatment options of the disorder
There exists three main forms of treatment of this disorder; preventive treatments, psychotherapeutic interventions and medications. Under preventive treatments there lies psychological debriefing which is the mainly used intervention.
This treatment is easily given to victims after a traumatic occurrence. It is basically discussions that are directed toward allowing the person(s) to straightforwardly face up to the occurrence and share their outlook with the psychotherapist and to help configure their reminiscences of the occurrence (Lindley, Carlson & Benoit, 2004, p. 945). As much as this is the most common treatment it is the east effective as compared to others.
Risk targeted interventions lie under preventive treatments also and these are those that try to take the edge off definite determining information or occurrences. It can aim at mocking up ordinary behaviors, tutoring on an undertaking or giving information on the occurrence.
Psychobiological interventions have as well recorded accomplishment, particularly with cortisol. These interventions aim at biological alterations that take place following a disturbing occurrence.
They as well try to chemically change erudition or recollection configuration. Cortisol interventions following a disturbing occurrence have been successful in taking the edge off later analysis of post-traumatic stress disorder. Cortisol is in most times lesser in persons who are at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder following a disturbing occurrence than their opposite number(s). Through raising cortisol quantities to standard levels this has been illustrated to trim down stimulation post occurrence likewise put a stop to GR upregulation.
Stepped collaborative care refers to a form of preventive treatment where persons who are at danger are kept an eye on for signs. As sigs of post-traumatic stress come out the level of care is added to so as to take care of those signs.
Psychotherapeutic interventions offer another form of treatment for this disorder. The cognitive behavior therapy falls under this category and aims at altering the way a disturbed person feels and acts by altering the ways of judgment and/or conduct accountable for unconstructive emotions. This therapy has been confirmed to be an effectual intervention for post-traumatic stress disorder (Kessler, Sonnega, Bromet, Hughes & Nelson, 1995, p. 1048).
In fact it is at present the standard of care for post-traumatic stress disorder by the US Department of Defense. In this therapy, sufferers learn to make out contemplations that make them feel terrified or annoyed, and substitute them with less disturbing ones. The aim is to be aware of the way in which some thoughts about result in post-traumatic stress-linked anxiety. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and interpersonal psychotherapy as well fall under this category and have been found to be effective.
Medicines can also be used to tone down the disorder. A multiplicity of prescriptions has exhibited connected benefit in trimming down post-trauma stress disorder signs. However, there is no clear medicine for this disorder.
Positive signs such as re-experiencing, hyper-alertness, greater than before stimulation, among others, act in response in a better manner to medicine as compared to negative signs. These negative signs include evasion, pulling out, among others. It is suggested that any medicine trial takes place for a period leastways 6 – 8 weeks.
Conclusion
Post-traumatic stress disorder can be dealt with best by early recognition and treatment so that sufferers can get back to their normal lives. The capacity to test persons would be of immense aid in treating the ones at danger of the disorder before progress of the syndrome (Kessler, Sonnega, Bromet, Hughes & Nelson, 1995, p. 1060). If left to take place for prolonged periods of time then it may be too late to help the victims overcome it, and even if it is eventually done, a lot of time and other associated resources will have been wasted.
Reference List
Kessler R. C., Sonnega A., Bromet E., Hughes M., Nelson C. B. (1995). Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 52 (12): 1048–60.
Lindley S. E., Carlson E. B., Benoit M. (2004). Basal and dexamethasone suppressed salivary cortisol concentrations in a community sample of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Biol. Psychiatry 55 (9): 940–5.
Secretary, N. (2005). No Across-the-Board Review of PTSD Cases. The Department of Veterans Affairs.
As humans grow and mature, they go through various stages between infancy and adulthood, and in these transitions, they invariably experience negative emotions and sometimes tragedies, which profoundly affect their lives. As a child, some of the major causes of grief are violence and abandonment. Violence can be inflicted on a child directly when he or she is violated directly or indirectly by their being witnesses to violent acts. It has been found to have detrimental impacts on their mental health, a result of which they may develop antisocial or even psychotic tendencies in adulthood (Copping, Campbell and Muncer 2013).
One the other hand, teens are especially emotionally sensitive owing to their surging hormones and it is during this time that they are at their most adventurous and often foolhardy. When dealing with stress, they are likely to try a myriad of risky and irresponsible acts including the abuse of drugs and excessive intake of alcohol (Wang 2009). Such lifestyles can lead to addiction and other negative habits that may ultimately compromise their health and wellbeing as they develop self-destructive tendencies. In addition, the psychological impacts of addiction may follow them for the rest of their lives and negatively affect their careers and ability to engage in healthy interactions with other people. As one grows into adulthood, risk factors and stressors multiply with the pressure to be economically productive and support themselves and their families. These stress factors aggravate their propensity for developing unhealthy lifestyles characterized used by alcoholism and unwholesome dietary choices. Furthermore, it is at this point that one becomes most likely to lose their loved ones especially parents and older relatives and the subsequent grief can easily lead to depression (Hall 2008).
However, as one edges past middle age into old age, they begin to confront a new form of stress, which is in essence a culmination of what they have feared their whole lives (Rauch, 2014). They are faced with the reality of their own mortality and their health will in most cases begin to falter as they realize that their death is imminent, which leads to fear accompanied by depressive thoughts. Kubler Ross’s model describes the various stages of grief that people undergo as part of trying to cope with the knowledge of that their life is almost over (Lancaster 2011). However, it can also be applied to other events when people are forced to deal with difficult situations and grief such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job and others.
The first stage is denial in which they refuse to believe what has just happened or is bound to happen and it is followed by anger and then depression after which one seeks to bargain with fate or God as the case may be. Finally, there is acceptance as the individual finally concedes to the evitable and begins dealing with it and preparing to face what is coming to them. It is only then that they can overcome their inherent fears and inadequacies (Friedman and James 2008). The model is applicable to most of the life events that cause trauma in their lives including domestic and sexual abuse. When dealing with grief, people will often seek to deflect the pain for their suffering through denial and struggle against reality until they are ultimate, forced to confront and accept it. While the stages of grief can be applied to many real-life situations, they do not uniformly follow the prescribed pattern and some parts of the model may be more evident in certain situations or people than others. The case study provides an example of a situation where an individual is forced to deal with the loss of a loved one and some of the coping and defense mechanisms he applies. The imminent death of his mother resulted in mixed feelings since he felt responsible for her illness because he had neglected to visit her when she was unwell. While he does not seem to be in denial, his mother however apparently may have refused to disclose her state since she was afraid of dealing with the reality of her condition.
When George accepted the inevitability of his mother’s demise, he tries to cope with it by spending as much time as possible with her. He appears angry with himself since he has not been there for his mother and he suffers a guilty conscious, which he tries to assuage by spending a lot of time with her during her last days. To some degree, this can be considered bargaining since he is trying to make up for the time he never spent with her. However, after she passed away, he still had a hard time coping and as a result, he joined the support group which helped him with the acceptance stage. In the group, they are encouraged to express their feelings, which turned out to be a very effective way of helping them cope and ultimately recover.
References
Copping, L.T., Campbell, A. and Muncer, S., 2013. Violence, Teenage Pregnancy, and Life History. Human Nature : An Interdisciplinary Biosocial Perspective, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 137-157.
Friedman, R and James, J, W, 2008, The Myth of the Stages of Dying, Death and Grief, Skeptic, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 37-41,80
Hall, G.R., 2008. The Things That Matter: What Seven Classic Novels Have to Say About the Stages of Life. Anglican Theological Review, vol. 90 no. 1, pp. 174-175.
Lancaster, J, 2011, Developmental Stages, Grief, and a Child’s Response to Death, Pediatric annals, vol. 40, no. 5, pp. 277-81.
Rauch, J, 2014, The Real Roots of Midlife Crisis, The Atlantic Monthly, vol. 314, no. 5, pp. 88-95.
Wang, S, S, 2009, Program Found to Help Teens Dodge Depression. Wall Street Journal.
Stress is a common physiological challenge faced by all human beings. Stress results from prolonged exposure to cortisol hormone that is produced by suprarenal glands. When this hormone is released, it discourages the generation of new cells (neurogenesis) that replaces nerve cells in the hippocampus. Hippocampal neurons are responsible for regulating emotions, thoughts and the creation of new memories. Researchers have established the genetic mechanism that occurs in the brain to trigger stress or prolonged trauma. Scientists have shown that people with depression have brain tissues that show activation of particular genetic transcription. The transcription factor acts like a “switch” that provokes the genes to be turned on or off. During a depression, TF turns off five genes responsible for the normal formation of synaptic connections in the brain that controls emotions and cognition. These brain units are responsible for a normal emotional response in human beings.
Glucocorticoids release a stress hormone that affects the hippocampus nerve cells and prefrontal neurons. Glucocorticoids are hormones released after the amygdala nerve cells are activated by stimuli from the brain. The activation neurons send a signal to the hypothalamic tissues that release glucocorticoids hormones such as cortisol. According to Lajtha, Baker, Dunn, and Holt (2007) cortisol hormone are regarded as a stress hormone since it prepares the brain to sustain a fight or respond to an attack (p. 582). Cortisol affects hippocampal nerve cells and prefrontal neurons by disrupting normal communication between the genes that aid neuronal connections.
Recent studies have shown that stress hormone causes hippocampal neurons to retract while it precipitates amygdala neurons to expand. Stress provokes hippocampal-dependent memory to decrease when exposed to cortisol for a long period of time. Stress also causes over-excitability of nerve cells that are regulated via adrenal steroids (Siegel, Sapru, & Siegel, 2006). Mental pressure induces prefrontal cortex interruption that is characterized by the enlargement of dendrite and atrophied dendrites. The expansion of these dendrite cause disruption of cognitive flexibility that causes aging. Severe depression can also affect the replacement and generation (neurogenesis) of neurons in the dentate gyrus. Replacement of human brain nerve cells ensues in the subventricular zone. This region is responsible for the generation of new neurons for the olfactory bulbs. Reproduced units are located in the area where neurogenesis takes place. The new nerve cells are then extended to the CA3 region of the hippocampal cells (Melanie, 2012). Stress hormone causes the amygdala to produce large amounts of somatropin (growth hormone); however, it is dependent on the presence of ghrelin (hunger hormone). Ghrelin is mostly synthesized in the stomach and sometimes in the hypothalamus.
During depression or trauma, the hypothalamic hormones (corticotropin hormone) are elevated. The long-term elevation of these hormones induces the release of glucocorticoids such as cortisol from the adrenal glands. Studies have shown that long-term exposure to cortisol interferes with the proper communication between neurons of the hippocampal and amygdala units. Stress also discourages the generation of new cells (neurogenesis) that replace neurons in the hippocampal cells (The Rockefeller University, 2015).
Neurogenesis is a complex process, which begins with the migration and differentiation of newly-formed cells and ends with the formation of a new functional neuron that is integrated into the neural network. Neurogenesis occurs in the subventricular units of the olfactory system. Cortisol is released from the hypothalamic adrenal cells. Long-term exposure to cortisol interferes with brain nerve cells by causing them to shrink. This interference affects the ability of neurons to send information through the dendrites.
Studies have shown that subjects diagnosed with PTSD have decreased hippocampal cells in comparison to those without. Cortisol hormone is responsible for the shrinking of the hippocampal volume that controls the formation of new neurons in the brain cells, and it may lead to depression.
In order to counter chronic stress, it is advised to exercise regularly. Daily exercise can improve the performance of cognitive tasks. Studies have shown that exercise leads to increased BDNF, which is responsible for strengthening brain cells and also enhancing neuronal connections. It is also believed that exercise promotes neurogenesis of brain cells in the hippocampal cells.
References
Lajtha, A., Baker, G., Dunn, S., & Holt, A. (2007). Handbook of neurochemistry and molecular neurobiology. New York, N.Y.: Springer.
Melanie, G. (2012). How to Prevent Stress from Shrinking Your Brain. Web.
Siegel, A., Sapru, H., & Siegel, H. (2006). Essential neuroscience. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
The Rockefeller University. (2015). Stress affects on structure and function of the hippocampus. Web.
The article seeks to synthesize the prevalence and accuracy of the diagnostic methods as well as the effectiveness of the available treatment methods for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the authors, the available literature does not focus on the possible co-occurrence of the two conditions (Carlson et al., 2011). There is a need to review the appropriate management in case a patient present with the two conditions given that war veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan war are returning home exhibiting symptoms of the two conditions.
The authors report that traumatic brain injury is common among soldiers as a result of falls and blasts. Carlson et al. (2011) states that researchers have argued that TBI and PTSD are mutually exclusive. Recent evidence has however indicated that persons with TBI may also develop PTSD whether from the same event or a different event altogether.
The study seeks to find out the prevalence of TBI/PTSD and the variations in the prevalence based on the severity of TBI, as well as other related variables. The authors also seek to identify the accuracy of the methods that individually diagnose the two disorders separately and how effective the methods are when diagnosis case of concurrent cases (Carlson et al., 2011). Finally, the researchers seek to find out whether there are treatment methods for managing mTBI/PTSD and whether the methods have limitations.
Procedures
The authors searched databases to identify articles to be included in the review from PubMed, PsychINFO, REHABDATA, as well as Cochrane databases (Carlson et al., 2011). The search involved the use of terms that are related to TBI, as well as other variants of brain injury. Terms related to PTSD were also used and alongside other options that are related to combat disorders and their variants. From the process, the authors were able to identify studies including both TBI, as well as PTSD. To be more specific, the authors limited the search to articles published in English for the period beginning from January 1980 to June 2009. The authors also sort expert recommendations on which studies to include in the review as well as looking the references from the selected articles.
The inclusion criteria for the articles involved operationalization traumatic brain injury to force to the head that leads to a history of confusion, disorientation as well as loss of consciousness. As a condition, the studies were only included in the review if the authors had assessed their subjects for TBI or had diagnosed TBI from the patient’s history. To examine any existing variations in the prevalence of PTSD based on TBI severity, the authors included studies that examined patients with all levels of TBI (Carlson et al., 2011). The authors operationalized PTSD to be in line with the symptoms described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) III or IV.
The authors exclude case reports as well as articles whose total number of subjects included more than 10% of persons who were below eighteen years of age. Other studies that did not present results in a way that could address the questions of interest were excluded from the systematic review (Carlson et al., 2011).
During the synthesis and data extraction process, the authors screened the articles so as to figure out which article was appropriate for answering which research questions. Once classified as the research questions the studies were entirely reviewed to establish if they met the other inclusion criteria. The authors then extracted the data from the selected studies and recorded it on standardized forms that included several parameters. The record included the study participants, the number of TBI/PTSD cases, the study setting, the target population as well as other demographics. The events leading to TBI, as well as the level of TBI, were also identified.
The authors compared the study methods as well as the results obtained allowing them to draw conclusions. The findings of the review were summarized in a manner that mirrored the key variables. The authors also rated the quality of the studies based on the descriptiveness as well as the level of heterogeneity.
Findings
The authors used all the 34 studies that had been identified in addressing the first research question. The frequency of TBI/PTSD was between 0% to 70% with the majority of the studies having a frequency of 20% and below. Studies that had a rate of 50% and above were also characterized by an unrepresentative sample. According to the authors, participants with TBI who were followed over time did not show any frequency in PTSD. The authors also indicate there were no notable differences in PTSD among the military and non-military participants.
According to Carlson et al. (2011), the study did not find any study that examined the assessment of PTSD among the individuals with mTBI or vice versa. Thus, the studies did not meet the inclusion criteria. To achieve the objective, the authors identified a single study whose objective was to compare the accuracy of PTSD diagnostic measures. The measures that were compared included the use of self-report questionnaires such as the Impact of Events Scale and the Post-Traumatic Diagnostic Scale. Other methods that were evaluated included the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale as well as the clinical judgment of the attending physician. All the methods were found to be appropriate for the diagnosis of PTSD with no significant discrepancies in the results obtained.
There was no study focusing on the management of PTSD or mTBI among participants with mTBI/PTSD. The author found a randomized control trial whose objective was to examine how effective cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) was in treating acute PTSD in patients with a history of mTBI (Carlson et al., 2011). From the study, it was noted that CBT was effective in the reduction of PTSD symptoms as well as delaying the onset of PTSD among patients with mTBI.
Discussion
According to the authors, there was minimal evidence on the frequency of TBI/PTSD based o severity of TBI levels. The situation was coupled by a lack of studies that addressed the effectiveness of mTBI/PTSD management. As such, the authors indicate that the area warrants further research given the increasing incidence of mTBI/PTSD among soldier returning from war. The authors also report that there is a possibility of the screening instruments resulting in an overestimation of the results (Carlson et al., 2011). The findings also indicate that PTSD is common among patients with TBI history.
Given that a clinician’s judgment was also important in the diagnosis of mTBI/PTSD it is, paramount that the clinicians understand co-occurring PTSD. As such the authors indicate that there is a need for comprehensive education on how to diagnose the co-occurring PTSD. There are no enough studies that outline the prevalence, assessment, as well as management of mTBI/PTSD among soldiers. The few available studies had inadequate samples sizes as well as included a highly selective population of participants. Assessment methods for the studies varied widely and as such generalizability of the studies was limited. However, the authors acknowledge the fact that to conduct a systematic review of a similar nature has multiple limitations given the need to address the research questions adequately.
According to the authors, existing studies have preliminary information that can be used as a basis for further research. Areas of further research include developing a consensus on how to measure mTBI as well as PTSD (Carlson et al., 2011). The prevalence, as well as the outcomes of TBI/PTSD among soldiers, should be evaluated. It is of importance that researchers conduct studies reflecting on the accuracy as well as the effectiveness of the available therapeutic methods. The authors also recommend that the research should extend to include assessment methods and their application in the diagnosis of mTBI. Further research should also focus on the examination of the efficacy as well as the clinical management of mTBI/PTSD (Carlson et al., 2011). The authors also recommend the evaluation of the evidence-based management of PTSD.
Conclusion
Frequencies of mTBI/PTSD vary widely in the studies reviewed given the differences in samples sizes, research designs as well as the objectives. The authors indicate some areas had not been adequately considered such as the accuracy of the diagnostic methods applied in the co-occurrence of PTSD and mTBI. The efficacy of the available therapy for mTBI/PTSD has not been determined. Consensus is required over the appropriate tools to be applied in the diagnosis of mTBI, as well as PTSD. Given these deficiencies, there is a need to conduct adequate research that will help fill the existing gaps in knowledge of the matters related to the co-occurrence of mTBI, as well as PTSD.
Reference
Carlson, K., Kehle, S., Meis, L., Greer, N., MacDonald, R., Rutks, I.,…Wilt, T. (2011). Prevalence, assessment, and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review of the evidence. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 26(2), 103-115.
Often viewed as a solely negative phenomenon, stress is, in fact, an integral part of human life. Without the factors causing stress, people would not be able to develop coping mechanisms for preventing the development of neuroses and the related psychological issues (Thoits, 2010, 541). When going out of control, however, stress can cause major damage to a person’s mental and physical health. By conducting assessments designed specifically for evaluating stress levels in a patient, the latter can be isolated from the factors causing stress. The vagueness of the evaluation system and the lack of precision in terms of results assessment, however, beg the question whether psychological assessments can be trusted (Dawans, Kirschbaum & Heinrichs, 2011, 515). Because of the clichéd approach used in creating these test and the stock questions, which patients traditionally provide stock answers to, psychological assessments for stress evaluation should be used together with more advanced methods of defining psychological issues like the Trier Social Stress Test (Birkett, 2011, 3238).
One of the most basic flaws that psychological assessments designed to define stress inpatients have, the inconsistency of measurement units, like the ones in the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, makes the results interpretation process extremely complicated. More to the point, the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory omits or underestimates a number of stress factors that can be seen as major contributors to creating extremely stressful environment. True, it admittedly allows defining the major stress factors, yet their choice seems inconsequent. For example, the death of a spouse has been reasonably considered the factor of the greatest influence. The death of a child, which is obviously a nonetheless tragic event in the life of a person, has either been disregarded in the given test, or shoved under the category of the “death of close family member” and rated at 44 points. The death of a spouse, in its turn, has been rated at 100 points. Seeing how both events must be equally tragic, the veracity of the given test should be legitimately doubted. Therefore, it can be assumed that the given test can be used for defining whether a person’s life is stressful; however, the test may fail at defining the stage of depression that the person taking test may be at present.
The Perceived Stress Scale, which is another method of evaluating the rates of stress in an individual, has basically the same flaws as the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, being just as vague on the evaluation of the results. However, unlike the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, which at least provides a numerical assessment of the results, the given test allows for choosing between such answers as “Never,” “Almost never,” “Sometimes,” “Fairly often” and “Often.” Thus, the recommendations provided for the patient sound even less distinct, and the assessment of the patient’s wellness becomes even less precise. In some way, the given test could be used as the means of evaluating the patient’s self-esteem, seeing how some of the questions are clearly related to the former’s self image. For example, such question as “In the last month, how often have you felt that things were going your way?” can be interpreted as the question whether the patient considers his-/herself successful and worthy.
The tests under consideration are doubtlessly effective in determining whether a patient has psychological issues. However, the issues defined may not be necessarily stress related. Moe to the point, the evaluation of the results could use major improvement. Though such tests are far from being worthless, they should be updated greatly.
References
Birkett, M. A., (2011). The Trier Social Stress Test Protocol for inducing psychological stress. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 56, 3238.
Dawans, B. v., Kirschbaum, C. & Heinrichs, M. (2011). The Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G): A new research tool for controlled simultaneous social stress exposure in a group format. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 36(5), 514–522.
Thoits, P. A. (2010,). Stress and health: Major findings and policy implications. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 51(S1), S41–S53.
Stress is a common occurrence in the day-to-day lives of individuals. Different individuals cope with stress differently. Most deaths and comorbidities are associated with stress factors that gravely affect health, leading to an increase in health costs and family expenditure. The response of the brain to stress is an area that continues to be studied widely, but due to the nature of these studies, animal models are mainly used.
What has been derived from these animal studies is that particular regions of the brain have the capacity to undergo extensive structural and functional remodeling (neural plasticity).
Neural plasticity is an essential characteristic that offers neuroprotective benefits after an initial episode of acute stress (Gray & McEwen, 2013). Other than the brains’ neuroplasticity, environmental, personal, and behavioral factors influence one’s stress and mood handling ability. Hence, the need for a meta-synthesis of literature aimed to review the relation between mood and stress in relation to influential factors.
‘Mood and stress’ is an imperative area of focus because of the detrimental effects associated with poor stress management strategies. Individuals need to be informed of the myriad approaches that they can adopt to manage their stress levels, as well as their moods.
Various studies on the relationship between stress, mood, and triggering/mitigating factors have been conducted, but variations result due to an oversight of some factors in the research design or confounding factors, like molecular and physiological mechanisms that have not yet been exhaustively investigated.
In an attempt to understand the relationship between mood, stress, and influential factors, this study aims to expound on the influence of school-associated stress, food choice and food preparation, lithium, and multivitamin supplementation on stress and mood among students in Keanu University. Specifically, the underlying mechanisms that enable these factors to have a positive influence on stress levels and mood will be delineated.
The current society is characterized by numerous stress factors; hence, the association between mood and stress has become an area of interest. Stress has been a symptom of early disease onset, and it exacerbates symptoms of various mood disorders. There is a substantial reason that leads to the conclusion that the unique confluence of genetic and environmental factors has a long-term effect on an individual’s maladaptive state. Failure to return to normal after exposure to stressful events can mean a loss of plasticity.
The hippocampus and amygdala regions are presumed to be largely affected in such instances. Lithium has been used in the effective treatment of bipolar disorder, among other mood disorders, for a long time now. Gray and McEwen (2013) help to understand the role of Lithium by gathering scientific evidence that shows the effects of Lithium in counteracting the effects of stress by unlocking the diseased brain (enabling neuroplasticity).
Unfortunately, the mechanisms by which Lithium is able to facilitate neuroplasticity are not completely understood. For example, despite the fact that Li stabilizes patients with mood disorders, an abnormal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis still prevails. The principal role played by Li is to “activate Wnt/β-catenin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pathways in concert with changes in glutamate and glucocorticoid (GC) levels” (Gray & McEwen, 2013, p. 348).
The mood of an individual, to some extent, stems from the individual’s mental attitude, where stress is an influential factor. An individual’s mental attitude includes an array of domains, such as, “the positive acceptance of, controllability of, and coping efficacy of stress experience” (Saito & Tada, 2007, p. 13). This being the case, individuals can change their negative mood to a positive one through pleasant stimuli that might change their mental attitude.
Recent studies have shown the aggravated effect of serious illness on the stress of affected individuals. As a result, Saito and Tada (2007) aimed to alleviate the suffering of hospitalized patients using positive stimuli; thereby, influencing mental attitude and mood. The study by Saito and Tada (2007) focused on the effects of color on the patients’ mood. Similar studies in the past showed positive correlations between color images and emotions, whereby color images significantly reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions.
This study by Saito & Tada (2007) adopted an experimental research design, and different photographs were shown to different groups. The experimental group interacted with colored photographs of natural scenery. The control group interacted with the same photographs of natural scenery but in black and white. The Multiple Mood Scale was used to gauge the effectiveness of color images on an individual’s emotional state. The study used biochemical parameters of chromogranin A and cortisol in saliva.
The use of CgA was based on the linear relationship between CgA and epinephrine, 2 minutes after exercise. Cortisol, also, is paramount as an indicator of stress because it shows the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Unfortunately, the study by Saito and Tada did not show significant outcomes but showed a tendency towards decreased negative mood and increased positive mood (P= 0.06). This variation between previous and current results could be attributed to the small sample size in the current study.
Dispositional optimism, which is the generalized expectation of good things in one’s life, is a trait that influences one’s stress levels. Optimism is a trait that is attributed to one’s genetic makeup. This trait is beneficial to those that possess it because it enables them to handle the inevitable and daily life stresses, positively. The discussion above (Gray & McEwen, 2013) has indicated that genetic factors have a role to play in enhancing the neural plasticity of the brain after stressful events.
Past studies have indicated beneficial outcomes in optimistic individuals in reference to recovery and quality of life. The mechanism through which optimism produces a protective effect on health is not clear. In an attempt to understand the pathways through which optimism lowers stress levels when behavioral and environmental factors are controlled, Brydon et al. (2009) evaluated the effect of the immune system. Emerging evidence has shown that optimism moderates the negative effect of stress on the immune system.
One hypothesis is that optimistic student, during times of academic stress when lymphocyte levels reduce, have high scores on cytotoxic T cells, improved natural killer cell (NKC) activity, and large antigen-simulated delayed-type hypersensitivity responses.
The converse is the case for students with low optimism scores. This study found out that subjects with high levels of dispositional optimism had low levels of Interleukin-6 during stressful conditions. This outcome was observed in both stress groups and not in the vaccine/stress group, solely.
Work-related stress is a major health burden because costs associated with such claims are 50% compared to other work claims (Stough et al. 2011). Literature has indicated that stress is a symptom in the early stages of disease onset; hence, the reason for a 560% exponential increase in stress-related illnesses within a span of 6 years, only. Work-related stress, which mainly results from expectations that are not commensurate with skills and resources, has been associated with great negative outcomes.
Evidence-based interventions, for example, education on appropriate stress management techniques and the right dietary approach, have yielded little success. Previous studies indicated the benefits associated with the consumption of multivitamins on stress, but not on work stress (Stough et al. 2011). Blackmores Executive B Stress Formula, rich in vitamin B-complex, was the multivitamin used to evaluate the effect of the multivitamin on work stress.
The study showed that the B-complex, rich multivitamin significantly reduced personal strain. After 12 weeks of supplementation (longer duration of intervention in comparison to previous studies), groups receiving the vitamin B-complex multivitamin had a mood characterized by reduced confusion and depression.
An interesting feature that may stir up controversy and debate is leadership. Unlike in the previous discussion, which states that work is mainly associated with work-related stress due to undying pressures, leadership seems to have a converse effect. Despite the fact that ascension to positions of leadership is associated with remarkably increased demands, it is not associated with an increment in the number of hours (Sherman et al., 2012).
There have been some discrepancies in results based on the sample chosen; for example, the use of the executive monkey yielded different results when compared to a study on nonhuman primates. There is reasonable evidence to show that employment is indeed associated with reduced stress compared to no employment because employment leads to the elevation of one’s socioeconomic status and education level. Sherman et al. (2012) reiterate that individuals are able to control the stress resulting from work overtime.
This ability to control stress enables individuals to have a buffering effect against stress. Control of stressor factors alters the physiological consequences that follow by reducing the production of cortisol. A study conducted in the military and federal government (public sector) by Sherman et al. (2012) found out that leadership has an inverse relationship with stress, in comparison with no leadership. Benefits derived from leadership in managing stress are better achieved based on the number of subordinates.
Sherman et al. (2012) study indicated that control over a larger number of subordinates was not associated with an increased sense of control or reduced stress. Future studies should compare the public and private sectors in relation to leadership and stress.
Osdoba, Mann, Redden, and Vickers (2015) focused on the interaction between food, stress, and mood because the interactions between these elements are not well understood. King and Meiselman (cited in Osdoba et al. 2015) state that food affects one’s mood, yet the choices of foods eaten are also influenced by both physiological (for example, hunger) and psychological (for example, emotional state) factors. People are alert and irritable when hungry and calm, and sleepy when full.
Consumption of food is deemed to elicit a positive emotional response as well as alleviate psychological and physiological stresses. In a previous study by Martin et al. (cited in Osdoba et al. 2015, p. 242), the ingestion of 40g chocolate in a day for two weeks led to reduced levels of urinary cortisol among participants considered to have chronic stress. In addition, a three-day consumption of chocolate led to reduced levels of psychological stress based on self-reports of anxiety and depression.
Also, calorie-dense foods were found to reduce stress hormone levels during times of stress. Osdoba et al. (2015) adopted a two-factor analysis approach based on choice (participants chose or did not choose the ingredients for their pasta meal) and preparation (participants either prepared or did not prepare food themselves).
The Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) protocol was used to guide the sequence of events. The no-choice group reacted more to the TSST in comparison with the group that chose its ingredients (choice group). Anxiety and anger levels increased more in the no-choice groups, and positivity was greatly reduced in these groups after the TSST when compared with the choice groups. However, it was assumed that the approach used to introduce individuals to the different groups could have affected the outcome.
Numerous factors seem to have an influential effect on one’s stress levels, and subsequently, on mood. Not limited to this literature review, it is evident that behavioral approaches, environmental factors, personality traits (which are determined by one’s genetic disposition), and medical therapy are useful in the preventive, curative, and rehabilitative measures against stress and associated mood disorders.
In these studies, it has been apparent that uncertainty and lack of control over one’s actions and situation exacerbate stress levels. This being the case, it is, therefore, true that work-related stress does not entirely lead to elevated stress levels; it depends on one’s job description and position, factors that were not taken account by Stough et al. (2011).
Molecular and physiological mechanisms of elements like vitamin supplementation are yet to be articulately deciphered. Hence, more studies are required to help understand the mechanisms that govern the action of these environmental, dietary, and behavioral factors.
The present study will build on existing literature to help in explaining the underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms that are involved when subjects are exposed to positive stimuli. The study will focus on students’ stress and will aim to establish patterns based on causes of stress, feeding habits, and medication used to aid in comparison. The following hypotheses will be used:
There is no significant difference in stress and mood levels among students at Keanu University.
There is no significant difference in the underlying mechanisms that govern stress management among students at Keanu University.
References
Brydon, L., Walker, C., Wawrzyniak, A., Chart, H., & Steptoe, A. (2009). Dispositional optimism and stress-induced changes in immunity and negative mood. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 23, 810-816.
Gray, J. D., & McEwen, B. (2013). Lithium’s role in neural plasticity and its implications for mood disorders. Acta Psychiatric Scandinavica, 128, 347-361.
Osdoba, K., Mann, T., Redden, J., & Vickers, Z. (2015). Using food to reduce stress: Effects of choosing meal components and preparing a meal. Food Quality and Preference, 39, 241-250.
Saito, Y., & Tada, H. (2007). Effect of color images on stress reduction: Using images as mood stimulants. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 4, 13-20.
Sherman, G., Lee, J., Cuddy, A., Renshon, J., Oveis, C., Gross, J., & Lerner, J. (2012). Leadership is associated with lower levels of stress. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 19(44). doi: 10.1073/pnas.1207042109.
Stough, C., Scholey, A., Lloyd, J., Spong, J., Myers, M., & Downey, l. (2011). The effect of 90 day administration of a high dose vitamin B—complex on work stress. Human psychopharmacology, 26, 470-476.
Dealing with stress makes one of the most important parts of a man’s life. To overcome the consequences of certain negative experiences, one has to work out a specific approach to the stressful situations that take place in his/her life. As Ciccarelli (2010) marked, “Stress can show itself in many ways.” (432).
Personally, I experienced some stress over the past year.
The first problem concerned the relationship between my mother and me. Being overloaded with numerous tasks to complete, I communicated with her less than I used to and felt that the wall between us was growing each day.
The second thing to worry about was the fact that constant strain and the necessity to study harder had an effect on my physical health. It resulted in insomnia and even nausea.
Thirdly, the strain within led to a change in my social behavior. I must admit that my style of socializing obtained a shade of aggression.
Another stress that I had to face concerned the course. Once hesitating to ask about the issues that I failed to understand, I realized I could not progress in my studying.
The last, but not the least problem has connected to the fact that I have recently had an opportunity to go to a popular resort, yet the news brought so many changes into my life and thrilled me into such a stir of emotions that this experience was rather unpleasant, mainly due to the turmoil about it.
Although the problems described above might seem considerably easy to cope with for a detached observer, I found them rather serious. Since most of the time, I felt the exact symptoms of stress that Ciccarelli (2010) described, namely, “problems in concentration,, memory and decision making” (432); in addition, it appeared that Ciccarelli (2010) was right in claiming that “people under stress often lose their sense of humor” (432).
It is necessary to mention that the problems described above affected my personal life greatly. Carrying the burden of stress, I became rather reserved and unwilling to socialize, which led to certain misconceptions among my friends and me.
The first three problems affected both my social and personal life. Triggering conflicts with my family and friends, these misconceptions deprived me of the support that I used to have, the support of my family and friends.
Even though the news concerning the opportunity to have rest in a popular resort was rather enticing, it brought the “wind of change” into my life, which made it undesirable and served as a stressor. Calling such nuisances “eustress”, to describe the feeling “which results from positive events that still make demands on a person to adapt or change” (433), Ciccarelli (2010) was completely right, claiming that they can cause as much harm to a man as the usual stressors.
It must be admitted that the most desirable approach of problem-focused solving that Ciccarelli (2010) suggested was applied only once. To solve the complicacies that emerged in my relationship with my mother, I decided to consider the problem in a personal conversation with my mother.
However, in the rest of the cases, I used the emotion-focused way of solving the complicacies. For instance, to get rid of the constant strain that studying caused, I resorted to meditations, since Ciccarelli (2010) mentioned that meditations can be useful when one is exhausted or overloaded with work: “Some people say that if you meditate for only 20 minutes a day, you don’t have to sleep at night” (460).
In relationships with friends, I resorted to such defense mechanisms as projection. Unfortunately, it was easier to “place one’s own unacceptable thoughts onto others, as if the thoughts belonged to them and not to oneself” (461), as Ciccarelli (2010) wisely remarked.
To tackle the problems concerning my studies, I used the method of identification, trying to associate myself with some of the world’s most successful people and “become like someone else to deal with anxiety” (Ciccarelli 2010, 461).
Speaking of the stress concerning the opportunity to have rest, I decided to refuse the resort under the pretext of doing something more useful instead, thus taking the position of rationalization – “making up acceptable excuses for unacceptable behavior” (Ciccarelli 2010, 416).
Speaking of the course that I was enrolled in, I must mention that it gave me a plethora of useful information. Although the course involved certain moments that made me feel under certain strain, the overall impression of the course is quite positive. It is worth noticing though that, introducing a lot of new material to remember, the course caused some problems since it was hard to keep in mind all the necessary terms and ideas and at the same time analyze the mechanisms of tackling stress.
However, as soon as I realized where the problem stemmed from, it was quite easy to solve it. With help of Ciccarelli’s work and her explanations of the way a man’s brain works, I managed to find out the reasons for the stress and search for ways to get rid of them. Thus, I utilized the problem-focused approach that Ciccarelli (2010) suggested and made the process of learning times easier. However, some might argue against such a position, claiming that this sort of problem can vanish on its own as time passes. Still, it seems to me that the way our problems affect us depends only on our actions. As Ciccarelli (2010) asked, “Ignore it? Nut won’t that just make matters worse?” (459)
Looking back from now on the course that I have undertaken, I can possibly say that it was one of the most significant lessons in my life. Both intriguing and providing enough food for thought, the course was a good opportunity to cognize me and the other people. However, I must admit that the course was rather demanding and complicated as well.
Thus, it would be reasonable to give some pieces of advice to those students who are going to enroll in the course. To help them avoid stressful situations and possible complicacies, I would advise them not to hesitate to ask questions when they feel that something is not clear. Since many students feel quite reluctant to show that they have misunderstood certain things concerning the subject, they might feel uncomfortable about the situation. Therefore, I would like to say that they should not fear to ask questions.
Another piece of advice that I would like to give to students is that they should learn to evaluate the information and sort it according to its importance. Since the course presupposes many new elements, the students will have to decide which piece of information is of higher importance.
In addition, I would like to say that one of the most effective and, probably, the most time-sparing means of coping with problems is laughter. As Ciccarelli (2010) says, “Using humor can also be a form of emotion-focused coping, as the old saying “laughter is the best medicine” suggests” (459).
Reference
Ciccarelli, S. (2010) Psychology, 2nd Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.