Concept of Stress

Even with all the comforts of modern civilization, life is not “a bed of roses”. Life’s path is full of obstacles – internal (our thoughts, feelings, motives) and external (family, society, environment). These obstacles interfere with need satisfaction and goal achievement, and this gives rise to stress.

Stress

• Stress is a normal, universal experience. Everyone feels stress at some point or another.
• In simple words, Stress is the state in which a person feels pressure, tension, or strain because demands seem greater than his/her ability to cope.
• Psychologically, stress can be seen as a pattern of responses (bodily, emotional, behavioural) that occurs when an event disturbs a person’s balance and affects physical health or psychological well‑being.

Stressors

• The events, situations, or conditions that cause stress are called stressors.
• Stressors interfere with the gratification of needs and adjustment, and they stand in the way of goals.
• Examples of serious stressors: Death in the family, Loss of a job, and Financial disaster
• Stressors can be:
• Internal – e.g. high personal expectations, anxiety, constant worrying.
• External/environmental – e.g. noise, crowding, exam pressure, family conflict.

Hans Selye, the father of modern stress research, defined stress as “the nonspecific response of the body to any demand.”

With civilization and urbanisation, stress has increased:

• Wishes and needs are many, but resources are limited.
• Pressures are more, but time is short.

The modern world includes:

• Pollution, noise, crowding
• Unemployment, poverty, and social and psychological insecurity
• Violence, alienation, loneliness
• Exploitation, discrimination, religious and social harassment

There are also natural crises like drought, floods, tsunamis, and super-cyclones.

All these factors create psychological uneasiness, anxiety, and pressure, so stress has become an integral part of modern life.

• The environment continuously puts adjustive demands on the person.
• When there are obstacles and interferences from the environment, they demand adjustment and create stress.
• Thus, stress can be understood as:
• A demand on the person arising out of obstacles and interferences in the environment.
• Closely related to frustration, especially when goals are blocked.
• Example:
• When a person tries to do more work in less time, he/she experience pressure, anxiety, and stress.

Road crossing example

• While waiting to cross a busy road on a Monday morning, a person may feel temporarily stressed.
• This stress makes the person alert, vigilant, and aware of danger, which helps him/her cross the road safely.
• Here, stress helps the person to mobilise extra effort and focus to meet the challenge.

General everyday stress

• Challenging situations, problems, and difficult circumstances put us under stress.
• To handle them, we:
• Put in additional efforts.
• Mobilise personal resources (skills, knowledge, energy).
• Use support systems (family, friends, teachers).

Stress is like electricity (analogy)

Stress is compared to electricity:

• Electricity gives power and energy.
• If the current is too high, it can fuse bulbs and damage appliances.

Similarly:

• Stress gives energy and arousal and can improve performance.
• If stress is too high, it produces unpleasant effects and performance falls.

Too little, too much, and optimal stress

Too little stress:

• A person may feel dull, listless, bored, or low on motivation.
• Performance tends to be slow and inefficient.

Too much stress:

• A person may feel very anxious, tense, and overloaded.
• Performance deteriorates; health and well‑being are affected.

Moderate/optimal stress:

• Helps a person stay alert, active, and focused.
• Increases the probability of success and survival if handled properly.

Not all stress is bad or destructive.

Eustress:

• The level of stress that is good for you.
• Helps achieve peak performance and manage minor crises.
• Acts as one of a person’s best psychological assets.

Distress:

• When stress crosses the comfort zone or continues for a long time.
• Leads to wear and tear of the body and mind.
• Associated with anxiety, tension, and decreased efficiency.

Eustress can turn into distress if the intensity or duration becomes too high.

Stress can be described as the pattern of responses a person makes to an event or situation that disturbs equilibrium (balance) and seems to exceed the person’s ability to cope.

This definition captures:

• The event/situation (stressor).
• The disturbed balance.
• The responses of the individual.
• The feeling that coping ability is not enough.

• Stress is a state of mental and physical tension when demands exceed coping ability.
• Stressors are internal or external events (like exams, conflict, loss) that disturb balance and block goals.
• Modern life increases stress due to competition, pollution, insecurity, and disasters.
• Moderate stress improves alertness and performance, but too much stress harms health and efficiency.
• Eustress is positive stress, while distress is harmful and long-lasting stress.