SPECIFIC CONCEPTS RELATED TO STRESS

Stress response: When challenged, the body undergoes a progressive series of responses that are first triggered by an external stimulus termed the stressor. The more prolonged and accellerating reactions produce an intense and severe disruption called strain. All of this moves the body away from homeostasis, the maintenance of equilibrium of the internal body functions in response to external changes.

This stress cycle has four main components:

Stressor: The external threat, challenge or task or an internal thought, perception or worry that acts as a stimulus or provovation disrupting homeostasis.

Strain: The internal struggle to regain homeostasis & to overcome the effects of a stressor (i.e., fatigue, insomnia).

Stress reaction: An emotional and/or a physical disruption in normal functioning (nervous, anxious, irritable & discouraged, which is associated with disregulated body systems (i.e. circulation, digestion, skeletal, muscular, & excretory).

Stress coping: The process of dealing with the stress reaction by one of many different methods ranging from action steps in problem solving to reframing interpretations of events and circumstances.

Stressor ---> Strain ---> Stress Reaction ---> Coping ---> To resolution or repeat of the coping phase.