What is distress and its main types. Why does this syndrome occur and how does it manifest itself. What lingering chronic stress can lead to and how best to treat it. Distress not only causes health problems, but can be exacerbated by their presence. So, for example, it has been noticed that chronic distress develops faster in people who already have gynecological diseases, cardiovascular disorders, hormonal and metabolic imbalances.
Causes of Distress
It is impossible to argue that all people have the same causes of distress, since each person is an individual with different susceptibility and different life values. However, long-term studies of scientists still allow us to identify several "universal" factors that contribute to the development of chronic stress.
The main reasons for the development of distress syndrome:
- The inability to meet their physiological needs for a long time (enough water, food, air, intimate relationships, heat, etc.).
- Changes in health status (injury, injury, prolonged pain, serious or prolonged illness).
- Situations that provoke chronic negative emotions (anger, aggression, tension, fear, rage, resentment).
- Loss of family and friends (death, relocation, divorce or separation not on one's own initiative).
- Forced restrictions (imprisonment, diet, rehabilitation after a serious illness or injury, disability, caring for a close relative or loved one, changing the daily routine, giving up bad habits).
- Financial problems (unemployment, lack of career growth, dismissal, bankruptcy, inability to pay off loan obligations or debts).
- Changes in life (marriage, childbirth, moving to another city, changing job or educational institution).
- Family problems (conflicts between spouses, children or parents).
Distress can be caused not only by the presence of stress factors, but also by their complete absence. Therefore, a state of chronic stress often occurs in complete well-being, when life goes on smoothly, smoothly and calmly, as well as in people who have achieved their main goal and do not know what to strive for next.
At the same time, scientists have established an interesting fact: our response to a stress factor is formed not so much by the factor itself and its intensity as by our susceptibility to it, that is, the threshold of sensitivity. In most cases, our behavior under the influence of stress depends on it:
- Low threshold of sensitivity … Provides its owner with high stress resistance. That is, to unsettle such a person, you need a very powerful stress factor or a long series of minor troubles. Basically, he very steadfastly and calmly endures various troubles and shakes, is able to soberly and quickly make decisions even in the most unforeseen situations. Such a person is often called "flint", insensitive, unperturbed.
- High sensitivity threshold … Makes a person look like a match, which easily ignites from any spark. The latter can be a stress factor of very different importance and intensity. Such a fire is accompanied by a storm of emotions, chaotic behavior and an inability to predict the consequences of such behavior or chaotic decisions. Most often, people who are suspicious, susceptible, insecure, as well as accustomed to living by their own rules and experiencing a fear of going beyond their limits, are highly sensitive to all kinds of stressful situations.
However, such a division is conditional, since each of us has our own scale of the importance of stress factors: we can react to some of them calmly and in a balanced manner, while others are able to unbalance us for a long time. For example, there are people for whom troubles with loved ones are much more difficult to bear than job loss or material damage. And vice versa, there are subjects for whom the inability to satisfy their needs becomes the strongest stress, while, in addition to everything else, they remain stress-resistant.
Interestingly, a high level of susceptibility to stressful situations is not the only condition for the development of distress. Psychologists have established another factor that contributes to the development of a prolonged stressful state - this is the number of these very stressful situations that hit a person in a short period of time. They proved that one, even a very significant problem, is more easily tolerated than a series of minor troubles.
Important! Often, the reason for the emergence of a negative attitude towards the perception of life is not life itself and the events taking place in it, but how we relate to them.
Major symptoms of distress
If the manifestations of acute distress are almost impossible not to notice (as well as to prevent), then the development of its chronic form can be recognized in advance. To do this, you need to observe yourself or your loved ones.
The main manifestations of distress:
- Changes in the nature and quality of food (decrease or increase in appetite, change in taste preferences - not previously inherent craving for sweet or salty).
- The emergence or intensification of bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs).
- Loss of interest in communication, intimate relationships, self-development, sports.
- Lack of desire to improve the quality of your life, relationships, work; apathy, indifference, passivity, pessimistic moods, loss of a sense of humor.
- Functional disorders of the nervous system: insomnia, irritability, nervousness, anxiety, fussiness, absent-mindedness, forgetfulness, decreased performance even within the usual amount of work.
- Reactions of a somatic nature: headaches, surges in blood pressure, shortness of breath, pain in the heart and muscles, increased sweating, nausea, chills, tremors in the hands or throughout the body.
- Changes in speech: stuttering, "swallowing" words, unclear pronunciation, frequent use of interjections and parasitic words.
- Deterioration of thought processes: fixation on a problem narrows the mind so much that it is capable of only the simplest mental operations.
Studying the manifestations of distress, scientists have identified several basic patterns of behavior that accompany this condition:
- Panic fear, which has no logical explanation, because of which it blocks the ability to respond to the current situation in a balanced and logical manner.
- Anger and aggression (both in relation to others and in relation to oneself), which interfere with finding a compromise solution to the problem. Avoiding reality and the desire to resolve the situation by methods that are not entirely adequate for an adult personality.
- Fixation on a problem that significantly narrows the scope of the usefulness of the life of its "owner".
Important! Today it has been scientifically proven that long-term stress effects on the body primarily affect the cardiovascular system. Therefore, they appear as separate factors in the onset of coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and hypertension.
Treatments for distress
In the case of distress, the main condition for the successful treatment of any psychological problem will be relevant - the recognition of this very problem. Only in this case, you can begin to look for the most suitable way for yourself to get out of a prolonged stress state.
The most correct decision to return to the ranks of the optimists will be the help of a psychologist - he will help to find the point of "stuck" in stress and select the most effective way to get out of it. However, there are many ways you can try to treat your distress yourself.
The most effective ways to overcome distress are:
- Organization of good sleep … Sleep at least 7 hours a day without interruption, go to bed no later than midnight.
- Walks in the open air … Air often - after work and during breaks, before bedtime and on weekends. Nothing clears your head like oxygen.
- Moderate physical activity … Sport has long been recognized as one of the best stress relievers. However, in the case of distress, excessive exercise can only exacerbate the depletion of the body. Unlike moderate and systematic ones, with obligatory periods of relaxation. Such physical activity can help overcome prolonged stressful conditions.
- Competent relaxation … As a maximum, special practices (meditation, yoga), massage, at least periodic pauses of at least 3 minutes in an amount of at least 5 per day. At the same time, remember that alcohol, smoking and drugs cannot be considered full-fledged ways to relieve stress, since they do not solve the problem, but only postpone it or aggravate it even more.
- Diet correction … Reduce to a minimum such food activators of the nervous system as hot spices, coffee, strong tea. They will further exacerbate wasting. Give preference to healthy foods and split meals.
- Exit aggression … Find the best, safe way to relieve stress. To make it easier on the soul, you can break old or unnecessary dishes, shout in the forest, tear or burn letters (photos, old magazines), start a general cleaning or repair.
- Real perception of the world … Always remember the zebra rule: a black stripe is followed by a white one. Don't escalate the situation. Perhaps, after a while, when the problem is resolved, it turns out that it was she who was the best way to change your life for the better.
- Change of priorities … Transfer the vector of your attention from the problem to more important things. Pay attention to your loved ones, pamper yourself.
- Loose control … Do not be afraid to go with the flow sometimes, letting the situation take its course. Sometimes this approach is the best way out of the situation. First, it is impossible to constantly control everything, everyone, and at once. Second, over-control can also be problematic.
- Ability to share your problems … Do not dwell on the fact that your problems are only yours and no one else is interested. Don't be afraid to discuss your troubles with people close to you. Even if they do not help you find the optimal solution to the problem that has arisen, you yourself can speak it out during communication. So the subconscious sometimes gives out the most acceptable way to resolve the situation, which you could not hear in your thoughts.
What is distress - watch the video:
As you can see, distress is a marker of our response to the constantly changing world around us. The less resilient we are to change, the more likely we are not only to get bogged down in problems, but also to lose our health. Therefore, learn to be optimistic about the world and not dwell on problems.
