english essay about stress

Essay on Stress Management

500 words essay on stress management.

Stress is a very complex phenomenon that we can define in several ways. However, if you put them together, it is basically the wear and tear of daily life. Stress management refers to a wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies for controlling a person’s stress level, especially chronic stress . If there is effective stress management, we can help one another break the hold of stress on our lives. The essay on stress management will throw light on the very same thing.

Identifying the Source of Stress

The first step of stress management is identifying the source of stress in your life. It is not as easy as that but it is essential. The true source of stress may not always be evident as we tend to overlook our own stress-inducing thoughts and feelings.

For instance, you might constantly worry about meeting your deadline. But, in reality, maybe your procrastination is what leads to this stress than the actual deadline. In order to identify the source of stress, we must look closely within ourselves.

If you explain away stress as temporary, then it may be a problem. Like if you yourself don’t take a breather from time to time, what is the point? On the other hand, is stress an integral part of your work and you acknowledging it like that?

If you make it a part of your personality, like you label things as crazy or nervous energy, you need to look further. Most importantly, do you blame the stress on people around you or the events surrounding you?

It is essential to take responsibility for the role one plays in creating or maintaining stress. Your stress will remain outside your control if you do not do it.

Strategies for Stress Management

It is obvious that we cannot avoid all kinds of stress but there are many stressors in your life which you can definitely eliminate. It is important to learn how to say no and stick to them.  Try to avoid people who stress you out.

Further, if you cannot avoid a stressful situation, try altering it. Express your feelings don’t bottle them up and manage your time better. Moreover, you can also adapt to the stressor if you can’t change it.

Reframe problems and look at the big picture. Similarly, adjust your standards and focus on the positive side. Never try to control the uncontrollable. Most importantly, make time for having fun and relaxing.

Spend some time with nature, go for a walk or call a friend, whatever pleases you.  You can also try working out, listening to music and more. As long as it makes you happy, never give up.

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Conclusion of the Essay on Stress Management

All in all, we can control our stress levels with relaxation techniques that evoke the relaxation response of our body. It is the state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. Thus, when you practice these techniques regularly, you can build your resilience and heal yourself.

FAQ of Essay on Stress Management

Question 1: What is the importance of stress management?

Answer 1: Stress management is very efficient as it helps in breaking the hold which stress has on our lives. Moreover, you can also become happy, healthy and more productive because of it. The ultimate goal should be to live a balanced life and have the resilience to hold up under pressure.

Question 2: Give some stress management techniques.

Answer 2: There are many stress management techniques through which one can reduce stress in their lives. One can change their situation or their reaction to it. We can try by altering the situation. If not, we can change our attitudes towards it. Remember, accept things that you cannot change.

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Psychology Discussion

Essay on stress: it’s meaning, effects and coping with stress.

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Essay on Stress: It’s Meaning, Effects and Coping with Stress!

Stress is a very common problem being faced today. Every individual will experience stress in one or the other time.

The term stress has many definitions, Lazarus and Folkman (1984) have defined stress as “an internal state which can be caused by physical demands of body or by environmental and social situations, which are evaluated as potentially harmful, uncontrollable, or exceeding our resources for coping”.

According to David Fontana “stress is a demand made upon the adaptive capacities of the mind and body”.

These definitions indicate that stress represents those conditions under which individuals have demand made upon them, that they cannot physically or psychologically meet, leading to breakdown at one or other of these levels.

Stress is usually thought of in negative terms. But ii can manifest itself in both positive and negative way. It is said to be positive when the situation offers an opportunity for one, to gain something.

Eustress (the Greek word ‘eu’ means good) is the term used to describe positive stress. It is often viewed as motivator, since in its absence the individual lacks the spirit necessary for peak performance. Distress is the term used to indicate negative stress.

Almost any change in the environment- even a pleasant change such as a joyful trip- demands some coping, and a little stress is useful in helping us to adapt. But beyond some point, stress becomes a ‘distress’.

What acts to produce distress varies from person to person, but some events seem to be stressors for every person.

Examples of stressors are:

1. Injury or infections of the body, dangers in environment, major changes or transitions in life which force us to cope in new ways.

2. Physical stressors like noise, pollutions, climatic changes, etc.

3. Hustles of everyday life centering on work, family, social activities, health and finances.

4. Frustrations and conflicts.

The physical, environmental and social causes of the stress state are termed stressors. Once induced by stressors the internal stress state can then lead to various responses. On the other hand, psychological responses such as anxiety, hopelessness, depression, irritability, and a general feeling of not being able to cope with the world, can result from the stress state.

Stress cycles:

Stress has a number of immediate effects. If the stressors are maintained, long-term behavioural, physiological, emotional and cognitive effects occur. If these effects hinder adaptation to the environment or create discomfort and distress, they themselves become stressors and, tend to perpetuate a ‘cycle’ of distress.

Example, a patient spends more money on treatment, may experience continued stress even after the cure of the disease, because repayment of debt cause stress for long time in him or a patient whose leg is amputated after accident may continue to worry about it.

On the other hand, many people have developed ways of coping with stressors, so that they are able to respond adaptively. This is the ‘wellness cycle’. Teaching people adaptive ways of handling stress, so as to promote the wellness cycle is an important part of the newly emerging field of behavioural medicine.

Effects of stress:

Stress is not always harmful. In fact, it is recognised that low levels of stress can even helps for better performance. For example, a student can prepare well for forthcoming examination only if he has some stress. However, excess level of stress is undoubtedly harmful.

The effects of stress are divided into three categories:

a. Physiological effects:

Commonly appearing stress related bodily disorders are-peptic ulcers, hypertension, chronic fatigue, hormonal changes, increased heart rate, difficulty in breathing, numbness of limbs, heart disease and reduction in immunity, etc.

b. Psychological effects:

Anxiety, depression, hopelessness, helplessness, anger, nervousness, irritability, tension and boredom may be experienced.

c. Behavioural changes:

Decreasing efficiency, making mistakes, inability to take decisions, under eating or overeating, sleeplessness, increased smoking, develop addiction to alcohol and drugs, forgetfulness, hypersensitivity or passiveness, accident proneness and interpersonal difficulties are seen.

Stress is linked to disorders such as cancer and heart disorders. There are several mediating variables that determine whether stress becomes dangerous or not. For example, good coping mechanisms which can help to reduce stress, having good social support, often help in reducing stress.

Perception of stress or how a person views stress is also very important. For example, a person may not perceive a situation as stressful whereas the same situation may be perceived as highly stressful by some other person.

People with personality type ‘A’ are more prone to be affected by stress related disorders like cardiovascular diseases. Personality character like hardiness or emotional stability helps to withstand effects of stress.

Hans Selye, a renowned biological scientist defines stress as the nonspecific response of the body to any demand upon it. He termed the body’s response to stressors the “General Adaptation Syndrome” (GAS).

The GAS consists of 3 stages:

1. Alarm reaction:

It is an emergency response of the body. In this stage prompt responses of the body, many of them mediated by the sympathetic nervous system, prepare us to cope with the stressor here and now.

2. Stage of resistance:

If the stressor continues to be present, the stage of resistance begins, wherein the body resists the effects of the continuous stressor. During this stage certain hormonal responses of the body are an important line of defence in resisting the effects of stressors (For example, release of ACTH).

3. Stage of exhaustion:

In this stage, the body’s capacity to respond to both continuous and new stressors has been seriously compromised. The person will no longer be able to face stressor and he will finally succumb to it. The person may develop psychosomatic illness.

The stress leads to many psychosomatic diseases. Treatment for such diseases involves medical help for the physical problems and, at the same time, attention to the psychological factors producing the stress.

Coping with Stress :

There are different ways of coping with stress such as: confronting (facing), distancing (remoteness), self-control, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, escape or avoid (from the stressor), plan a problem solving strategy and positive reappraisal.

Usually two broad type of coping types are seen- Instrumental coping and Emotional coping.

In instrumental coping, a person focuses on the problem and tries to solve it. In emotional coping, the focus is more on the feelings generated by the problem.

Today, self- help remedies, Do to yourself approaches, weight loss clinics and diets, health foods and physical exercise are being given much attention in mass media. People are actually taking more responsibility to maintain good health.

However, some specific techniques to eliminate or to manage more effectively the inevitable, prolonged stress are as follows:

Good physical exercise like walking, jogging, swimming, riding bicycle, playing soft ball, tennis are necessary to cope with stress.

Relaxation:

Whether a person simply takes it easy once in a while or uses specific relaxation techniques such as bio-feedback, or meditation, the intent is to eliminate the immediately stressful situation or manage a prolonged stressful situation more effectively.

Taking it easy may mean curling up with a good book on an easy chair or watching some light programme on television or listening to a light music. Meditation is scientifically proved to be very useful, both physically and mentally to cope with stress.

Behavioural self-control:

By deliberately managing the antecedents and the consequence of their own behaviour, people can achieve self-control. Besides managing their own behaviour to reduce stress, people can also become more aware of their limits and of ‘red flags’ that signal trouble ahead. They can avoid people or situations that they know will put them under stress.

Maladaptive strategies, rigid strategies or relying on one type of coping method lead to increase in the stress. Social support helps reduce the effect of stress. People may provide help, advice, material support or moral support that helps to reduce stress.

In addition to the above, psychotherapy (Beck’s cognitive therapy, Ellis’s rational emotive therapy and Meichenbaum’s stress- inoculation training), skill training, environmental changes, Bio-feedback (control of physical signs such as Blood pressure, headache, etc), family therapy, group therapy, hypnosis, yoga, are found to be very useful. Finally, uses of drugs are some of the other strategies adopted in coping with stress.

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Essays About Stress: 5 Examples and 7 Helpful Prompts

Stress deals with various sensitive matters and is a popular topic. See our top examples of essays about stress and prompts to assist in your writing.

Stress is a poison that gradually affects a person’s mental and physical health. It’s a common problem in all aspects of life, with money being the top stressor. There’s also a spectrum of stress, but chronic stress is the most dangerous of all types and levels. It can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, heart disease, and more.

5 Essay Examples 

1. post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 2. coping up with stress by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 3. stress management: how stress can cause mental illness and how to treat it by anonymous on papersowl.com, 4. assessing the personal stress levels by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 5. sources of stress in youths by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 1. what is stress, 2. good stress vs. bad stress, 3. how stress can affect our daily lives, 4. the impact of stress on children, 5. what is financial stress, 6. the importance of stress management, 7. stress and health problems.

“…the self-medication hypothesis… is supportive to healthcare as it offers a clear pathway to sufferers from existing addiction, which, in turn, enhances the bond between specialists and victims, it improves access to dosages, and it may also decrease the cost of a prescribed drug.”

In this essay, the writer investigates the leading causes of stress and substance abuse resulting from a disorder. They note that stress, anxiety, and depression often develop after divorce, widowhood, disasters, and other traumatic events. 

To show the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use, the author adds statistics and situations in which people who have gone through a separation or sexual abuse utilize self-medication, drugs, and alcohol to forget what happened to them. However, this brief escapes lead to addiction. Ultimately, the writer believes that developing stress, anxiety, and depression coping alternatives will reduce the number of people addicted to substances.

Do you want to write about depression? Check out our guide on how to write essays about depression .

“Stress coping and management is essential to have a healthy life. We need to manage stress effectively to avoid the side effects that can arise if not managed effectively. Let’s prioritize on our tasks, manage a healthy lifestyle, have time for fun and for one another, and practice the 4A’s of stress management to have a stress free life.”

This essay shares that stress can be beneficial as it teaches a person to handle difficult situations. However, stress becomes dangerous when it starts to control someone’s life. That’s why it’s vital to manage stress depending on its severity. 

To effectively cope with stress, the author suggests having a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and writing in journals. They also mention the importance of talking to a professional and identifying and avoiding the primary source of stress. 

“When people get stressed out, they try many coping mechanisms, and that usually helps a decent amount, however for some, the stress can be too overwhelming. That being said, stress is seen to have a very significant link to mental illness, more specifically, schizophrenia.”

In this essay, the author contends that stress is the root cause of some mental illnesses like schizophrenia. To support the claim, the author uses a real-life situation and shows the development of the disease, originating from the simple stress of moving and working in the city. 

The essay presents the different levels of schizophrenia and its symptoms. Then, after offering various sources, the author concludes that the most common way to treat stress and schizophrenia is having someone to spend time with and get therapy. You might also be interested in these essays about leadership .

“… A proper assessment of an individual’s stress levels is a critical factor in their well-being. Physiological and psychological aspects of intense pressure should be carefully studied and checked. Using corresponding methods and tools can be of significant help for the person, providing them with a clear understanding of the problems encountered.”

In this essay, the author discusses tools that help assess stress levels and effective strategies for combating stress. They use the “Symptoms of Stress Methodology” from Stress Management for Life: A Research-Based Experiential Approach and the “Ardell Wellness Stress Test” to determine stress levels and evaluate physiological symptoms. These symptoms assist in constructing effective ways to release stress, including participating in PTSD therapies and getting a service dog.

“Early exposure to stress not only affects children’s social and mental development during their formative years, it also can increase the risk of alcoholism, illicit drug use, adult depression, anxiety, and even heart disease much later in life.”

In this essay, the writer proves that stress can affect people of all ages and genders. However, the author focuses on young people and how quickly it appears in their adult life. According to the author, technostress, the fear of missing out, lack of personal space, and high expectations are the common causes of stress in youths. 

The author strongly discourages using drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol to relieve stress. Instead, they recommend reducing stress by taking regular breaks, replacing big life goals with smaller, more attainable goals, being open and sharing problems with others, and getting professional help.

7 Writing Prompts for Essays About Stress

Stress is a person’s emotional response to pressure to meet standards, commitments, and responsibilities. It usually occurs in a situation or an outcome we fail to manage or control. In your essay, explain what stress is all about and why it’s essential to understand this reaction. Use this prompt to help your readers know the early signs of stress. Then, add ways stress can be managed and avoided, so it doesn’t interfere with daily activities.

Although stress is often connected with bad instances, there’s also “good stress,” or eustress. Eustress pertains to a positive response to a stressor. For example, it happens when one is excited or ecstatic. Meanwhile, bad stress, or “distress,” negatively affects your mental and physical well-being. 

Consider using this prompt to compare and contrast the good and bad stress that people usually experience. Then, give real-life examples and suggest how your readers can effectively handle both eustress and distress.

The effects of stress vary in degree and duration. For example, stress can prevent us from functioning properly at work, home, or anywhere else. It can also affect our relationships with others and with ourselves.

To make your essay relatable, share a personal experience on how stress affects your life. You can also interview others in various professions and statuses to demonstrate the range of which stress affects different individuals.

Stress does not only occur among adults or teenagers. Children can also experience stress at a young age. For instance, a child can succumb to the pressure of adapting to a new environment, getting bullied, and sometimes being separated from loved ones. These can lead to anxiety, trust issues, and depression.

Identify and discuss these factors and why it affects young children. Include recent statistics that show the number of children experiencing stress and additional relevant citations to make your essay credible.

The most recent survey found that 65% of Americans worry about money and the economy’s decline. Pick this prompt to make your essay relevant and informative. Delve into what financial stress is and discuss its typical causes and effects. Then, add the latest percentage of people who experience financial stress and address why it’s a pressing issue.

Stress management offers various strategies to battle stress. First, explain to your readers the importance and effectiveness of proper stress management. Then, include proven and tested methods commonly used to treat stress. You can also share the strategies that have worked for you to persuade your readers that stress management is effective.

Stress causes several physical and mental health problems. Use this prompt to show the importance of treating stress before it worsens and affects a person’s welfare. Include research findings from reliable sources and real-life experiences where someone has damaged their health because of stress. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our essays about bullying topic guide !

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What Is Stress?

Stress is Inevitable - Learn to Maintain Your Emotional and Physical Well-Being

The Inner-Workings of the Stress Response

Ways to cope with stress, final thoughts.

• Next in How Stress Impacts Your Health Guide How to Recognize Burnout Symptoms

Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or mental strain. Stress is your body's response to anything that requires attention or action. 

Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way you respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to your overall mental and physical well-being.

Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin

Sometimes, the best way to manage your stress involves changing your situation. At other times, the best strategy involves changing the way you respond to the situation.

Developing a clear understanding of how stress impacts your physical and mental health is important. It's also important to recognize how your mental and physical health affects your stress level.

Watch Now: 5 Ways Stress Can Cause Weight Gain

Clues that indicate you might be stressed.

Stress is not always easy to recognize, but there are some ways to identify some signs that you might be experiencing too much pressure. Sometimes stress can come from an obvious source, but sometimes even small daily stresses from work, school, family, and friends can take a toll on your mind and body.

If you think stress might be affecting you, there are a few things you can watch for:

• Cognitive signs such as difficulty concentrating, worrying, anxiety, and trouble remembering
• Emotional signs such as being angry, irritated, fearful, or moody
• Physical signs such as high blood pressure, headaches , clammy/sweaty hands, muscle tension and neck pain , changes in weight, frequent colds or infections , teeth grinding, digestive problems , and changes in the menstrual cycle and sex drive
• Behavioral signs such as poor self-care, not having time for the things you enjoy, or relying on drugs and alcohol to cope

What Does Stress Feel Like?

Stress can manifest in a variety of ways in your mind and body, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It can contribute to feelings of frustration, worry, and burnout. You may feel physically exhausted, worn out, and unable to cope.

Stress vs. Anxiety: What's the Difference?

Stress can sometimes be mistaken for anxiety, and experiencing a great deal of stress can contribute to feelings of anxiety. Stress and anxiety both contribute to nervousness, poor sleep, high blood pressure , muscle tension, and excess worry. Experiencing anxiety can make it more difficult to cope with stress and may contribute to other health issues, including increased depression, susceptibility to illness, and digestive problems.

In most cases, stress is caused by external events, while anxiety is caused by your internal reaction to stress. Stress may go away once the threat or the situation resolves, whereas anxiety may persist even after the original stressor is gone.

The Usual Suspects: Main Causes of Stress

There are many different things in life that can cause stress. Some of the main sources of stress include work, finances, relationships, parenting, and day-to-day inconveniences.

Mental Health in the Workplace Webinar

On May 19, 2022, Verywell Mind hosted a virtual Mental Health in the Workplace webinar, hosted by Amy Morin, LCSW. If you missed it, check out  this recap  to learn ways to foster supportive work environments and helpful strategies to improve your well-being on the job.

The Four Types of Stress

Not all types of stress are harmful or even negative. Some of the different types of stress that you might experience include:

• Acute stress : Acute stress is a very short-term type of stress that can be upsetting or traumatic ; this is the type of stress that is out of the ordinary, such as a car accident, assault, or natural disaster.
• Chronic stress : Chronic stress is what we most often encounter in day-to-day life and seems never-ending and inescapable, like the stress of a bad marriage or an extremely taxing job.
• Episodic acute stress : Episodic acute stress is acute stress that seems to run rampant and be a way of life, creating a life of ongoing distress; episodic stress can be recurring illness, ongoing domestic violence, child abuse , and living through conflict and war.
• Eustress : Eustress , on the other hand, is fun and exciting. It's known as a positive type of stress that can keep you energized. It's associated with surges of adrenaline, such as when you are skiing or racing to meet a deadline. 

Harmful Types of Stress:

The main harmful types of stress are acute stress, chronic stress, and episodic acute stress. Acute stress is usually brief, chronic stress is prolonged, and episodic acute stress is short-term but frequent. Positive stress, known as eustress, can be fun and exciting, but it can also take a toll if you don't keep your life in balance.

Stress can trigger the body’s response to a perceived threat or danger, known as the fight-or-flight response . During this reaction, certain hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released. This speeds the heart rate, slows digestion, shunts blood flow to major muscle groups, and changes various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength.

Originally named for its ability to enable us to physically fight or run away when faced with danger, the fight-or-flight response is now activated in situations where neither response is appropriate—like in traffic or during a stressful day at work.

When the perceived threat is gone, systems are designed to return to normal function via the relaxation response . But in cases of chronic stress, the relaxation response doesn't occur often enough, and being in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight can cause damage to the body.

Stress can also lead to some unhealthy habits that have a negative impact on your health. For example, many people cope with stress by eating too much or by smoking. These unhealthy habits damage the body and create bigger problems in the long term.

Brace For Impact: How Stress Affects Your Health

Stress can have several effects on your health and well-being. It can make it more challenging to deal with life's daily hassles, affect your interpersonal relationships, and have detrimental effects on your health. The connection between your mind and body is apparent when you examine stress's impact on your life.

Feeling stressed over a relationship, money, or living situation can create physical health issues. The inverse is also true. Health problems, whether you're dealing with high blood pressure or diabetes , will also affect your stress level and mental health. When your brain experiences high degrees of stress , your body reacts accordingly.

Serious acute stress, like being involved in a natural disaster or getting into a verbal altercation, can trigger heart attacks, arrhythmias, and even sudden death. However, this happens mostly in individuals who already have heart disease.

Stress also takes an emotional toll. While some stress may produce feelings of mild anxiety or frustration, prolonged stress can also lead to burnout , anxiety disorders , and depression.

Chronic stress can have a serious impact on your health as well. If you experience chronic stress, your autonomic nervous system will be overactive, which is likely to damage your body.

Stress-Influenced Conditions

• Chronic Pain
• Inflammatory diseases
• Heart disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Sexual dysfunction
• Skin problems
• Sleep disorders
• Tooth and gum disease

What Can I Do When I Have Too Much Stress?

There are some treatment options for acute and chronic stress, as well as a variety of stress management strategies you can implement on your own. Stress may be inevitable; however, whenever possible, prevention is the best strategy.

An Old Proverb by Benjamin Franklin

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Treatment Options

Stress is not a distinct medical diagnosis and there is no single, specific treatment for it. Treatment for stress focuses on changing the situation, developing stress-coping skills , implementing relaxation techniques, and treating symptoms or conditions that may have been caused by chronic stress.

Some interventions that may be helpful include therapy, medication, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Psychotherapy

Some forms of therapy that may be particularly helpful in addressing symptoms of stress including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) . CBT focuses on helping people identify and change negative thinking patterns, while MBSR utilizes meditation and mindfulness to help reduce stress levels.

Medication may sometimes be prescribed to address some specific symptoms that are related to stress. Such medications may include sleep aids, antacids, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Some complementary approaches that may also be helpful for reducing stress include acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage, yoga, and meditation .

Although stress is inevitable, it can be manageable. When you understand the toll it takes on you and the steps to combat stress, you can take charge of your health and reduce the impact stress has on your life.

Press Play for Advice On Managing Stress

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast featuring professor Elissa Epel, shares ways to manage stress. Click below to listen now.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / Amazon Music

Here are a few things to get you started:

• Learn to recognize the signs of burnout. High levels of stress may place you at a high risk of burnout. Burnout can leave you feeling exhausted and apathetic about your job. When you start to feel symptoms of emotional exhaustion, it's a sign that you need to find a way to get a handle on your stress.
• Try to get regular exercise. Physical activity has a big impact on your brain and your body . Whether you enjoy a walk in the park, stretching, pilates, or you want to begin jogging, exercise reduces stress and improves many symptoms associated with mental illness.
• Take care of yourself. Incorporating regular self-care activities into your daily life is essential to stress management. Learn how to take care of your mind, body, and spirit and discover how to equip yourself to live your best life.
• Practice mindfulness in your life. Mindfulness isn't just something you practice for 10 minutes each day. It can also be a way of life. Discover how to live more mindfully throughout your day so you can become more awake and conscious throughout your life.

If you or a loved one are struggling with stress, contact the  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline  at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our  National Helpline Database .

Stress is a part of life and comes in all shapes and sizes. There are things we can do to minimize or even prevent much of the stress in our lives. But some stress is unavoidable.

If you find you are overwhelmed by an acute stressor, or the daily grind, there are ways to cope and recover. Whether you try some stress management strategies on your own or seek professional help... it is important to keep stress levels in check to avoid the negative impact on your cognitive, emotional, and physical well being.

National Institute of Mental Health. I'm so stressed out! Fact sheet .

Goldstein DS. Adrenal responses to stress .  Cell Mol Neurobiol . 2010;30(8):1433–1440. doi:10.1007/s10571-010-9606-9

Stahl JE, Dossett ML, LaJoie AS, et al. Relaxation response and resiliency training and its effect on healthcare resource utilization . PLoS ONE . 2015;10(10). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140212

Chi JS, Kloner RA. Stress and myocardial infarction .  Heart . 2003;89(5):475–476. doi:10.1136/heart.89.5.475

Salvagioni DAJ, Melanda FN, Mesas AE, González AD, Gabani FL, Andrade SM. Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies .  PLoS ONE . 2017;12(10). doi:10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0185781

Bitonte RA, DeSanto DJ II. Mandatory physical exercise for the prevention of mental illness in medical students .  Ment Illn . 2014;6(2):5549. doi:10.4081/mi.2014.5549

Ayala EE, Winseman JS, Johnsen RD, Mason HRC. U.S. medical students who engage in self-care report less stress and higher quality of life .  BMC Med Educ . 2018;18(1):189. doi:10.1186/s12909-018-1296-x

Richards KC, Campenni CE, Muse-Burke JL. Self-care and well-being in mental health professionals: The mediating effects of self-awareness and mindfulness .  J Ment Health Couns . 2010;32(3):247. doi:10.17744/mehc.32.3.0n31v88304423806.

American Psychological Association. Stress in America 2023 .

Krantz DS, Whittaker KS, Sheps DS.  Psychosocial risk factors for coronary heart disease: Pathophysiologic mechanisms .  In Heart and Mind: The Practice of Cardiac Psychology (2nd Ed.). American Psychological Association; 2011:91-113. doi:10.1037/13086-004

By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

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Writing About Stress Management

Academic writing

Essay paper writing

In our modern and fast-changing world, people face stress very often. It affects the behavior of a person, his or her working capacity, health, as well as relationships with others. Moreover, doctors claim that stress can provoke almost any disease. This phenomenon is an object of conflict studies because any conflict can become a stressor. In this regard, we need to learn as much as possible about stressful influences and the ways to prevent or overcome them. If you’ve got such a task, congratulations! Your essay about stress will be very relevant.

Strange as it may seem, stress has some positive functions; for example, it helps our body to adapt to any changes in the environment. So you can start your paper with the following thesis statement about stress: a correct understanding of positive and negative aspects of stress helps in preserving health and creating conditions for the manifestation of creative abilities, as well as fruitful work.

Information for an essay on stress: definition and physiological basis

Let’s review some definitions of stress. First thing first, an interesting fact for essays about stress: in the XVII century, English scientist Robert Hooke used this word to characterize the ratio of an extended created by a load.

In psychology, stress is an emotional state which is characterized by increased physiological and mental activity. Roughly speaking, this is the way our body reacts to certain stressors.

Stress as a non-specific adaptation mechanism was firstly discovered by the Canadian scientist Hans Selye in 1936. He showed that in response to the different strong impulses, a specific set of changes occurs in the body.

An adaptation mechanism means that with the help of stress, the body adapts to various strong influences while maintaining the level of homeostasis necessary for life. However, this adaptation is not that easy.

It’s also worth noting in essays on the stress that the clinical symptomatology revealed acute and chronic types of stress. Moreover, major symptoms were also outlined: insomnia, pressure in the neck, abdomen, back, chest, and eyeballs, excessive sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, physical anxiety, feeling of fatigue, knee trembling, etc.

Studies show that some more physiological signs of stress include ulcers, migraine, hypertension, back pain, arthritis, asthma, and heart pain. Psychological manifestations include irritability, loss of appetite, depression, and decreased interest in interpersonal relationships.

Material for the “development stages and types of stress” essays

Hans Selye distinguished three stages of stress:

• Alarm. This stage is also known as fight or flight response. During this stage, your brain sends an emergency signal to other parts of your body, which lets those parts know that you’re in a dangerous situation. As your body mobilizes itself to react, you can choose between a fight or flight response.
• Resistance. After the initial shock of a stressful event and having a fight-or-flight response, the body begins to repair itself. It releases a lower amount of cortisol, and your heart rate and blood pressure begin to normalize. Although your body enters this recovery phase, it remains on high alert for a while. If you overcome stress and the situation is no longer an issue, your body continues to repair itself until your hormone levels, heart rate, and blood pressure reach a pre-stress state.
• Exhaustion. If stress lasts for a long time or the stressors involved are extremely intense, the phase of exhaustion inevitably begins. It may cause significant health problems and even lead to death.

Mention in your college stress essay that currently, scientists distinguish eustress (positive stress that mobilizes the body) and distress (negative stress with undesirable harmful effect on the body and mental state). Eustress provokes the activation of cognitive processes, self-awareness, comprehension of reality, and memory enhancement. Distress leads to decreased performance and mental or/and physical problems in the future.

The most common and complete classification which may be presented to the readers of a research paper about stress was proposed by R.T. Wong:

• Intrapersonal stress. It is commonly known that social sphere affects all other spheres of human life. Since each person has to constantly solve various social issues, the interaction with others has a significant impact on our perception and attitude to events.
• Family stress. It includes all the difficulties in maintaining family relationships: household duties, marital problems, intergenerational conflicts, illness and death of relatives, alcoholism, or divorce.
• Work stress. It is usually associated with a heavy workload, lack of control over the results of labor, role uncertainty, and conflicts. Poor security at work, unfair labor conditions, and disruptions can become a source of stress.
• Public stress. This refers to problems experienced by large groups of people; among the major stressors can be economic decline, poverty, bankruptcy, and racial discrimination.
• Environmental stress. It is caused by extreme conditions in the surrounding world: air and water pollution, severe weather conditions, overpopulation, etc.
• Financial stress. The inability to pay the bills, expenditures exceeding income, the emergence of additional expenses – these and other circumstances can cause stress as well.

Provocative factors and signs of a stressful condition for an essay about stress causes and effects

Of course, each person has an individual reaction to stress. You may describe six types of personalities who react to external influences differently in a stress management research paper:

• Ambitious type. These are people with a strong need for success. The causes of stress for them are overload, high level of activity, and lack of understanding of themselves. The main symptoms of stress are insomnia, high blood pressure, heart problems, excessive smoking, and alcohol consumption.
• Calm type. These are dreamy and inactive people who are characterized by low vulnerability to stress. They maintain the balance between work and home chores. However, other people or work pressure can become the causes of stress.
• Conscientious type. This group of people are meticulous, pedantic, dogmatic, stable, and conservative. They believe in authority and obey the rules. For such individuals, the causes of stress are primarily other people who do not follow their plans and behavior patterns.
• Controllable type. These are people who seek to please others and avoid any conflicts. Such personalities are afraid of confrontation and problematic relationships because they act as a primary cause of stress.
• Life-loving type. They are strong, energetic, impulsive, and risky. The causes of stress for them are routine work and excessive internal pressure.
• Anxious type. Such people are highly vulnerable to stress and are worried about possible failures. They are cautious and overly reflective, have high level of anxiety and low self-esteem.

As it was already mentioned, stress can be caused by factors related to work or personal life events. Let’s consider the factors for an essay on stress in the workplace:

• Overload or low workload. For example, the employee was charged with an exorbitant number of tasks for a certain period of time.
• A conflict of roles. Such a situation takes place when the employee faces contradictory demands.
• Uncertainty of roles. Unlike the conflict of roles, the requirements are not contradictory here, but they are vague.
• Uninteresting work. Some studies show that individuals who have a more interesting job show less anxiety and are less prone to physical ailments than people who don’t like their work.

Let’s also consider personal factors for the research papers on stress. It’s apparent that stress can be caused by both positive and negative impacts. But, in most cases, this phenomenon is closely related to the notion of conflict.

The emergence of a preconflict mood or the perception of the situation as a factor threatening the security of one of the parties is a trigger mechanism for the development of conflict behavior. The situation becomes stressful, and the organisms of the involved parties mobilize the adaptive reserves to overcome distress.

Writing a stress management essay

Stress, especially if it is frequent and prolonged, has a negative impact not only on the mental state but also on the physical health of a person. Therefore, an important factor for a healthy lifestyle is stress resistance.

You can provide the following definition of stress resistance in “how to cope with stress?” essay: the ability to overcome difficulties and suppress emotions by showing self-control and tact. Stress resistance is determined by a combination of personal qualities that allow a person to withstand considerable intellectual, volitional, and emotional pressure.

There are several factors that mitigate the impact of difficult situations on mental and physical health. First of all, it is worth mentioning the role of social support in the stress management paper. It includes all types of assistance provided by the people an individual interacts with.

The researchers found that those people who received significant support from friends and relatives showed a less pronounced emotional reaction to frustration and fewer symptoms of illnesses.

Social support is a good medicine not only for the body but also for the soul. Most studies reveal that in periods of severe stress, it is a buffer that mitigates the negative impact of irritating factors. Include this fact in your coping with stress essay!

Let’s consider other factors that contribute to our ability to resist stress. Persistence is the second important positive factor to mention in “ways to reduce stress” essay. This is a combination of certain personality traits that contribute to high resistance to irritants, namely, responsibility, the desire to overcome difficulties, and an internal locus of control. The internal locus of control is a personality trait characterizing an individual’s faith in the fact that all his or her achievements, successes, and failures are the result of his or her own actions and not external factors, such as fate, chance, or luck.

It is also worth writing about such an important trait as optimism in research paper on stress and health. Defining it as a general tendency to expect a positive outcome, scientists have found a correlation between optimism and good physical state. In the course of subsequent research, they showed that optimists and pessimists deal with stress in different ways.

Optimists are focused on actions and problem analysis. They are more eager to seek social support than pessimists and are more inclined to emphasize positive aspects in their assessment of a difficult situation. Pessimists are more likely to concentrate on negative aspects. You may use the following thesis on stress management: optimism is helpful in combating depressive mood, while pessimism might make a person careless in relation to one’s health and less likely to cope with stress.

Stress research paper: writing about ways to improve one’s health

You may consider effective ways to improve health and reduce stress in a research paper on stress management among students. Here are some of them!

It is necessary to discuss the benefits of relaxation step-by-step. Relaxation is a method which helps to get rid of physical and mental stress partially or completely. There are various techniques of relaxation, which are quite easy to master. It does not require special education or even natural talent. But there is one indispensable condition – motivation, i.e. person needs to know why he or she wants to master relaxation.

Concentration

Concentration is another useful method for your research paper on stress management. Inability to concentrate is a factor closely associated with stress. For example, the majority of working women have to perform the duties of housewife, wife, and a mother. Each of these functions requires concentration, maximum attention and, naturally, complete dedication. However, each of these three roles diverts the attention of a woman and can cause a stressful situation.

In this case, concentration exercises are indispensable. They can be performed in any place and at any time of the day. To begin with, it is advisable to train at home: early in the morning, before going to work (or university), or in the evening before going to bed.

Breathing exercises

Also, it will be useful to mention the importance of the breathing exercises in papers on stress management. Each person has the ability to consciously control breathing in order to calm down and relieve tension (both muscular and mental). Thus, proper regulation of breathing can be an effective means of combating stress along with relaxation and concentration. By the way, with the help of such a technique, it’s possible to prevent mood swings.

Writing the essay about the effects of stress on health, it’s worth mentioning that breathing of a calm person is significantly different from the breathing of an individual in a state of stress. Thus, according to the rhythm of breathing, one can determine the mental state of a person.

Alteration of the lifestyle

Components of an active and stress-free lifestyle are the right beginning of a working day, healthy diet, sports activity, high quality of rest and sleep, good relationships with people, and much more.

You can consider the following problem in “stress at work” essay: very often when returning home, people overshare their negative emotions with the family. What should be done to get rid of the daytime impressions? How to cross the doorstep of the house and not to spoil the relative’s mood?

According to the stress management research articles, first of all, it is necessary to establish a good tradition: after returning home from work or university, try some relaxation techniques which were described above. Here are some more pleasant activities that will only take only 10 minutes of your time:

• Sit down in an armchair, relax, and rest calmly.
• Prepare strong tea or make coffee. Sip it for 10 minutes. Try not to think about anything serious during this period of time.
• Turn on your favorite music. Enjoy these wonderful moments. Try to completely immerse yourself in music, disconnecting yourself from anxious thoughts.
• Take a walk in the nearest park or streets.

Self-analysis of stress

Also, you can tell the readers of your paper how to find and explain the reactions of your body to certain stressful situations, i.e. how to determine if you are stressed. It is crucial to understand your own stressors: firstly, distress manifests itself individually for each person; secondly, this way, the you will be able to find the most acceptable way out of the situation that causes it.

The most justified self-analysis method, which is described in almost any good sample research paper on stress management is a stress diary. Within a week (daily, whenever possible), it is necessary to make simple notes: when and under what circumstances the signs of stress were found. It is better to analyze all observations and sensations after work/university or before going to bed when it’s easier to recollect the smallest details.

The analysis of records in the diary helps to determine which events or life situations contribute to stress. After some time, it will be easy to identify repetitive situations that can cause chronic stress or anxiety.

Looking through our own notes and trying to systematize them, you will find that some of the main signs of stress can be seen rather often: irritability, inability to concentrate, muscle tension, a sense of internal pressure, dry mouth, restlessness, fatigue, inexplicable fear, bad mood, frequent headaches, joint pain, and lack of appetite.

After analyzing the notes, it’s possible to determine at what time of the day the stress occurs most often and whether it happens at work or after returning home. State in your stress management essay conclusion that, with the help of such a diary, each individual can find out what hinders him or her from being calm and happy and what causes personal stress.

Autogenic management

You may also discuss in your cause and effect essay about the stress the phenomenon of autogenic management. It is a set of certain principles and methods of management aimed at training and auto-training for maximizing the use of one’s internal potential, i.e. management of stress with the use of psychotherapy.

It should be noted in an essay about the negative effects of stress that autogenic management is still at the initial stage of development in many countries. Before the crisis of 2007-2008, stress management was based on special training and provision of social budget for maintaining the physical health of the employees (for example, workers had the possibility to attend a swimming pool or a gym).  But the world crisis changed everything. Since 2008, the management of each company had to provide ways of reducing the stress of employees in order to boost their morale and increase loyalty.  

Autogenic management is associated with such spheres as management of internal communications, risk management, and conflict management because they exert a stressful influence on the entire staff of the company or some employees.

Among the many techniques, autogenic management seems to be the most effective. Each session is conditionally divided into several modules:

• relaxation;
• auto-training;
• psycho-correction;
• meditation;
• motivation.

Thus, autogenic management is an extremely effective technique that can be used in any labor environment. You can even describe it in a research paper on stress management in armed forces.

First aid for acute stress

If we suddenly find ourselves in a stressful situation, it means that we are under acute stress. Writing a short essay about stress management, you may list some tips that can help the reader get out of the difficult state:

• Anti-stress breathing techniques. Slowly take a deep breath. At the peak of the inhalation, hold your breath for a moment. Then exhale as slowly as possible.
• The concentration of attention. Look around and carefully examine the room in which you are staying. Pay attention to the smallest details, even if you know them well. Try to concentrate completely on this step. Say what you see out loud: ‘Brown table, white curtains, red vase...’ Focusing on each separate object, you will slowly distract yourself. Moreover, it will be easier to direct your attention to the rational perception of the surrounding world.
• Change the atmosphere. It is a good idea to stay alone with your thoughts. If circumstances allow, leave the room in which you experienced acute stress. Go to another room or outside.
• Engage in some kind of activity: start washing clothes, reading a book, or doing physical exercises. The secret to this method is simple: any actions, especially physical work, help us to distract ourselves from internal tension in a stressful situation.

After completing this simple set of techniques, it will be easy to return to what you have been doing previously.

The main effects of stress

We have already considered the causes of stress and ways to combat it. It’s also worth mentioning the consequences of inattention to this problem if you are going to write the effects of stress essay. The general clinical picture is divided into four main categories: cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral consequences that arise due to dysfunction in the central nervous system and immunity.

Cognitive consequences of stress

Cognitive disorders caused by stressors may result in a reduction in quality of life. It is especially critical for adolescence, as early signs of cognitive decline might lead to the development of serious illnesses in the future. Therefore, if you are considering the stress management of youth in universities and schools, it would be very useful to describe these outcomes in an “effects of stress on college students’ success” essay:

• Memory impairment. This phenomenon usually affects the way a person remembers figures and mathematical calculations: phone numbers or simple formulas which he or she often used in everyday life might be forgotten.
• Loss of attention as well as impossibility of even a short-term concentration on any kind of activity.
• Chronic pessimism and nihilism. A person is inclined to refuse any innovations and changes in his or her activity, including work. Practically everything loses its meaning.
• Constant anxiety. Even if the patient is able to start thinking positively at some moment, this phenomenon will be very short-lived. You may provide the following example in “causes and effects of stress among college students” essay: even in the end of the semester, when all the exams are passed successfully, many young people can’t relax and enjoy the holidays because they got accustomed to living in constant stress.

Emotional consequences

It should be noted in an essay about the effects of stress on students that disorders of emotional state also significantly worsen the life of the individual. There are the following negative effects of this type which occur due to constant stress:

• Capriciousness.
• Increased irritability which often turns into active aggression.
• Complete lack of incentives for emotional and cognitive relaxation. During chronic stress, such conditions often lead to the development of quite serious psycho-emotional overloads with the transition to mental disorders.
• A constant feeling of increased fatigue, even after insignificant intellectual or physical labor.
• A sense of social isolation and development of an inferiority complex.
• Stable depressive syndrome.

Physical consequences

Next, let’s consider the examples of negative consequences for the effects of stress on health essay:

• Indigestion that results in food retention in the digestive system, epigastric pain, belching, heartburn, and nausea. These symptoms are characteristic of people suffering from gastritis and peptic ulcer diseases of the stomach and duodenum.
• Increase in blood sugar level, which is associated with impaired insulin production. Physiologically increased concentrations of free glucose in the blood lead to toxic reactions that aggravate overall symptoms.
• Disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system such as high/low blood pressure or heart rate, arrhythmia, and extrasystole. The absence of normal regulation often leads to a loss of consciousness due to the incorrect circulation of blood. The reverse pathological effect is a hypertensive crisis and, as a consequence, strokes or heart attacks.
• Violations of the menstrual cycle in the form of long delays, pain, and so on.

Behavioral consequences

The last group of negative factors for the essay about the effects of stress refers to the behavioral patterns that are deeply rooted in the life of stressful personalities:

• Disorders of appetite. Acute stress is usually characterized by an increase in appetite. With prolonged exposure to stress factors, there is a gradual decrease and, consequently, a complete lack of appetite.
• Sleep disturbances also depend on the types and stages of stress factors. In the early period of stress, drowsiness is usually increased but then it decreases. In the case of the lasting impact of stress factors, a constant lack of sleep is observed, which strongly affects the behavior and appearance of a person.
• Social isolation. Stressed individuals stop keeping in touch even with close friends and relatives.
• Severe nicotine, alcohol, and drug addiction. People resort to these substances in attempts to reduce the severe perception of stress factors.
• The emergence of bad habits, for example, nibbling the nails, scratching the skin, and so on.

Stress management research paper outline and essay structure

The first thing you need to do when is to determine the topic of the paper, understand what problem you want to raise, and what idea to disclose. Your main task is to express your own thoughts in such a way that your reader understands you. But experienced writers also advise creating and adhering to the specific outline. The outline for stress management research paper or essay may be the following:

• Stress essay introduction. In this part, you have to write about the background of the issue and present the thesis statement.
• Main part. It includes your thoughts and reflections (if it’s an essay), and arguments that will confirm your opinion. In order to provide strong argumentation, you need to look for the facts from the scientific literature or think about the examples from real life. If you’re writing a research paper on stress, you should only include the factual information and the analysis of it. Do not add your personal opinion unless you were asked to by your professor, which is a quite rare occurrence.
• Conclusion of stress essay. In the final part, you have to present your little logical resume of what was written and make your own brief conclusions on the issue.

Helpful hints

Below you can find some useful tips on how to write a great paper. Writing an essay is not an easy task, but if you follow the guide step by step, you will be rewarded with high-quality work and an excellent mark!

1. First, you should start writing a draft version of an essay about the positive and negative effects of stress. It is quite difficult to compile a good academic paper at once. If you want to create a truly worthwhile work, always start with writing a draft and then edit your text.

2. Do not use too official or scientific language. Remember that essay is not a report: writing this kind of paper, you have all the opportunities for self-expression. Therefore, make the text interesting and easy to read.

3. Re-read your drafts several times because you can come up with new ideas.

4. Take advantage of other people’s experience. Find a quality example essay about stress management (or even a few) and focus on the style of presentation, arguments, and facts that the author used. This way, you might get a few ideas on how to frame your arguments or present the information you have found.

We hope that this article turned out to be useful, and you will get an excellent mark for your academic paper. Good luck!

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Essay on Stress

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In the fast-paced modern world, stress has become an inevitable part of life, particularly for students. Understanding the intricate relationship between stress and thinking is crucial for academic and personal success. This essay delves into the nature of stress, its effects on cognitive processes, and strategies for managing it, offering insights for students participating in essay writing competitions.

Stress is the body’s natural response to challenges or demands. It’s often characterized by physical, emotional, or mental tension. While stress is a universal experience, its intensity and impact vary from person to person.

Types of Stress

• Acute Stress: This is short-term stress that arises from specific situations or events, such as a tight deadline, a near accident, or a sudden change in circumstances. It often subsides once the triggering event is resolved.
• Physical Stress: Physical stress occurs when the body is subjected to excessive physical demands, such as intense exercise, physical injury, or illness. It can lead to physical discomfort and fatigue.
• Emotional Stress: Emotional stress is linked to intense emotions, such as grief, anger, anxiety, or sadness. These emotions can take a toll on mental and emotional well-being.
• Workplace Stress: Workplace stress arises from pressures at work, including excessive workload, job insecurity, difficult colleagues, or conflicts with superiors. It can affect job satisfaction and overall quality of life.
• Financial Stress: Financial stress results from money-related concerns, including debt, job loss, financial instability, or the inability to meet basic needs. It can lead to anxiety and depression.
• Relationship Stress: Relationship stress is associated with difficulties in personal relationships, such as conflicts with family members, friends, or romantic partners. It can be emotionally taxing.
• School or Academic Stress: Academic stress is experienced by students due to the pressure to perform well in school, meet deadlines, and excel in examinations.
• Parenting Stress: Parenting stress arises from the responsibilities and challenges of raising children, including concerns about their well-being, behavior, and development.
• Cultural Stress: Cultural stress is experienced by individuals who face discrimination, prejudice, or challenges related to their cultural identity, ethnicity, or background.
• Technological Stress: Technological stress results from the overwhelming use of technology, including digital devices and social media, leading to feelings of information overload and constant connectivity.

The Impact of Stress on Thinking

Stress can significantly impact cognitive functions:

• Memory : Under stress, the brain’s ability to store and recall information can be impaired, affecting both short-term and long-term memory.
• Concentration and Focus : Stress often leads to difficulty in concentrating and maintaining focus, hindering learning and task completion.
• Decision Making : High stress can affect the decision-making process, leading to rushed or poor choices due to a narrowed perspective.
• Creativity and Problem-Solving : Chronic stress can stifle creativity and hinder the ability to solve problems effectively.

The Biological Basis

Stress triggers the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While these hormones prepare the body for a quick response in challenging situations, their prolonged presence due to chronic stress can alter brain function, particularly in areas responsible for memory and emotional regulation.

Stress in the Student’s Life

Students face unique stressors, including academic pressures, social challenges, and life transitions. This stress can affect their academic performance, social interactions, and overall mental health.

Coping Mechanisms for Stress

Stress management techniques.

• Mindfulness and Meditation : Practices like mindfulness meditation can reduce stress and improve focus and cognitive flexibility.
• Physical Activity : Regular exercise is effective in reducing stress and enhancing brain function.
• Healthy Lifestyle Choices : Adequate sleep, a balanced diet, and avoiding excessive caffeine and sugar can help in managing stress levels.

Cognitive Strategies

• Time Management : Effective time management can reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed, a common source of stress for students.
• Positive Thinking : Adopting a positive outlook and reframing negative thoughts can mitigate the impact of stress on cognitive processes.
• Seeking Support : Talking to friends, family, or counselors about stressors can provide relief and new perspectives.

The Positive Aspect of Stress

Not all stress is harmful. Moderate stress, known as “eustress,” can be beneficial:

• Motivation : A certain level of stress can serve as a motivator, pushing students to meet deadlines and achieve goals.
• Resilience Building : Managing stress effectively can build resilience, enhancing the ability to cope with future challenges.

In conclusion, Stress and thinking are inextricably linked, with each influencing the other in profound ways. For students, navigating this relationship is key to achieving academic success and maintaining mental health. By understanding the nature of stress, its impact on cognition, and employing effective management strategies, students can harness stress positively, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and learning. In the context of essay writing competitions, this topic provides a rich ground for exploration, encouraging students to reflect on their personal experiences and the broader implications of stress in educational settings.

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Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way we respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to our overall well-being.

Stress affects both the mind and the body. A little bit of stress is good and can help us perform daily activities. Too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems. Learning how to cope with stress can help us feel less overwhelmed and support our mental and physical well-being.

Stress makes it hard for us to relax and can come with a range of emotions, including anxiety and irritability. When stressed, we may find it difficult to concentrate. We may experience headaches or other body pains, an upset stomach or trouble sleeping. We may find we lose our appetite or eat more than usual. Chronic stress can worsen pre-existing health problems and may increase our use of alcohol, tobacco and other substances.

Stressful situations can also cause or exacerbate mental health conditions, most commonly anxiety and depression, which require access to health care. When we suffer from a mental health condition, it may be because our symptoms of stress have become persistent and have started affecting our daily functioning, including at work or school.

No, everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. Coping styles and symptoms of stress vary from person to person. ​​

Yes, it is natural to feel stressed in challenging situations such as job interviews, school exams, unrealistic workloads, an insecure job, or conflict with family, friends or colleagues. For many people stress reduces over time as the situation improves or as they learn to cope emotionally with the situation. Stress tends to be widespread during events such as major economic crises, disease outbreaks, natural disasters, war, and community violence. 

Most of us manage stress well and continue to function. If we have difficulties coping with stress, we should seek help from a trusted health-care provider or from another trusted person in our community.

Learn stress management

WHO’s stress management guide – Doing what matters in times of stress – aims to equip people with practical skills to cope with stress. A few minutes each day are enough to practise the guide’s self-help techniques. The guide can be used alone or with its accompanying audio exercises.

Keep a daily routine

Having a daily schedule can help us use our time efficiently and feel more in control. Set time for regular meals, time with family members, exercise, daily chores and other recreational activities. 

Get plenty of sleep

Getting enough sleep is important for both body and mind. Sleep repairs, relaxes and rejuvenates our body and can help reverse the effect of stress.

Good sleep habits (also known as sleep hygiene) include:

• Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.
• If possible, make your sleeping area quiet, dark, relaxing and at a comfortable temperature.
• Limit your use of electronic devices, such as TVs, computers and smart phones, before sleeping.
• Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
• Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.

Connect with others  ​

Keep in touch with family and friends and share your concerns and feelings with people you trust. Connecting with others can lift our mood and help us feel less stressed.

Eat healthy​

What we eat and drink can affect our health. Try to eat a balanced diet and to eat at regular intervals. Drink enough fluids. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables if you can.

Exercise regularly ​

Regular daily exercise can help to reduce stress. This can include walking, as well as more intensive exercise.

Limit time following news ​

Spending too much time following news on television and social media can increase stress. Limit the time you spend following the news if it increases your stress.

Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide

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Stress Management Essay | Essay on Stress Management for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Stress Management Essay:  Stress is a complex phenomenon that can be defined in several ways; however, put together; it is the wear and tear of everyday life. Stress management can be defined as a wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies to control a person’s stress level, especially chronic stress.

Effective methods and techniques of stress management help an individual break the hold that stress has on their lives. This, in turn, helps people in leading a healthier, happier, and more productive lifestyle.

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Long and Short Essays on Stress Management for Students and Kids in English

We provide students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic Stress Management for reference.

Long Essay on Stress Management 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Stress Management is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

The increasingly busy lives that people choose to live today cause a lot of stress on their minds. Stress is a mental tension that is caused by taxing, demanding, and burdensome circumstances. Stress affects one’s mental stress and mood and has adverse effects on their physical health.

When a person is highly stressed, a hormone known as cortisol is released into the bloodstream, suppressing the proper functioning of one’s digestive, reproductive, and immune systems. This is why it is essential to practice stress management to keep one’s mind and body healthier.

Stress management is making constant changes to one’s life if they are in a stressful situation by various techniques and methods. Stress management includes preventing stress by practicing self-care and relaxation; also managing one’s response to stressful situations when they occur.

Stress is not good for the body. Stress is a survival instinct or response when the body thinks that it is in danger. This is why one’s sympathetic nervous system kicks in, increasing the heart rate with which there is a burst of the energy hormone adrenaline, which helps in dealing with any situation. This is also known as a flight or fight response.

The problem starts when a person deals with constant stress and worry or unaware of ways to manage stressful situations. Stress management becomes extremely important in people’s lives for leading a quality life, having healthy relationships, and preventing any adverse effects on health. There are various stress management models, with each having distinctive explanations of mechanisms for dealing with or controlling stress. Much more research is needed for a proper understanding of which method operates and is effective in practice.

The first step of stress management is to identify the sources of stress in one’s life. While it is easier to address major stressors such as an unhealthy or toxic relationship, job changes, or the process of moving, locating the actual reason for chronic stress can be complicated.

Apart from causing mental and physical strain, stress can also cause tension and even illness – it can affect all areas of one’s life. Stress management serves as beneficial as it reduces heart diseases, digestive problems, blood pressure, and many more physical ailments. Stress management also helps in dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety or panic disorder.

There are various techniques in reducing stress in one’s life, from meditation to exercising and even journaling. Yoga is a popular physical form of stress management technique. A morning or evening jog and other forms of cardiovascular exercises help release the happy hormones – endorphins – into the system that helps prevent stress throughout the day.

Meditation is another form of mental technique which helps in dealing with stress. Apart from these, making changes in everyday habits such as maintain a proper sleep schedule, avoiding cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs, making sure that one’s diet consists of proper nutrition; spending time doing things that bring them joy goes a long way in letting go of the stress that one comes across every day.

Short Essay on Stress Management 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Stress Management is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Stress is a complex phenomenon and is the body’s response – which serves as a survival instinct – to any danger. Stress is a state of mind reflecting certain biochemical reactions in a human body, which is projected by a sense of anxiety, panic, or depression.

Stress management becomes necessary as it helps an individual break the hold that stress has on one’s life. Stress can harm one’s mental and physical health, so managing stress helps one live a healthy life. Stress management helps achieve a balanced life’s ultimate goal, with proper time for work, family, relationships, fun, and relaxation. It also gives the resilience to work under pressure and face challenges head-on.

However, as not every individual is affected by the same things, similarly not the same things cause everyone’s stress. So, the stress management technique for every individual is different.

10 Lines on Stress Management in English

• If individuals live their lives at high-stress levels, they are putting their entire well-being at risk.
• Stress has several physical and mental symptoms.
• Many practical stress management methods are available, some being used by health professionals and some for self-help.
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of various stress management techniques can be difficult as only limited researches exist currently.
• Managing stress helps in improving lifestyle and helps in facing the problems of everyday life head-on.
• Exercising serves as a great way of relieving stress.
• Stress can cause adverse effects on the immune, digestive, and reproductive systems.
• Stress is associated with anxiety and depression.
• Stress is present in everyday life activities, and stress management helps use the proper techniques by which these activities can be handled well.
• Staying physically active serves a great purpose in managing stress.

FAQ’s on Stress Management Essay

Question 1. What are some ways of relieving stress?

Answer: Exercising, reducing caffeine intake, spending time with friends and family, journaling, yoga, and meditation can relieve stress.

Question 2. Why is stress management important?

Answer: Stress causes heart diseases, increased blood pressure, ulcers, decreased sexual drive, and impotence. Stress can also cause emotional eating and a lack of motivation. Stress management helps in leading a happier and healthier life.

Question 3. What are some psychological and emotional signs of stress?

Answer: Stress causes depression, anxiety, anger issues, irritability, restlessness, makes one feel unmotivated, overwhelmed and focused. It can also cause a lack of sleep or sleeping too much.

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Stress: Definition and Different Types of Stress Essay

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Stress can be defined as any cognitive, emotional, or physical pressure that when built, affects an individual directly or indirectly by influencing his work, work-related, or personal life. At work, stress affects an individual’s performance, either negatively or positively. Negative, when stress provokes depressive or pessimistic stress patterns, whereas positive when stress enables an individual to face and accept challenges. There are various stressors responsible for inducing stress patterns in work and relationships environments. Environmental stressors such as noise, heat, speech, aircraft noise, traffic noise, office noise, etc. The three main types of stress, present in any environment are physical, emotional, and cognitive (psychological). Any of these stresses incur as a result of work overload, repetitive tasks that underestimate individual’s capability, and job mismatch. Problems of work overload are directly or indirectly associated with psychological or physical pressure. For instance, individuals who find themselves in jobs that are ill-suited to their skills, abilities, and training or that do not meet their needs and expectations are likely to experience stress.

Stress impacts human performance, either individually or in teams and depicts a unique relationship between the person and the environment that is judged by the person for his own well-being. This clearly indicates that at work, not all stress is negative. It is stress in teamwork that induces the motivation factor to accept all the challenges that in the longer run evaluates and appraises the individual. At work there are two types of stressors that influence individuals. Ambient or indirect stressors, that is associated as major factors to be a part of the environment or background where the individual works. Direct stressors or performance-related stressors are directly linked to task performance. Performance-related stressors can be minimized by successful task performance. Stress is positive when it is perceived by an individual, for achieving his goals. However, there are certain variables of stress, which are proposed to have a direct impact on the team’s interaction and coordination. Such teamwork stressors that trigger motivation and promote a sense of coordination among teams include workload, team size, team management, and timeliness to accomplish a task.

Stress when relating to performance has remained a critical issue for there are controversies between positive and negative influences of stress. Many believe that individual or team performance is susceptible to the effects of stress as there is a requirement for teams to maintain acceptable performance. This is done by interacting effectively with fellow team members, which also pressurizes the stressed member to maintain his or her own performance. Another critical issue about work stress is its influence on family members, which is usually negative.

Work-family conflict gives rise to a high magnitude of stress transmission, which emotionally affects family members. It would be better to say that work-related stress when remaining unmanaged, induce stress among family members and relationships in a pessimistic manner. Here comes stress in emotion management that works among various relations including family and friends.

Stress in education has enabled us to think towards stress-management training, which has provided us with a useful function to help individuals to recognize the symptoms of stress and to overcome any negativity related to the stress. There are various awareness activities and skills-training programs designed to cope up with stress-related issues. Such techniques have proven useful in helping individuals deal with stressors and accept realities inherent in the work environment.

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IvyPanda. (2021, December 10). Stress: Definition and Different Types of Stress. https://ivypanda.com/essays/stress-definition-and-different-types-of-stress/

"Stress: Definition and Different Types of Stress." IvyPanda , 10 Dec. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/stress-definition-and-different-types-of-stress/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Stress: Definition and Different Types of Stress'. 10 December.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Stress: Definition and Different Types of Stress." December 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/stress-definition-and-different-types-of-stress/.

1. IvyPanda . "Stress: Definition and Different Types of Stress." December 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/stress-definition-and-different-types-of-stress/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Stress: Definition and Different Types of Stress." December 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/stress-definition-and-different-types-of-stress/.

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Stress — Stress and Its Role in Our Life

Stress and Its Role in Our Life

• Categories: Stress Stress Management Trauma

About this sample

Words: 2555 |

13 min read

Published: May 7, 2019

Words: 2555 | Pages: 6 | 13 min read

Works Cited

• American Psychological Association. (2019). Stress effects on the body. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Coping with stress. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html
• Hansen, N. (2014). The impact of stress on the immune system. Immunology, 144(2), 147-156.
• Knowlton, S. (n.d.). The positive effects of stress on the body. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/104523-positive-effects-stress-body/
• McLeod, S. (2010). Stress and the immune system. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-immune.html
• Mills, N. (n.d.). Mental effects of stress. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/stress-effects-on-the-body-4124300
• Segal, J. (2016). Understanding stress. HelpGuide. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-signs-and-causes.htm
• Simon, H. (2016). How stress affects your body. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
• Stages of chronic stress. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://extension.illinois.edu/stress/stages.cfm
• Top ten causes of stress. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.stress.org/top-ten-causes-of-stress

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