The word "stress" is now heard by everyone. However, this is not surprising, since nowadays, when the speed and pace of life increase at an alarming rate, it is almost impossible to remain in the state of joyful goodness and peace that psychologists talk about. Stress in itself is our reaction, the reaction of our body to new conditions, to a new situation that goes beyond the usual things.
In this case, stress can be any bright event, and not just something negative, for example, a quarrel in the family. Oddly enough, a declaration of love, a wedding, a trip somewhere is also a shock to the nervous system. Therefore, it is a mistake to think that stress is something heavy, unsettling, destroying a person. The stressful situation itself is not dangerous, but the individual’s reaction to it can already cause serious problems. There are many formulations of what stress is. The definition of this newfangled term can easily be found in any book on psychology. Nevertheless, the most accurate and understandable is the formulation according to which stress is an active reaction of the human psyche and the body to changes in the external world, the body's response to any stimulus.
Human response to stress depending on temperament
In any situation that may pose a potential danger to humans, the signal is transmitted from the senses directly to the brain. As a result, the pituitary gland becomes more intense, that is, it begins to be developed
hormones necessary to counter danger. In particular, the level of adrenaline rises, the
pulse quickens, the organs begin to work in the so-called emergency mode. These are all biological manifestations of the body's response to stress. What further depends entirely on the person and his psychological and mental health. Initially, according to the plan of Mother Nature, stress is a chance for a person to survive and adapt to new conditions. But in the modern world, when there is no immediate danger to life, a person prefers to “get stuck” in stress, getting used to this condition. Nevertheless, temperament leaves its mark on how an individual behaves in a stressful situation. For example, sanguine people become aggressive and prefer to attack first, reacting very quickly in situations of stress. Choleric, by contrast, prefer to "run away" from problems. They most often go into binge and suffer from
psychosomatic disorders. Melancholy under stress prefer not to react at all, fall into a stupor. People of this type
often lose weight, especially during prolonged depression. In contrast to them, phlegmatic people gain weight, preferring, nevertheless, to solve problems, defending themselves from them, and not to run away from problems. Despite the fact that their reaction to stress is somewhat delayed, phlegmatic people intuitively understand that stress is a temporary phenomenon, and the sooner the problem is solved, the better.
Danger of distress
Stress and distress, the causes of which are the same, relate to the reactions of the body. But distress, that is, a violation of psychophysiological functions, occurs with prolonged depression and has a much more destructive effect on a person.