Essay On Invitation To Psychology Of Stress

“I’m so stressed” is a widely used phrase, said by many students and professionals alike who have a lot to manage in their busy lives. However, many people do not realize the mental and physical implications of stress. In Chapter 13 of Invitation to Psychology, 5th Ed., by Carol Wade and Carol Tavris, the physiology and psychology of stress is examined, along with various ways to cope with stress in our everyday lives. By understanding the body’s physiological responses of stress, we gain a better understanding of the different management techniques and alternatives used to help cope with stress.
Two examples of physiological variables, tense muscles and high blood pressure, occur when a stressor persists after the body mobilizes its resources to deal with the threat. This response is called the general adaptation syndrome, which occurs in three stages- alarm, resistance and …show more content…
To solve the problem, people emphasize on a problem-focused approach versus an emotion-focused approach. Problem-focused coping concentrates on the problem itself, whereas emotion-focus coping concentrates on the emotions the problem caused. For problems which cannot be solved, looking at the problem in a different light is a helpful coping strategy. This approach focuses on changing someone’s mindset to treat the problem as a challenge instead. Another method draws social support from friends and family. The benefits of these strategies include a higher sense of control, avoiding negative emotions, reducing heart rate and blood pressure through touch because of heightened oxytocin levels, and many more. Personally, I try to incorporate all three management techniques, but I practice rethinking the problem the most. By reassessing the problem, I transform the problem into a way to learn from this experience, channeling my stress into productivity