Causes and Effects of Stress
Stress is a major component of human lives. Possible stressors are ubiquitous and are experienced every day. Every person on Earth experiences some kind of stress during their lives, and some people are more equipped to deal with the effects than others. There are many causes of stress, both internal and external, and in turn there are many ways that stress manifests itself. Stress is a highly subjective condition and because of that every type person, age group, gender, etc., experiences their own unique stress. There are typically two groups of stimuli that cause stress; daily stressors and larger, more catastrophic stressors. Since stress is taxing on those who experience it, stress is expressed by the individual experiencing it by physical symptoms and social symptoms, and each symptom varies from individual to individual.
One of the main causes of stress are small, constant stressors that we experience in our every lives. Daily stressors cover a wide range of stimulus: loud noises, losing important items, procrastination, intrapersonal conflicts, embarrassment . . . the list goes on and on. In reality, any usual event that we experience can produce stress. How much stress each stimulus causes depends on the individual, and if they have a high level of tolerance for that cause or not. Take someone who is outgoing and friendly, more of a type A personality. If required to give a presentation in front of peers, it is unlikely for them to experience any stress. Someone who is more introverted and shy, on the other hand, is more likely to experience a significant amount of stress from the planning and execution of the presentation. Differences in the ability to tolerate certain stressor are seen in multiple cases. Typically, high-achieving students are capable of tolerating high amounts of stress from challenging classes and other important obligations. While low-achieving students are not as capable of tolerating everyday stress and typically avoid challenging environments. In fact any situation could potentially be a stressor, if it puts a significant amount of demand on a person and/or requires someone to adjust to a new situation. The other main contributory cause of stress are large events, contrasting the smaller, daily stressors. These can range anywhere from a loss of a family member, loss of a job, a chronic illness, and major life changes. The majority of people experience stress due to life changes (moving, changing schools, changing jobs...). Humans are creatures of habit, and therefore are prone to experience stress when things begin to change, especially in significant ways. While daily stressors are more likely to cause chronic stress, these more high-impact stressors tend to cause acute stress. As these impactful stressors build up, it can lead to strong effects that can be detrimental to a person’s overall health.
Stress is a condition that has multiple effects. If someone were to have the inclination to research all of the effects and symptoms of excessive stress, they would be bombarded with a multitude of results. Stress can affect every body system of a human, from the nervous system to the endocrine system. The fact of the matter is that stress can produce a multitude effects that range from slight to severe, from expressing itself physically to socially. Stress can produce physical symptoms like fatigue, trouble concentrating, irritability, insomnia, and anxiety. Overtime, as chronic stress takes hold, it can manifest into more serious symptoms: depression, hypertension, heart disease, hormonal abnormalities, and arrhythmia. Those who were able to manage their stress saw the usual physical effects to be lessened and easier to cope with/treat. Again, the effects tie back into the ability to tolerate different levels of stress. Stress also creates symptoms that are not physical, but more mental: excessive defensiveness, paranoia, tendencies to overreact, withdrawal from social situations, increased frustration, increased instances of lying, frequent crying spells, and the manifestation of nervous tendencies, such as fidgeting.
Stress, like most important aspects of human psychology and physiology, has incredibly wide ranges of causes and effects. As mentioned earlier, the expression of stress and its effects depends completely on the intensity of stimulus and the tolerance that the individual has for said stimulus, thus stress is one of the most subjective stimuli that humans experience.