In: Psychology
In what ways can stress affect our physical and psychological functions?
Stress can be defined as the effect of anything in life to which people must adjust. Stress requires us to adjust our attention and behavior and makes demands on our energy. A stressor is anything that has the effect of causing stress. Stress Capacity on the other hand is the amount of stress a person can carry, since each person has some stress in their lives. Stress load refers to the amount, or quantity, of stress a person has in their lives. Stress often is accompanied by an array of physical reactions. These symptoms can be characteristic of other physical or mental disorders. A health care professional can rule out other causes after you have undergone a physical examination. Signs of stress can include the following: Sleep disturbance, clenched jaw, difficulty eating, increased heart rate, agitated behaviour, dizziness, nausea, high blood pressure, fatigue, etc. Psychological symptoms on the other hand could comprise of mental slowness, confusion, constant worry, forgetfulness, difficulty in logical thinking, etc.