Stress resistance, its increase. How to increase stress resistance: the opinion of a psychologist What determines a person's stress resistance

Stress is a diverse reaction of the body in response to any emotionally super-significant event, both of a “negative” nature (what causes fear, irritation, or is perceived as a threat), and “positive” (touches to the “depth of the soul”). However, for many people, both negative and happy news can be a source of instability. Anger and unbridled joy in equal measure can be the culprits of the fact that we cannot properly focus and maintain optimal performance. Let's look at what stress is, how to increase stress resistance and what significance this skill has for other psychological difficulties.

Also, to understand that you are under the influence of stress, you need to detect the following symptoms:

Of course, the symptoms alone can be signs of other problems. But, remember that chronic stress is often the cause of a number of somatic diseases that doctors have been trying to cope with for many years to no avail.

Types of stress

However, stress is not always a destructive force or so-called distress. Psychologists also distinguish eustress: this is a normal dose of a "starting impulse" that brings any organism out of a state of complete rest and forces it to act. For example, if we lie in bed all day, feeling hungry will be that eustress for us that will make us get up and climb into the refrigerator or cook something.

Depending on what caused stress, it is divided into the following types:

Things that cause stress are called stressors or stressors. They, in turn, are divided into:

objectively beyond our control (price, inflation, political upheavals);
past events that we do not let go (prolonged experience of breaking up relationships or experiencing past failures);
irrational management and experience of real events (inability to prioritize or follow a plan, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, etc.)

Stress and difficult economic situation

There are things that are out of your control. Such is the general difficult economic situation of the country. And here it is important to understand that the stronger and longer you will be in a state of stress, the more difficult it will be for you to find the right and adequate way out for your case. Therefore, you should translate a global problem that you cannot influence into a real, your personal one.

For example, the global crisis lowered my personal income level. Therefore, instead of worrying about abstract things, we are looking for real ways to overcome our problems. This method will still be remembered when describing options for dealing with such experiences. Its essence is to divide a large problem, which is difficult to approach, into a number of small ones that can be solved.

But, it is worth remembering that stress is only one episode, in order for it to turn into a disorder, our personal wrong influence is necessary. For example, any trouble in public transport will be forgotten immediately by one person, and by another it will be scrolled in the head more than a dozen times, causing obvious physiological additions in the form of a change in breathing and cardiac activity. Therefore, it is important to think about how to increase stress resistance.

Stages of stress

Stress develops dynamically, manifesting itself in the degree of increasing internal tension. Therefore, the following stages of its development can be distinguished:

It is worth remembering that stress is just a reaction to information or a situation. And this reaction can and should be corrected. In order for stress not to go to the last stage and not affect physiology, it is worth talking about the four main points of increasing stress resistance.

How to cultivate stress tolerance

To increase stress resistance, as in any business, it is worth learning this step by step. Firstly, in this way you get a clear understanding of what else you can try and what it can give. On the other hand, the more reliable information you have, the greater the choice of ways to overcome such unpleasant situations will be. In addition, learning in the form of general development also contributes to the development of a correct assessment of events.

After all, the less knowledge a person has in any field, the more he is under stress. After all, what is unknown is perceived by our body as dangerous. So, training can take place on the following points, which are proposed below.

Proper timing. Sit in a chair, relax and think about the areas you see yourself in: mother, daughter, beloved woman, working bee ... Highlight everything, think that you are a friend, hostess and just a woman planning or relaxing. Write down all these "I" parts of you. Now think about how many percent of the time each of your selves wants. Do not forget that there can only be 100% of the time. Did you get over 200%? This is a sure way to get under the influence of stress without having time to do anything! Make sure that all components fit into 100%. It can be painful and difficult at times, but once you've reallocated your time, draw it out and hang it in a prominent place: it's a stress-free action plan. You must understand that "it is impossible to embrace the immensity." Sometimes this happens when someone close begins to demand much more attention, and your conscience begins to gnaw at you. Take another look at the picture: this is mathematics - an exact science. Total time cannot be more than 100%. And, if you want to go on about and give your loved one more of the time allotted to him, realize that this will necessarily entail a “failure” in other areas.
Self control and positive attitude. As soon as you realize that you are “boiling”, try to immediately take control of your condition: disconnect from the irritant, imagine yourself on the sea coast, feel how your breathing and pulse return to normal. Do not imagine a negative outcome of an event, on the contrary, clearly imagine a picture of a favorable outcome. Moreover, try to respond to everything with a bit of irony or with a slight smile.
Inner rod. Imagine that you have a strong core inside you. Nothing in the whole world can bend or damage it. This should be done once or twice a day. You can in the morning and in the evening, being alone with yourself. The image will help to consolidate this feeling for all real life.
Emotion management. It is better to start managing your emotions even at the beginning of the conflict. After all, even this terrible grandmother, who spoiled your mood in the morning, did this because she was very unhappy. Have pity on her, don't stoop to her level. Well, if a hurricane begins to rage inside, it should be released, but that's right: in the gym, in the garden or on a hike. By the way, in this paragraph lies the answer to the question how to respond to rudeness? Very often, people who break down and are rude to you are already “prepared” by other stress: interpersonal or unsolvable-global. In a word, they are in “combat readiness No. 1”. Just a small spark is enough for you to hear a lot of unpleasant things in your address. But, it is important for you to understand that the main problem is not at all with you. And, responding to such an attack, you are involved in the process of "downloading energy from you." Don't you feel that after such quarrels you turn into a "squeezed lemon"? There is a good method - "cocoon". Imagine mentally that you are wrapped in a protective cocoon, all curses and words - you do not care. This exercise can be done even before leaving the house. And how to respond to rudeness? That's right, no way! This is not for you...
Rational approach. When we see a huge problem, we give up and put it on the back burner, feeling annoyed and then deeply stressed. This is the main mistake. Break the problem into small pieces and solve them without delay. For example, you want to lose 30 kg. This is a lot and therefore you still hesitate and constantly experience remorse, ridicule and stress. Break these 30 kg into 3 and write yourself a program for 10 months. Agree, it's much more realistic.
Proper nutrition and activity. Improper nutrition actually releases a lot of unhealthy substances, but simply poisons our body. Naturally, it does not feel very good. Even mild stress affects the hormonal background, and if we do not give physical activity, all these hormones begin to burn the body from the inside. Therefore, a portion of vegetables, fruits with a bright skin, as well as walking, jogging and playing sports help to release the body from the stress accumulated during the day.
Tension control. Try to know the measure in everything. Tension must be adequate, and overwork never leads to anything good. Remember to leave yourself some time just to meditate or make plans.

How to deal with stress in the workplace?

How to develop stress resistance in yourself? There are golden rules for managing stress in the workplace. Here are the main ones:

Hobbies and change of scenery – the best doctor

When dealing with stress, it is very important to be able to switch. So, if you are experiencing information stress or emotional stress, switch to physical activity. If stress has become physiological (physical), rest your soul in a circle of significant people. And yet - switch to those for whom you are trying. What's the point of "earning a million for the family" if at the same time she (this same family) does not see you. Naturally, they will not appreciate your efforts in due measure, and you will experience a lot of stress.

Traveling and hobbies also help to cope well. If you want to combine a hobby with targeted stress relief, go to art therapy - anti-stress or yoga, where breathing practices will help you find peace and harmony. A good example of getting rid of such experiences with the help of art therapy is a method of changing color saturation and objectifying stress.

First, we depict the stress itself. It is obtained not as an abstract concept that cannot be "caught by the tail", but in an absolutely real way. And since it is something real, it can be changed. To do this, we choose brighter, joyful and light colors, with which we change the color of the entire picture, thus changing the emotional component of experiences.

Breathing practices during stress are aimed at restoring the balance of the whole organism. When performing them, it is important to feel the restoration of harmony. One of the express practices is the harmonization of yin and yang. Five deep breaths are taken through the nose and exhalations through the mouth. With the last three exhalations, we try to reach our toes with our fingers. Then we sit down, relax and make respiratory calls of chest breathing, and then - abdominal breathing for ten breaths and exhalations. We finish the practice while standing, stretching upwards on the inhale, “towards the sun”.

Of course, some moments are difficult to do the first time. However, stress management is the same process as learning mathematics or literature. Learn, try, choose your method and everything will definitely work out. And, if you want to read more on a topic of interest, check out the writings of Selge G. and The Psychology of Stress by L.A. Kitaev-Smyk. Although many new and interesting works are now available.

Psychological stress can be defined as a phenomenon of awareness that arises when comparing the requirements placed on a person with his ability to cope with these requirements. Stress is inherent in our very life, it is an integral component of existence. Each person has their own level of resistance to stress. You can react to the same situation in different ways, it all depends on the internal state of the person. Modern life is a constant stress, and stress resistance is simply vital. Stress factors develop in a person a lot of negative emotions and negative qualities that accumulate every day. Stress resistance can be of several levels, and characterizes each person in his own way. How is stress resistance defined and what impact does it have on a person's living conditions? Let us analyze in more detail the concept and everything associated with it.

Stress resistance has several levels

Definition of stress tolerance

The concept of stress resistance is not known to everyone. Stress resistance is a set of different qualities, thanks to which our body reacts to various problems as calmly as possible. A person is engaged in solving problems, weighing all the pros and cons. This is a psychological feature of self-regulation, the so-called resource of patience, the ability to remain calm in any situation.

Factors

There are external and internal factors:

External: bad habits, overwork, loss of loved ones, divorce, emotional problems, environmental problems.
Internal: diseases, poor metabolism, poor nutrition, allergic diseases, lack or shortage of vitamins and minerals, and hence depression.

Any person, regardless of status, internal resources, gender characteristics, psychological portrait and lifestyle, experiences stress and negativity from time to time. A person's level of resilience to stress depends on the number and complexity of the problems that caused the stress. It is impossible to remove the signs of a negative situation, such as anger, resentment or disappointment, but you can change your attitude towards it. It is important to be able to navigate in a stressful situation and decide what is important for you, and what you can isolate yourself from, not worry about trifles and protect your psyche. The concept of stress resistance of a person implies the correct behavior of a person under stress, helping to overcome it without harmful consequences for a person, his personality, health and others.

Many could face such a situation when a headache appears from a little stress, a breakdown, lethargy, and drowsiness are observed. All this affects the efficiency of life in general. If we consider the situation from a medical point of view, then during the period of experience, the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, rises.

It is because of the increase in the level of this hormone that the breakdown of the nervous system occurs. Those people who have high stress resistance have good health and practically do not get nervous. Their psychological feature lies in the fact that they are able to control their emotions, remain calm and get out of a stressful situation without negative health consequences.

Levels

There are several levels of stress-resistant behavior that show the psychological endurance of a person in a given situation, his ability to cope with stress on his own. The level of stress resistance is an individual characteristic of any person. The effectiveness and mechanisms of problem solving depend on the following levels:

high;
average;
short.

Distinctive features of a high level: confidence, firmness and quick decision making. People with a high level have a strong character, providing calm and equanimity in any situation and increased resistance to stress.

The main distinguishing qualities of the average level include fortitude and the ability to deal normally with possible difficulties. Troubles in life happen to every person, and you need to treat them normally, say to yourself: “it was good, but it will get even better.” People with an average level are looking for the best way out of this situation.

A low-level resource is observed in people who have experienced some kind of strong shock, they are lost even in frivolous problems. Such a person needs to try hard to adapt to drastic changes in life.

It is necessary to develop resistance to the surrounding negative factors.

A stress-resistant person has good health and a calm character.

Components of stress resistance

Resilience is a fickle phenomenon. A number of components of stress resistance are represented by innate elements (they may well be passed on from parents to a child genetically, but such an “inheritance” makes a person vulnerable), inherent in each person individually. Another set of components is represented by acquired elements that can be developed and trained. This concept includes the following components of stress tolerance:

The ability to predict the development of life situations.
The ability to control emotions, developed volitional personality traits, self-regulation skills.
Ability to withstand longer and stronger stress.
Ability to withstand peak loads in extreme conditions.

Types

Psychology divides all people into types, based on the difference in reactions to stress:

Stress-resistant - they cannot adapt to the outside world, do not change their behavior, cannot quickly make the right decision. Any event or even the thought of it leads such people to stress.
Stress-trained - ready for change, but small. If the problem cannot be solved, they become irritable, depressed. But as similar stressful situations are repeated, they get used to them, react to them more calmly.
Stress-inhibitory - ready to change suddenly and once. But if the stress is sluggish or stresses follow one after another, they lose heart and do not control their emotions.
Stress-resistant - calmly accept changes and know how to make the right decision in an extreme situation. Stress for them is only the most difficult events in life.

How to develop stress tolerance

It is possible to increase stress resistance, for this there are several formative methods. To achieve a high stress-resistant level, it is necessary to follow some recommendations. There are different approaches to solving the problem. For example, you can try to evaluate what is happening. You need to decide for yourself:

“is it important to me?”;
“Will this change my life?”;
"What do I want out of life?"

There are many frustrating situations in life that you do not need to pay attention to. If a person is strong-willed, she will not pay attention to trifles, but will develop resistance to stress. A person must understand what will happen to his health and nervous system if he succumbs to negative factors.

If something does not suit you in life, it is worth starting to change it for the better until the conditions of life return to normal.

Analyzing the situation

Analyzing your life and behavior, you can highlight the following factors:

understanding and changing the situation on their own;
inability to solve the problem.

In order for stress to end and resistance to it to increase, it is necessary to treat any situation with understanding or try to change it in a beneficial direction. The most effective method for providing a detailed analysis of stress is to keep a stress diary. By analyzing your diary entries, you can quickly and easily determine which events or life situations contributed to stress.

Analysis of the situation will help to cope with stress

How to let go of a problem

Another type of technique is to allow negative emotions to come out, because a strong-willed person must learn to control their emotions.

You can solve the problem by giving vent to emotions. Sports or exercise will help. For example, you can box a pear or go jogging.
Many people go to a deserted place and scream at the top of their lungs. Shouting helps relieve tension and balance the nervous system.
And you can also start a personal diary and write down thoughts about what is boiling.
Swimming pool, various spa treatments perfectly strengthen our physical and mental health.
You need to “let off steam”: you can beat a pillow with your fist, tear paper, or just swear.

There are many methods that help maintain a positive mood and increase stress resistance.

Swimming in the pool is a great stress reliever.

Solutions to the problem

There are no exercises that will help develop this important quality and will suit absolutely everyone without exception.

Stress resistance is strongly influenced by all kinds of human diseases. Sick people are most exposed to stress, but healthy people have strong immunity and, accordingly, good stress resistance. Therefore, it is worth providing yourself with painkillers, if your head or any other organ suddenly starts to hurt.
Be sure to adjust the diet.
To increase stress resistance resources, you can go in for sports. Physical exercise, such as jogging in the morning or exercising, will have a positive effect on the body's resistance to stress.

Conclusion

A person's assessment of his condition is for him an essential component of self-control and self-education. It is not difficult to maintain resistance to stress, as well as increase its level. Positive emotions, food and good rest are all that a person needs for peace of mind. As well as self-regulation of your condition, the development of the correct stress-resistant behavior will help sports or an interesting hobby.

How often in a resume you can find a beautiful concept: “stress-resistant”. However, in reality, not everyone can cope with the problems and difficulties that arise in life. Low stress resistance threatens with nervous breakdowns and a depressive state. To get rid of the negative effects of stress, you must constantly be ready for them. But how to do it in practice?

Why stress is dangerous

In fact, stress does not always have only a negative effect on the body. "Mild" stresses, on the contrary, are even useful - they mobilize all the forces of the body, forcing the brain to work faster, activating the defense mechanism. If stress is not a constant phenomenon of life, then sudden stressful situations train the psyche, help to cope with complex tasks that arise one way or another every day.

Another thing is if stress is a constant phenomenon. Regular pressure on the psyche does not activate, but, on the contrary, depresses the body's defenses. After all, why struggle with a problem if it is unsolvable anyway? Nervous tension flows from one area to another - from work to personal life, because the brain simply does not know how to relax and is constantly in a stressful state. People begin to lose weight, sleep and appetite, apathy and even depression appear.

Here is a short list of negative manifestations of stress:

The risk of stroke and heart attack is increasing - it is not for nothing that they say that many managers are literally “burning at work”. Constant stress, overwhelming sense of responsibility and fear of failure increase the risk of heart problems by 31%.
Diabetes is another manifestation of stressful situations on the body in the form of a disease. Regardless of genetics, age and weight, constant stress can lead to at least type 2 diabetes.
Lack of immunity due to the stress hormone (cortisol). As you understand, this increases the risk of contracting any disease, moreover, treatment can be delayed and complicated.
Children who are attacked by their peers also have serious health problems, in addition to a disturbed psyche. Scientists have proven that school stress can lead to brain cell death and premature aging in the future.

Understanding a problem is a huge step towards solving it. If you stop hushing up the fact that work does not bring pleasure, but constant stress and anxiety, then you can get neuroses and health problems. Having accepted the emerging stresses as a problem, you can already start the fight.

Problems that arise should be treated more calmly - yes, it is difficult, but this is precisely the way to increase stress resistance. We offer you several techniques that will help you learn to relax. Remember that every day you need to learn how to “turn off” from problems, leaving them within the walls of the office. Pleasant moments are important in your life, not work achievements.

Sign up for yoga or tai chi courses, learn breathing exercises and meditation. These exercises will help you find a balance of calmness, teach you to relax even in a stressful situation, and additionally, they will heal your body, make it more flexible and plastic.
Any physical exercise - daily walks, jogging, cycling, rollerblading, swimming in the pool will help increase the level of hormones responsible for reducing anxiety levels. Psychologists also advise power sports and martial arts, during which you can “let off steam” and forget about the problem.
Engaging in your favorite hobby will help improve your mood - even if it is not calm and relaxing. The main thing is that you enjoy doing what you love.
But “sluggish relaxation” behind a monitor or screen will not bring the desired result. Thoughtless viewing of programs and videos on the Internet does not unload the brain at all, as we used to think. It just fills your head with unnecessary information for a while, which disappears exactly at the moment when the monitor goes out. Therefore, free time should be spent in conversations, sports or walking.
Sometimes relatives and friends who need you do not allow you to relax even on a legal day off. It is worth learning to say “no” to the next requests that eat up your free time. Use it for the benefit of your own body.
Use every opportunity to listen to classical music. Modern rhythms excite the nervous system. Listening to the radio on the way to work, we come to the office already rather excited from loud music and noisy voices of the presenters. In addition to the classics, it is useful to listen to the noise of nature - the sea, rain, birds.

A harmful way to escape from daily problems and routine is the use of alcohol and delicious foods. However, this harms the body and creates only a false sense of relaxation - remember how tired you feel the morning after the party. And carbohydrate-rich foods made from white flour increase levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. It is more useful to eat foods high in omega-3 acids - these are halibut, salmon, mackerel, flax seeds. Vitamin B5 foods such as whole grain pastries, eggs, and broccoli are also beneficial.

Frequent exposure to fresh air is beneficial, as it fills our body with vitamin D, nature's best antioxidant.

Of course, the best way to improve stress resistance is to learn to solve problems, perceiving them not as a threat to your entire future life, but as a small obstacle in the routine of daily activities.

Video: how to develop stress tolerance in a child

Emotions

How to increase stress resistance?

17.06.2017

Snezhana Ivanova

Stress resistance is the ability of a person to cope with psycho-emotional stress.

Stress resistance is the ability of a person to cope with psycho-emotional stress. If tension builds up periodically, it can lead to health problems. The development of stress resistance can help you better overcome life's difficulties, more effectively solve everyday troubles. Every day in a person's life certain events occur, to which he is forced to react, spending mental strength on this. The emotional component is very important here. Many people are beginning to think about how to increase stress resistance, become mentally stronger and more resilient.

Resilience levels

Each person has their own stress tolerance limit. You should not compare the patience and mental endurance of one with another. Levels of stress resistance reflect the degree of development of readiness to take responsibility for what is happening. The level depends, first of all, on how much a person has the skills to effectively cope with emerging difficulties. As a rule, in life we are overtaken by many surprises. Some of them are extremely unpleasant, make you suffer, unsettle for a long time. Feeling guilt, bitterness, disappointment, envy and anger, people do the most thoughtless things. Depending on how we react to certain events, we can talk about developed stress tolerance. Let's take a closer look at stress levels.

High level

A high level of stress resistance allows a person to remain confident in various situations that would lead another to a state of panic and mental confusion. Usually such people are called strong and hardy, attributing to them incredible strength of character and fortitude. Meanwhile, it should be remembered that all people have different experiences without exception. It is impossible to always be strong and take on super-tasks. It's just that someone has successfully learned to cope with them, while others continue to endlessly complain about life. A high level of development of stress tolerance allows a person to remain calm and unruffled even in moments of strong emotional stress.

Average level

The average level of stress resistance is inherent in most people. This level reflects the ability to actively confront everyday troubles. Adversity and difficulties happen to everyone, there is nothing supernatural in this. In ordinary life, people know how to successfully cope with them: they experience a break in relationships, problems at work, a period of acute shortage of funds. The average level of stress resistance makes you constantly look for the best way out of the current situation. The lack of material well-being can be a good incentive to start working on yourself and your character, improve your existing skills and abilities.

Low level

A low level of stress resistance characterizes a weak personality. It is sometimes quite difficult for such a person to adapt to changing conditions. It seems to him that circumstances are stronger than him and nothing can be done about it. A low level of development of stress tolerance is observed, most often, in those who have experienced some kind of serious shock in their lives. Such people are lost even in frivolous problems, when it is not difficult to solve the difficulty. Usually, the inability to solve everyday tasks is associated with the development of a strong emotional susceptibility. Hypersensitivity causes a person to constantly react to any adverse events, actions or actions of others.

How to improve stress tolerance

Developing resilience is a necessary and necessary skill. In the modern world, there are so many stresses that it is impossible to hide from. If we learn not to react to at least some stimuli, we can save our mental health. and improve stress resistance. Below are actionable recommendations.

sleep well

The modern rhythm of life often makes us live on the run. Constant haste creates additional nervous tension. As a result, people become lethargic, irritable, apathetic. Hence the depletion of the nervous system. The need to sleep well is a basic need of every individual, which must be satisfied. A person simply cannot exist normally without proper rest. If you are thinking about how to increase your stress resistance, start getting good sleep.

Relaxation methods

It is advisable to start the development of stress resistance with relaxing exercises. You can adopt breathing practices or conduct meditation right at home. Today it will not be difficult to find in your city special courses on the development of consciousness and gaining self-confidence. The ability to trust yourself is the key to success in life. After all, it is so important to actually deal with negative manifestations. Do not allow a person to spoil your mood, periodically accusing you of something. Such thoughts are very destructive to the psyche. The skill of stress resistance allows you to minimize all manifestations of negative events. You will soon notice that you have become easier to relate to life, you no longer react so sharply to everyday stimuli.

Calming agents

When there is a lot of stress, you should use sedatives. You should not keep a long emotional stress in yourself, this will only make it worse. To understand how to increase stress resistance, sometimes you need to be able to let go of a traumatic situation in time. Valerian and motherwort tincture will undoubtedly help to bring the nervous system in order.

Healthy lifestyle

Today people sometimes forget to take care of themselves. A healthy lifestyle helps build resilience to stress. It includes proper nutrition and daily walks. Staying in the fresh air helps to strengthen the nervous system, the development of stress resistance. You should try to find time to relax. You can't go to work all the time. Communicate more with your family, play with children, go for walks, learn something new. Gradually, you will feel how a special taste for life will come: you will want to make amazing discoveries, do something good, give joy to loved ones.

Thus, stress resistance is not just a quality of strong people, but of those who are able to maintain self-confidence despite depressing circumstances. You should always remember about your own internal resources, then it will become easier to deal with the consequences of any negative situations.