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A Working Definition of Stress

Do we really need someone to tell us the definition of stress? When we're under enough pressure, most of us inherently know what stress feels like! And in recent years, stress has become a very common word, thanks to pop psychology and media coverage of occupational safety and health issues. The word itself is just understood. It is assumed that we know the definition of stress.

Taking a step back for a fresh look, you will see that a better understanding of stress will help when you are coping with stress, managing stress or working on stress reduction.

This page combines current research with long experience to provide a useful definition of stress for everyday life!

Stress and Stressors

Experts on the Definition of Stress:

"...the body's nonspecific response to any demand made upon a person."
(Pihulyk, 2001)

"...a state of tension experienced by individuals facing extraordinary demands, constraints, or opportunities. (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2005)

"...difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension... a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense." (R. J. Samuelson)

The definition of stress is what we experience in response to stressors.

No one can throw a big wad of stress at you... but they could cause you to feel a lot of stress by throwing a big wad of stressors your way!

Stress is a response ...emotional, cognitive and physiological all at the same time. This means that stress affects your feelings, your thinking and your body simultaneously.

Acute Stress

Acute means a rapid onset and a short but severe course.

Stressors leading to acute stress responses would be:

...getting cut off in traffic... a suspicious noise in the dark... the sudden betrayal of a trusted friend... being served an unexpected lawsuit.

Usually, the human body recognizes a stressor and starts responding before the reality of a situation reaches our conscious mind.

You may have heard of the classic definition of stress: fight and flight... and more recently tend and befriend.

Ever felt the hair on the back of your neck "stand up"? That is your body getting ready to respond to a stressor. Your body is going on "high alert" and getting ready for action.

Ever get that "sinking feeling" in your stomach? That is your body diverting blood flow from secondary activities like digestion to survival activities like thinking, running and fighting.

During an acute stress response, the brain dumps lots of powerful chemicals into our bodies. All systems change gears and get ready to go.

Acute stress includes traumatic stress, which we experience when we are involved in or witness to a traumatic incident. This might include terrorist activity, war, violence, accident or any event that is experienced as traumatic to someone.

Many professionals are being trained in post traumatic stress debriefing to help victims of traumatic incidents to cope with the situation. If you are dealing with the long-term effects of acute or traumatic stress, consider working with a compassionate, Christian life coach to move beyond the pain and take back your sense of normalcy. Or, see these excellent Stress Resources!

Chronic Stress

Chronic means long-lasting and recurrent... something that happens over a long period of time.

Stressors leading to a chronic stress response include: ongoing, irritating problems at work, personality conflict with a spouse, long-term financial struggles and lingering illness.

Unlike acute stress, chronic stress does not present itself with emotional flashing lights and physical red flags. This is unfortunate, because chronic stress is common and destructive in a huge portion of the population.

Your body's chronic-stress response looks and feels different from its acute response. Rather than a full shot of adrenaline, a full fight-or-flight reaction and rapid mental refocusing, the physical changes are more subtle.

A constant state of slight mental preoccupation, emotional tension and subdued chemical changes in the body are all part of the chronic stress response. Many people live in a constant state of chronic stress... for them, this is just a normal set of feelings and state of being.

That is where the danger of chronic stress comes in:

Chronic stress's subtlety makes it hard to detect, and it can wear on a person physically, emotionally and mentally for years... even decades! But there is good news: it is much easier to prevent and treat than the acute definition of stress!

When we bring the easily-suppressed chronic stress response into our conscious lives, the stressors can be gradually eliminated or managed. This requires a safe, healthy, supportive environment... otherwise, the newly recognized symptoms of stress will just cause more discomfort and distress.

Working with a life coach is an excellent, effective way to deal with chronic stress issues.

If a coaching relationship is not what you're looking for right now... See my growing collection of Stress Resources

References:

J. R. Schermerhorn, J. G. Hunt, R. N. Osborn (2005). Organizational Behavior, 9'th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Registrar: Personal development - Recognizing and coping with stress. Source: GP (Dec 14, 2007): p.38.

STRESS Obstacle or Opportunity?, A. Pihulyk. Source: Canadian Manager (Summer 2001): 26.2, p.24.

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Find out about James Klotzle's new book...

God In Our Stress: the Christian's Guide to Stress Management

"...the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind."

-Solomon (King of Israel, 1000-931 B.C.E.)

"...Thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind."

-King David (Solomon's father, 1037-967 B.C.E.)