Effects of the stress

Name:

TSE YU SHAN

SID:

20106472

Email:

ystseaa@stu.ust.hk

Date:

15th Octocber 2014

Stress is a common in everyday life. We come across different situations that exert pressure or stress on you both consciously and unconsciously. Stressful events aren't limited to traumatic or cataclysmic events, such as tornados or bombing. Different everyday events (e.g. studying, shopping or even getting married) can be sources of stress. It is absolutely certain that stress affects our mental, cognitive states and even physical health. In the paper, it first explains brief idea about stress, followed by the possible effects of stress on physical health with some research evidences.

1. What is STRESS?

Stress is the experience of any positive or negative events threaten one's well-being, and significantly affect his or her coping ability. The amount of stress experienced greatly depends on one's subjective interpretation on the situation. So, level of stress depends on the appraisal of the situation. By the cognitive appraisal model, the severities of stress people experience are affected by 2 factors which are an objective event and person's subjective event's appraisal.

2. Possible EFFECTS of stress on PHYSICAL HEALTH

Psychosomatic diseases are the physical diseases that are due to psychological factors. Some common examples are hypertension, ulcers, skin disorders, migraine and tension headaches (Keplan, 1989). Yet, stress can also be related to more serious diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis, arthritis, diabetes, cancers and the common cold (Elliott & Eisdorfer 1982). The followings are 2 research evidences supporting the argument.

2.1. Type A Personality and Coronary Heart Disease

Type A person are highly competitive, easily angry and hostile, and always under stress. It is found that the risk of coronary heart disease is associated with Type A personality. According to...