Q.Explain the concept of stress. Give examples from daily life.

Stress is the pattern of responses an organism makes to a stimulus event that disturbs its equilibrium and taxes or exceeds its ability to cope. The word comes from the Latin 'strictus' (tight/narrow), reflecting the tightness and constriction people feel. Stress is not simply in the event or the person but in the ongoing transaction between them: how we appraise a demand and our resources to meet it decide whether we feel stressed. It is like electricity, energising us in small doses (eustress) but harmful in excess (distress).

Meaning of stress

The word stress comes from the Latin strictus, meaning tight or narrow, and stringere, the verb meaning to tighten. These roots capture the internal feelings of tightness and constriction of muscles and breathing that people report when under pressure. In psychology, stress is described as the pattern of responses an organism makes to a stimulus event that disturbs the equilibrium and exceeds a person's ability to cope.

Stress is a transaction, not just an event

Stress does not reside only in the event or only in the individual; it is embedded in an ongoing process in which people transact with their social and cultural environment, appraise events, and try to cope. Whether we feel stressed depends on our cognitive appraisal, our perception of the demands and of our ability to meet them. This is why the same situation stresses one person and not another: a number 11 batsman dreads a fast bowler while an opening batsman looks forward to the challenge.

• Stressors are the events that trigger the stress response (noise, crowding, a bad relationship, daily commuting).
• Strain is the reaction to external stressors.

Not all stress is bad

Stress is like electricity, it gives energy, increases arousal and can improve performance. A little stress keeps us alert. Eustress is the good level of stress that helps us achieve peak performance, while too much stress becomes distress, causing wear and tear on the body. Too little stress can also leave us listless and poorly motivated.

Examples from daily life

• Waiting to cross a busy road, where alertness helps us cross safely.
• A student like Raj lying awake the night before an examination, unable to concentrate.
• Being stuck in a traffic jam and feeling angry.
• A break-up with a friend, or loneliness.
• Death or illness of a family member, or losing one's parents at a young age.
• Daily hassles such as noisy surroundings, water shortage and quarrelsome neighbours.