STRESS SOURCES IN YOUR LIFE
STRESS AND SIX STRESS SOURCES YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
Stress is often a complex and complicated issue and understanding your own stress experience can be confusing. Yet it is most important that in developing stress management and stress relief techniques, that you understand the possible sources of your stress in your life?
DEFINING THE TERM SOURCE
When we define the term source you can understand how important it really is in your overall stress management. The word actually means “the point at which something springs into being or from which it derives or is obtained…the point of origin..and…that causes, creates, or initiates”. (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 2009)
In other words, what are the causes and where is the stress, anxiety, worry and tension you are experiencing coming from?
SOURCES OF STRESS AND THE RESULTS
The origination or root of your stress can involve a range of different sources. Understanding where your stress is coming from can help you in coping with stress, reducing your stress and even relieving stress for you. For those professionals working to help you in managing stress, knowing the sources of your stress is a very powerful starting point to stress treatment and developing stress techniques.
SIX MAIN STRESS SOURCES
Although there are a variety of sources of stress in people’s lives, many people look for stress help in dealing with predominantly six main sources of stress.
Here is a quick overview and summary of each of the six main sources of stress:
• environmental stress
• social stress
• organizational stress
• physiological stress
• psychological stress
• significant events stress
SOURCE ONE – ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS
The first source of stress, strain and hassle in your life, can be that of environmental stress. This type of stress relates to those aspects of your environment and surroundings that are causing you stress. For example, living next to a noisy, busy street may result in you exhibiting stress symptoms and stress effects.
SOURCE TWO – SOCIAL STRESS
A second major source of stress is called social stress. This relates to the stress involved in interacting, socializing and communicating with other human beings. It revolves around your relationship with other people. Some of these social interactions and relationships can be very stressful and tension filled experiences in your life. Others can be enjoyable and positive types of social stress and social interaction.
SOURCE THREE – ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS
All of us engage with, belong to and are often employed by an organization. This can result in organizational stress. Some experts in stress management and stress relief treatment discuss this stress source under the areas of environmental or social stress. For others, it warrants a category of its own, since organizations of all types play an important role in our lives. Most often this source of stress is associated with work stress and job stress. It often involves the demands and pressures placed upon you by the organization, business or group for which you work. However, it also involves any organization with which you interact including the local government organizations, clubs, associations and more.
SOURCE FOUR – PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS
A fourth source of stress is physiological stress. This relates to how your physiology, your body reacts and responds to stressful situations. It is often discussed as physical stress and in relation to the physical stress symptoms you exhibit. For example, take a moment and think of a time when you have felt fearfulness, nervousness or trepidation. Now remember some of your bodily reactions to that stressful situation. These responses by your body are aspects of your physiological response to stress.
SOURCE FIVE – PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS
This fifth source of stress is psychological stress and involves the power of your own mind in how you think, rationalize and make meaning of your stress, hassles and worries. It is about how your brain, your psyche, your mind thinks about the stress in your life. It is often spoken of as emotional stress or mental stress and involves powerful feelings and emotions.
SOURCE SIX – SIGNIFICANT EVENTS STRESS
This sixth and final source of stress revolves around critical incidents and significant events in your life. It is often known as significant events stress. Now not all stress is bad and there are significant events that may occur in your life that result in positive stress. Examples of this could be your high school graduation, wedding or winning a sporting event. However, there are also significant events that involve negative stress. Often these are referred to as critical incidents in your life. These can involve a major single significant incident such as a serious accident, a physical or sexual assault, etc. Such events involve a very high degree of stress and anxiety. They are often associated with continuing trauma after the event, often referred to as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
WHAT ARE YOUR OWN SOURCES OF STRESS?
So when you are considering your own stress and how to develop effective stress management techniques, a very important place to start is to identify what is the origins and sources of that stress. Consider these six major sources of stress that we have identified here and ask yourself, where is my own stress coming from?
FROM THE GLOBAL ORGANIZATION FOR STRESS
This stress related information is brought to you by the Association of the Global Organization for Stress… Interested in more information about stress, stress management and stress relief? Then we invite you to sign up for free membership today and get a complimentary copy of our popular ‘101 Ways to Less Stress’ Guide…
Please Note: Stress can result in severe health related issues. This stress related information is provided as guidance only and should not be considered as a form of therapy or professional advice. If expert assistance is needed, a suitably competent health professional should be consulted in relation to your stress.
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