Life is just better when we all have the concept of stress defined for us in a meaningful way.
Of course, it will take some open-minded thinking to fully understand all things stress. That’s because stress is a very complex subject matter, and it has taken many years to sort out what it is and how it works. In fact, even to this day, the idea of defining stress is still a work in progress.
Stress Defined Medically and Historically
Medically and historically, stress is all about strain.
Hans Selye, known as the father of modern stress theory, originally defined stress as a ‘strain felt by a living being, such as a person or an animal.’
It was Walter Cannon who gave us the idea of the fight or flight stress response.
Dr. Norm Shealy later added the idea that emotional, chemical, electro-magnetic or physical pressures placed on the body are the sum total of all the broad sources of this strain.
And of course, once you get passed the very broad definitions around stress, we can also define stress more specifically in terms of types of stress and levels of stress.
Names for Stress
People also name stress in many different ways. They use terms, such as strain, anxiety, worry, tension, trauma, hassle, and pressure. And for each person, it seems, all these words mean different things.
And, of course, we can’t forget that stress theory evolves over time. As we move forward, that fact won’t change. That’s why it’s so important to always be flexible and open to new ideas when it comes to learning about stress.
Big Picture is Best!
For me, I believe in being as thorough as possible. The more I know about the big picture when it comes to stress, the better will be my chances of working with it or working around it or even of fighting against it.
Perhaps, you have a similar belief? To that end, if you want to know more about stress, just check out the following links. This growing list of concepts, ideas, and opinions supporting stress theory should give you a GREAT start.
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