Question

Please identify an example of a stressor, and 1) identify the type of stressor, and 2) describe some different reactions people may have to it. Finally, describe what coping resources may reduce the impact and negative appraisal of the stressor.

Answer 1

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Please identify an example of a stressor - Example: Death of a loved one.

1) identify the type of stressor - It’s a Psychological/Emotional stressor

2) describe some different reactions people may have to it. – People may react differently from one another, the reactions can vary from physical, mental, emotional and/or behavioural. Some common reactions to death of a loved one includes: Physical reactions - tiredness, nausea, headaches, breathing difficulty etc; Mental reactions – lack of focus and concentration, increased forgetfulness, confusion, loss of memory etc; Emotional reactions – feelings of guilt, anger, extreme sadness, numbness, shock, depression, despair etc; Behavioural reactions – Insomnia, loss of appetite etc.

Finally, describe what coping resources may reduce the impact and negative appraisal of the stressor. – There are many coping resources, some are listed below:

Social support – Talking and opening up to family and friends will release all the pent-up feelings and emotions, paving way for healing and faster recovery from the loss.

Spirituality and Faith – Turning towards faith and spirituality will provide relief and give hope to a person, so he/she can handle the stressful situation in a better way.

Acknowledge and allowing the grieving process – When faced with loss, a person can get highly stressed and feel unable to move on immediately. Acknowledging and allowing for the grieving process to take place at its own pace will help deal with the stress in a more efficient way.

Meditation – Meditation equips a person to stay calm, collected and positive in the face of various stressors. It can help one become more aware, conscious and to have a better grip on things, hence reducing the impact of the stressor when dealing with one.

Exercise – Taking care of the body is key to being successful in dealing with stressors, healthy body leads to healthy mind and makes one stronger both physically and mentally and helps one to cope with any kind of stressor in a much more prepared and healthy way.

Therapy – When all personal resources are used and exhausted but one still feels unable to cope with stress, then its advisable that the person seeks counselling and therapy for professional help. Therapy is a very effective way that enables a person to handle stress in a supportive capacity.