How to develop stress resistance in yourself. Stress levels. Holmes and Ray stress scale. Stress test A high level of stress resistance is characterized by

Difficult life situations often arise in our life. Some of them can radically change our lives. The death of a loved one, loss of a job, serious illness, terrorist attacks, and other traumatic events can happen unexpectedly and have a profound effect on us. You may react to these circumstances with a flood of strong emotions and feelings of insecurity.

However, people over time adapt well to changing living conditions and stressful situations. What allows them to do this?

The quality that allows us to adapt to constant change and withstand stress is stress resistance.

This article has been written to help you find your own way to build stress tolerance. More precisely, a whole range of ways, methods and techniques that will be effective just for you. The information in the article describes resilience to stress and a number of factors that affect people's ability to cope with adversity. Much of this article focuses on developing and using a personal strategy to increase resilience.

Definition

Resilience is the process of adapting to a difficult life situation - trauma, tragedy, threats, or severe stress caused, for example, by family and relationship problems, serious health problems, difficulties at work or financial problems. Resistance to stress is also the ability to resist such circumstances and return to a normal frame of mind.

Research has shown that resilience to stress is the norm rather than the extraordinary. People often show resilience to stress. One example is the response of many Russians to the terrorist attacks in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and the attempts of individuals to rebuild their lives.

It is important to understand that being stress-resistant does not mean that the person is not experiencing difficulty or suffering. Emotional pain and sadness are common in people who have suffered serious adversity or trauma in their lives. And the development of stress resistance is likely to be accompanied by significant emotional stress.

However, resilience to stress is not a trait that people either have or do not have. It includes behavior in general and individual actions, thoughts and beliefs that can be studied and developed in everyone.

Stress resistance factors

A number of factors contribute to resilience to stress. Many studies show that caring and supportive relationships within and outside the family are a major factor in resilience. Relationships that create love and trust, provide role models and offer encouragement and support, and help build a person's resilience to stress.

Also, the following factors can contribute to high stress resistance:

Ability to make realistic plans and take steps to accomplish them.
A positive outlook on yourself and confidence in your strengths and abilities.
Communication and problem solving skills.
The ability to manage strong feelings and impulses.

All these factors each of us can develop separately or together. Both independently and using the services of specialists for their development.

Strategies for increasing stress resilience

It is important to understand that developing resilience is a process. It is not something that happens to you once or never happens. People react to traumatic and stressful life events in different ways. A way to build stress tolerance that works for one person may not work for another. Different people use different strategies to develop resilience to stress.

Below are 10 ways that the American Psychological Association believes are leading in coping with stress and developing resilience. You can use them to develop your personal strategy for how to resist stress.

10 Ways to Build Stress Resilience

Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems... You cannot change the fact that very difficult situations are happening, but you can change the way you interpret and react to these events. Try to look beyond the present to see what future circumstances might be a little better. Pay attention to any subtle ways you may already feel somewhat better when dealing with difficult situations.

Build and maintain relationships... Good relationships with close family, friends, or acquaintances are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you builds resilience to stress. Some people find that being actively involved in social movements, faith-based organizations, or various interest groups provides social support and can help build hope. Helping others during difficult times can also benefit the helper.

Move towards your goals... Set yourself some realistic goals. Do something regularly - even if it sounds like a small achievement - it keeps you moving towards your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem out of reach, ask yourself, "What do I know, what can I do today, that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"

Put things in perspective... Even when you are faced with very painful events, try to put the stressful situation in a broader context and maintain a long-term perspective. Avoid bloating the event.

Accept that change is part of life.... Certain goals may not be available as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on the circumstances that you can change.

Take active action... Act in adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive action, not completely remove yourself from problems and stresses and wish that they just go away.

Look for opportunities for self-discovery... People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some way as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedy and hardship reported better relationships, more self-confidence, even feeling vulnerable, increased self-esteem, greater spirituality, and increased appreciation for life.

Cultivate a positive outlook on yourself... Building confidence in your ability to solve problems and trust your intuition helps increase your resilience to stress.

Maintain an optimistic outlook... While some may regard hope as a silly feeling, it allows us to count on good times in your life. Try to visualize what you want instead of worrying about what you are afraid of.

take care of yourself... Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Participate in activities that you enjoy and relax. Exercise regularly. Take care of yourself by helping to preserve your mind and body to cope with situations that require your strength.

Additional ways to increase your resilience to stress may also be helpful. For example, some people write about how meditation and spiritual practices can help them deal with thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their lives.

The key is to try different strategies, and find ways that might work well for you, as part of your own personal strategy for resilience.

Studying your past

It is also important to study your past experience. Focusing on past events and sources of personal power can help you learn which strategies for increasing stress management have already worked for you, and therefore may work in the future.

To do this, write down the answers to the following questions about yourself and your reactions to difficult life events. This will help you learn better how to respond effectively to difficult situations in your life.

Consider the following:

What kind of events have been the most stressful for me?
How did these events usually affect me?
Do I remember people who matter to me when I'm stressed?
Who did I turn to for help in stressful situations or traumatic experiences?
What have I learned about myself and my relationships with others during difficult times?
Was it helpful to me to help someone else go through a similar experience?
Was I able to overcome the circumstances, and if so, how?
What helped me stay hopeful?

Be flexible

Resilience involves maintaining flexibility and balance in your life as you deal with stressful circumstances and traumatic events.

This happens in several ways, including:

Allowing yourself to experience and express strong emotions on the one hand, and avoiding them, on the other, where it would be inappropriate.
When it is necessary - to actively "step" on the problems, taking actions to solve them, and when necessary - to return to rest and recovery.
Spend time with loved ones for support and inspiration, but also to take care of yourself.
Relying on others, not forgetting to rely on yourself.

Use your "places of power and support"

Getting support when you need it is critical to building your resilience to stress. In addition to communicating with family and friends, it can also be helpful to turn to the following sources of support:

Self-help and support groups. Various groups can help people who are struggling with difficulties such as the death of a loved one. By sharing information, ideas, and emotions with others, group members can help each other and find comfort in the knowledge that they are not alone in their difficulties.
Books and other publications of people who have successfully coped with difficult life situations, such as, for example, cancer. These stories can prompt readers to find a strategy that can work for them personally.
Internet resources. Information on the Internet can be a useful source of ideas, although the quality of the information depends on the sources.

Do not be afraid to contact specialists

For many people, using their own resources and the types of assistance listed above may be sufficient to increase their resilience. However, sometimes a person can get stuck or have difficulty making progress towards resilience.

In this case, a good professional, such as a psychologist, can help you develop an appropriate strategy for moving forward. It is important to get professional help if you feel unable to function or perform basic daily activities as a result of traumatic or other stressful life experiences.

You can use any of the above methods to develop your own stress management strategy. The main thing is that this strategy is comfortable for you, on the one hand, and effective enough on the other. Good luck to you!

Today stress has become an integral part of life, especially for people who live in big cities. They are constantly in a state of tension, in an eternal race. Therefore, the question of how to develop stress resistance visits almost all of them. Since there are enough difficult situations and events in life, and they appear from time to time. There are circumstances that make you completely reconsider your views on life and it in general beyond recognition.

These can be various unpleasant events. In them, a person begins to experience a huge storm of negative emotions, which, as it seems to him, he cannot cope with on his own. This gives him lack of confidence in his own abilities, as a result, apathy and disappointment in life.

Stress-resistant people

But who quickly recover from the stress experienced and adapt to new life circumstances and conditions. Often they help them in this to develop stress resistance.

But there is no one single algorithm of actions for all people (the same). There are certain practices from which each person can choose which method is right for him. More precisely, this is a set of effective exercises. But since the critical stress threshold for each person is different, then the choice of a set must be approached individually.

The article will tell you how to develop stress resistance. It will also describe techniques that help to cope with difficult situations. Everyone can choose for themselves a certain complex that will be acceptable to him.

What is stress tolerance?

Resistance to stress involves the adaptation of a person in a critical life situation for him. For example, it can be psychological trauma, threats, tragedies, health problems, in relationships with loved ones, problems at work, material difficulties, and so on. Resilience to stress involves the ability to cope with such circumstances and quickly return to a normal state of mind.

In the course of research, it was found that everyone can have this quality. After all, it is not something supernatural. If you observe it, people often exhibit it. It is very important to understand that people who develop stress resistance in themselves do not become indifferent to suffering and easily go through any difficulties. Emotional pain and serious psychological trauma will not go anywhere, just a person will learn to cope with them, experience them less painfully and enter a normal course.

But such a quality as stress resistance is not an innate trait. You need to know that this is a skill acquired throughout a person's life. This trait implies, in general, the beliefs, actions, train of thought of a person, which he acquires in the process of his development.

Development of the level of stress resistance

Resistance to stress is a complex of factors. Studies have shown that resilience often depends on the support and care of the family and the environment. Relationships in which a person feels love and a high degree of trust are important. It helps to develop the skill of resilience to stress and the belief that you can cope with many life circumstances.

Such factors as help to acquire a sufficiently high level of stress resistance:

the ability to build life plans and translate them into reality or take steps towards their implementation in order to get as close as possible to the goal;
self-confidence, real and objective assessment of one's skills and talents, correct calculation of one's strength in any business and undertaking;
positive problem-solving and communication skills;
the ability to control your emotions and the flow of feelings.

All of the above qualities can be developed both as a complex and separately. This can be done both independently, self-development, and with the help of a specialist.

How to develop stress resistance? Strategy

You need to realize that psychological resistance to stress in life is not something instantaneous, not a state that can happen once and will never happen again. All people are different, so everyone has a different reaction. The way one person can deal with stress may not always help another. For each person, different strategies should be applied in the struggle, depending on his character and personality type. The American Psychological Association offers 10 effective methods to help combat stress. They can be used to develop your own strategy for developing resistance to various irritants.

How to develop stress resistance in yourself? 10 rules will be presented below.

Crisis is not a problem with no way out

When a person is unable to change the course of the situation and the circumstances that he has to experience, it is necessary to change his attitude and reaction to them. Try to look beyond the frames of the present. You have to imagine that the situation will get much better in the future. Thus, subconsciously, a person will begin to pull himself out of the prevailing life circumstances and strive for the goal of improving them. It is important to pay attention to even the smallest details and reasons, from which the condition improves, and try to return to them more often.

Good relationships with a close circle of people

Good relationships with family and friends play an important role in a person's life. Since if they are trusting, loved ones will always be able to just listen and lend a helping hand, if required.

So a person becomes more confident in their abilities and reliable rear. Feeling supported and protected is very important. This increases the level of stress resistance. Also, many psychologists are convinced that participation in various associations, such as adequate religious organizations and groups of interest, can really help a person to cope with difficulties. And also, helping other people, a person helps himself.

Set a goal and strive for it

This is a very important point. It is necessary to set certain goals. And strive to achieve them step by step. You can do something that brings you even one step closer to your goal every day. And then, over time, tasks that seemed simply impossible and enormous will become more understandable, and the person himself will not notice how he came to what he so wanted to achieve.

Seeing things in perspective

How to develop stress resistance? It is necessary to look at the current difficult situation as if from the outside and adequately assess it, not giving free rein to emotions. Thus, a lot will fall into place. A person will be able to see more clearly how to proceed. It is important here not to make an elephant out of a fly. And objectively evaluate everything.

Life changes are part of it.

Some goals for a certain period of time may be unavailable for some reason. Don't panic over this. You need to rethink which circumstances you can still change and which you can't. And begin to act, starting from the circumstances that can be changed by putting some effort into this.

Act, not wait

In any unfavorable situations, you need to act as actively as possible. To turn them around for the better, you need to make decisions. There is no need to hope and wait until the problem goes away by itself.

Find ways of self-development and self-knowledge

It happens that in this process people learn a lot about themselves. They realize that they have grown spiritually on the way out of some difficult life situation. And after the hardships they experienced, they gained self-confidence, their attitude towards people and life in general changed. There was a turning point in outlooks on life and a reassessment of values.

Look at yourself positively

You should trust personal experience and intuition in solving difficult problems. It is necessary to develop self-confidence.

Be optimistic

You have to try, no matter what, to keep the hope that good times will come. It's important to try to visually represent what you are striving for, rather than wasting time thinking about your fears.

To take care

It is necessary to pay attention to your feelings and needs, to take part in activities that bring pleasure and relaxation. This affects the development of stress resistance. Exercise, such as meditation, is also helpful. You also need physical exercise.

You need to help yourself to maintain a clear mind and a healthy body so that you always have the strength to deal with stress.

Conclusion

Now you know how to develop and at home. We've covered ten basic rules to help you achieve the desired effect.

Stress is a multifaceted reaction of the body in response to any emotionally super significant event, both “negative” (to something that causes fear, irritation, or perceived as a threat) and “positive” (touches to the core). However, for many people, both negative and good news can become a source of instability. Anger and unbridled joy can equally be responsible for our inability to focus properly and maintain optimal performance. Let's take a look at what stress is, how to increase resilience to stress, and how this skill is important for other psychological difficulties.

Also, to understand that you are under stress, you need to detect the following symptoms:

Of course, the symptoms individually can be signs of other problems as well. But remember that chronic stress is often the cause of a number of medical conditions that doctors have been trying to cope with in vain for many years.

Types of stress

However, stress is not always a destructive force or so-called distress. Psychologists also distinguish eustress: this is a normal dose of a "kick start" that brings any organism out of a state of complete rest and makes it act. For example, if we lie in bed all day, the feeling of hunger will be that eustress for us, which will make us get up and climb into the refrigerator or cook something.

Depending on what caused the stress, the following types are distinguished:

What causes stress are called stressors or stressors. They, in turn, are divided into:

objectively uncontrollable by us (price, inflation, political upheavals);
events of the past that we do not let go (long-term experience of a breakup or the experience of past failures);
irrational management and experience of present events (inability to prioritize or follow a plan, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, etc.)

Stress and difficult economic situation

There are things that are beyond your control. Such is the general difficult economic situation in the country. And here it is important to understand that the stronger and longer you are in a state of stress, the more difficult it will be for you to find the right and adequate way out for your case. Therefore, you should translate a global problem that you cannot influence into a real one, your personal one.

For example, the global crisis has lowered my personal income. Therefore, instead of worrying about abstract things, we are looking for real ways to overcome our problems. This method will still be remembered when describing options for dealing with such experiences. Its essence is to divide a big problem, which is difficult to approach, into a number of small ones that can be solved.

But, it's worth remembering that stress is just one episode, in order for it to turn into a disorder, our personal wrong influence is necessary. For example, any nuisance in public transport by one person will be forgotten at once, while by another it will scroll in his head more than a dozen times, causing obvious physiological additions in the form of changes in respiration and cardiac activity. Therefore, it is important to think about how to increase stress resistance.

Stages of stress

Stress develops dynamically, manifesting itself in the degree of increasing internal tension. Therefore, the following stages of its development can be distinguished:

It is worth remembering that stress is just a reaction to information or a situation. And this reaction can and should be corrected. In order for stress not to move to the last stage and not to affect the physiology, it is worth talking about four main points of increasing stress resistance.

How to develop stress resistance in yourself

To increase stress resistance, as in any business, it is worthwhile to learn this step by step. Firstly, this way you get a clear understanding of what else you can try and what it can give. On the other hand, the more reliable information you have, the greater the choice of ways to overcome such unpleasant situations. In addition, learning in the form of general development also contributes to the development of a correct assessment of events.

After all, the less knowledge a person has in any area, the more he is under stress. After all, what is unknown is perceived by our body as dangerous. So, training can take place on the following points, which are proposed below.

Correct time planning. Sit in a chair, relax and think in what areas you see yourself: mother, daughter, beloved woman, working bee ... Highlight everything, think that you are a friend, hostess and just a woman planning or relaxing. Write down all of these “I's” of you. Now think about how many percent of the time each of your selves wants. Do not forget that there can be only 100% of the time. Did you get over 200%? This is a surefire way to get stressed without doing anything! Make sure all the pieces fit 100%. Sometimes it's excruciating and difficult, but once you reallocate the time - draw it and hang it in a prominent place: it's a stress-free action plan. You must understand that "it is impossible to grasp the immensity." Sometimes this happens when someone close to you begins to demand much more attention, and your conscience begins to gnaw at you. Take another look at the picture: this is mathematics - an exact science. The total time cannot be more than 100%. And, if you want to follow the lead and give your loved one more time allotted to him, realize that this will necessarily entail a "failure" in other areas.
Self-control and a positive attitude. As soon as you understand that you are "boiling", try to immediately take control of your state: disconnect from the stimulus, imagine yourself on the sea coast, feel how your breathing and pulse return to normal. Do not imagine a negative outcome of the event, on the contrary, clearly imagine a picture of a favorable outcome. Moreover, try to react to everything with a grain of irony or with a slight smile.
Internal rod. Imagine that there is a solid core within you. Nothing in the whole world can bend or damage it. This technique should be done once or twice a day. It is possible in the morning and in the evening, being alone with yourself. The image will help to consolidate this feeling for all of real life.
Emotion management. It is better to start managing your emotions at the beginning of the conflict. After all, even this awful grandmother, who ruined your mood in the morning, did it because she was very unhappy. Have pity on her, do not sink to her level. Well, if a hurricane begins to rage inside, it is worth releasing it, but right: in the gym, in the garden or on a hike. By the way, this paragraph contains the answer to the question how to react to rudeness? Very often people who break down and are rude to you are already "prepared" in advance by another stress: interpersonal or unsolvable global. In a word, they are in "combat readiness number 1". Just a small spark is enough for you to hear a lot of unpleasant things in your address. But, it is important for you to understand that the main problem is not at all in you. And, responding to such an attack, you are involved in the process of "downloading energy from you." Don't you feel that after such quarrels you turn into a "squeezed lemon"? There is a good method - "cocoon". Imagine in your mind that you are wrapping yourself in a protective cocoon, all the curses and words - you don't care. This exercise can be done before leaving the house. And how do you respond to rudeness? That's right, no way! This is not for you ...
Rational approach. When we see a huge problem, we lose heart and put it on the back burner, feeling irritated and then deeply stressed. This is the main mistake. Break the problem down into small pieces and solve them without delay. For example, let's say you want to lose 30 kg. This is a lot and therefore you do not dare and constantly experience remorse, ridicule and stress. Break these 30 kg into 3 and write yourself a program for 10 months. Agree, this is much more real.
Proper nutrition and activity. Improper nutrition actually releases a lot of unhealthy substances, and simply poisons our body. Naturally, it does not feel very well. Even mild stress affects hormones, and if we do not give physical activity, all these hormones begin to burn the body from the inside. Therefore, a serving of vegetables, fruits with bright peels, as well as walking, jogging and playing sports help to release the body from the stress accumulated during the day.
Control of the degree of tension. Try to know when to stop in everything. The tension must be adequate, and overwork never leads to anything good. Remember to leave yourself some time just to meditate or make plans.

How to deal with stress in the workplace?

How to develop stress resistance in yourself? There are golden rules for getting rid of stress in the workplace. Here are the main ones:

Hobbies and change of scenery – the best doctor

When dealing with stress, it is very important to be able to switch. So, if you are experiencing informational or emotional stress, switch to physical activity. If the stress has become physiological (physical), relax with your soul in the circle of significant people. And more - switch to those for whom you are trying. What's the use of "making a million for the family" if at the same time she (this very family) does not see you. Naturally, they will not appreciate your efforts properly, and you will experience a lot of stress.

Travel and hobbies are also great help. If you want to combine a hobby with targeted stress relief, go to art therapy - anti-stress or yoga, where breathing practices will help you find peace and harmony. A good example of getting rid of such anxiety through art therapy is the method of changing color saturation and objectifying stress.

First, we depict the stress itself. It turns out not as an abstract concept that cannot be caught by the tail, but in an absolutely real way. And since it is something real, it can be changed. To do this, we choose brighter, more joyful and lighter colors, with which we change the color of the entire picture, thus changing the emotional component of experiences.

Breathing practices under stress are aimed at restoring the balance of the whole body. When performing them, it is important to feel the restoration of harmony. One of the express practices is the harmonization of yin and yang. There are five deep breaths through the nose and exhalations through the mouth. During the last three exhalations, we try to reach our toes with our fingers. Then we sit down, relax and make breathing strokes of chest breathing, and then - abdominal breathing for ten breaths and exhalations. We finish the practice while standing, stretching upwards on inhalation, "towards the sun."

Of course, some points are difficult to do the first time. However, managing stress is the same process as learning math or literature. Learn, try, choose your method and everything will definitely work out. And, if you want to read more on a topic of interest, check out the writings of G. Selge and “The Psychology of Stress” by L.A. Kitaeva-Smyka. Although now there are still many new and interesting works available.

A person encounters many stress factors on a daily basis. Each of these meetings is fraught with the emergence, which in turn is capable of turning into. Experts note that it is impossible to avoid all stressogens, therefore, it is necessary to develop resistance to stress and be able to cope with stress.

Stress arises from the reactions of the body in the cognitive and affective sphere. That is, if he interprets the situation as dangerous, threatening or challenging, then stress arises. However, it was noted that there are factors that cause stress at the biological level, here the individual's attitude does not play a role. We are talking about substances such as coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, an abundance of sugar, and so on.

Resistance to stress is a set of personality traits that determine a person's ability to control the effects of external stimuli and remain emotionally calm in a stressful situation.

Diagnostics and stress tolerance levels

In dealing with stress, it is useful to be able to diagnose the level of resistance to stress and the specifics of responding to stress. To do this, I propose to get acquainted with two methods.

Diagnostics of the state of stress (O. N. Istratova)

The questionnaire allows you to determine the characteristics of a person's response to stress, in particular the degree of self-control and the level of emotional lability. The technique is suitable for all people over 18 years of age.

So, answer yes or no to the following statements:

I always try to do the job to the end, but often I do not have time and have to catch up.
Looking in the mirror, I see signs of fatigue and overwork on my face.
At work and at home - sheer trouble.
I fight hard with my bad habits, but I can't.
I'm worried about the future.
I often need alcohol, a cigarette, or sleeping pills (sedatives) to relax after a hard day.
Everything around is changing very quickly. The change makes my head spin. It would be nice if the changes were not so fast.
I love family and friends, but often they feel bored and empty.
In my youth, I achieved nothing and often feel disappointed in myself.

Count the statements to which the answer was “yes” (“yes” - one point, “no” - zero points). Analyze the results:

0-4 points - a high level of self-regulation in stressful situations. You know how to manage your emotions, in a stressful situation you are restrained. You are not prone to annoy and blame others or yourself for what happened.
5-7 points - the average level of self-regulation. You manage to maintain your composure with varying degrees of success. Sometimes you are restrained even in the most difficult situations, and sometimes you lose your temper over some trifle.
8-9 points - a low level of self-regulation. You are overworked and exhausted. The ability for self-control and self-control is poorly developed. You urgently need to learn self-regulation.

Are you stress-resistant (E. G. Kasimova)?

Answer yes, not particularly, or no to the following questions:

Summarize: "yes" - 3 points, "not particularly" - 2 points, "no" - 0 points. Check out the results:

More than 180 points. You are very stressed, unrestrained and impatient, hot-tempered, easily lose your temper. Your nervous system is clearly shattered, which makes you and your loved ones suffer.
100-180 points. The largest group, which includes people with average stress tolerance. Only a very unpleasant event can make you mad. You do not pay attention to minor troubles. You are immune to them.
Less than 100 points. You are abnormally calm, one might say callous and indifferent to everything that happens. Probably, people close to you often consider you "thick-skinned". Complete indifference is not the best sign.

Development of stress resistance

Management and stress management training is being pursued in two alternative directions:

changes in environmental conditions, requirements for the individual;
change and behavior, work with the sphere of cognitive and social response.

Both of these methods allow you to achieve the main goal of work - to destroy the chain of reactions that cause distress and its negative manifestations, to stop the stress mechanism.

First of all, a person must realize his problem, determine the characteristics and nature of stress factors. After that, find ways to change environmental conditions (for example, eliminating noise, lowering the temperature) or psychosocial environment (conflicting people at work, mismatch with a partner). Or a person realizes that in order to fulfill the requirements of the environment, he must change his capabilities, and begins work on himself, for example, learns to solve.

If it is impossible to change the situation, then it is necessary to change your attitude towards it, that is, to change the perception of requirements, their importance or their capabilities. In order to determine the significance of the situation (and whether it is necessary to pay attention to it at all, to worry about failure and difficulties), you need to imagine the worst outcome of events, then evaluate in the perspective of your whole life (what impact on life in a broad sense will have this unfavorable outcome ).

Specialist help

Changes in the perception of the situation and personality capabilities occur in the context of individual consultations or psychotherapy, where discussions and conversations take place between the client and the specialist. Sometimes medication is indicated.

They have proven themselves positively in the development of stress resistance, on which:

discussions are held on problematic topics, for example, participants are asked to recall relevant ones that have arisen over the past six months (month);
difficult situations are played through role-playing games, coping strategies are tested;
popular ones in stress are analyzed and discussed (search for support, analysis of the situation, avoidance);
other possible effective behaviors are recorded using brainstorming;
Participants, using introspection, record the existing and desired skills.

Independent work

It is not necessary to attend trainings, you can independently try to figure out the situation according to the following plan:

Problem orientation. It involves determining the fact, the presence of a problem, accepting the inevitability and normality of life's difficulties, convincing oneself that the problem is solvable, perceiving the situation as opportunities for positive changes, etc. The most effective method at this stage is.
Definition and formulation of the problem. It involves collecting information on a problem (the more a person knows, the lower the anxiety), dividing information into objective facts and subjective experiences (assumptions, assessments), identifying the main problematic elements from the whole situation (supporting stumbling blocks), drawing up a written plan to achieve a real goal and the desired outcome of the situation.
Identification of alternative solutions. Write down as many options as possible for solving the situation. Capture even the most fantastic ideas. Later, from all the options, it will be possible to choose the optimal one or combine several alternatives into one solution.
Decision-making. Choose the option that will completely solve the problems with a favorable outcome, will not delay the solution and will not disguise the problem, but will solve it. To make it easier, write down the possible consequences for each option (they can be short-term and long-term, aimed at yourself or others). Each decision has its own consequences, often both positive and negative. Your task is to assess the consequences and the ability to cope with them in terms of your own values, priorities and opportunities.
Implementation of the solution and assessment of its effectiveness. In fact, the analysis of consequences is the final stage - the verification of the solution.

By the way, the analysis of fictional problem situations is an excellent exercise for increasing stress resistance. Regularly replenish your theoretical base for overcoming stress by analyzing the problem situations encountered in life according to the presented plan. Examples of such situations can be taken from books, films, the lives of friends and acquaintances, and their experience.

In addition, to overcome and prevent stress on their own, people use:

relaxation;
meditation;
physical exercise;
prayers (self-hypnosis effect);
breathing techniques;
massage;
other .

Both independently and accompanied by a specialist, the method of hypnosis and auto-training is used. Self-training increases efficiency, trains, and forms the skills of self-control and self-observation. The consciousness of a person changes, as a result of which he controls his mood, is calm, cheerful and balanced. Hypnosis is used to relax and increase self-confidence.

Overcoming stress is often hampered by inappropriate perception of this phenomenon. Here are some points to know about the problem:

Stress provokes the development of real diseases. It is a mistake to think that all symptoms are in the imagination of the individual.
Stress is more susceptible not to weak people, but to those who are most busy at work and with a high level of ambition in life.
We are not always responsible for the events in life, but how to react to them, we choose ourselves. We are responsible for stress.
It is not always possible to feel the real strength of the stress experienced. On the contrary, the more stressful, the less symptoms we experience. It is only when stress turns into distress that they become apparent.
The reaction to a stimulus is not always instantaneous. Sometimes stress develops after the irritant leaves life, which interferes with an accurate determination of the causes of the condition.
Stress, its prevention and overcoming are individual. Stress sources, symptoms, effects and treatments differ from person to person. Moreover, the methods of coping with stress differ not only from person to person, but also from case to case.
Not all relaxation methods used by people are in fact. For example, yoga is much more useful than watching TV. However, do not forget about the previous point.

Increasing stress resistance involves large-scale work on oneself, personality development. In this case, the problem is not resolved locally. Resistance to stress largely depends on the following personal characteristics:

Locus of control. It happens external (attributing responsibility for the events of your life to external conditions, other people and higher forces) and internal (understanding your own responsibility for all events in your life). People with an internal locus of control are confident, persistent, consistent, balanced, sociable, benevolent, prone to introspection. The external locus of control is accompanied by uncertainty in one's strengths and abilities, instability, suspicion, postponing goals,. People with an internal locus of control are more resistant to stress, illness, and psychological problems such as loss of self-esteem.
... It is closely related to the need for self-affirmation of the individual, and, accordingly, the style of behavior. Inadequate self-esteem is always a negative factor that provides a predisposition to stress. With low self-esteem, a person takes on too much responsibility, blames himself; at an overestimate, he shifts the responsibility to other people.

Self-esteem, in essence, determines a person's confidence in the ability to cope with life's difficulties. Reconstruction of thinking and perception of problems involves the obligatory work to improve and correct self-esteem.

In addition, when restructuring thinking, it is important to assess the correctness of the requirements of the individual, put forward to himself. Separately, work is carried out with and, the desire of the individual to meet someone's expectations. Following a stereotype or someone else's beliefs is a popular cause of stress. As soon as the narrow framework of stereotypical thinking does not coincide with reality (and this happens often), a person will find himself in a very unpleasant state. Chronic stress is most often based on this very reason.

Anti-stress rules

Don't be afraid to talk about your problems, get someone to talk to. Also support him.
Learn to take breaks. Force yourself to relieve stress with the help of your favorite activity, distract from problems.
Calm aggression and anger. Don't make decisions like this.
Know how to give in and agree, even if you are right. Of course, if your life does not depend on it.
Break every task, every problem into many feasible stages and tasks. Build a hierarchy among tasks, start work with the most important tasks.
Don't try to be perfect and the best at everything. Each person is individual and wonderful in his field. Go about your business.
Allow others to be themselves. Do not try to remake people, make them comfortable for yourself, do not put forward excessive demands, let them be themselves. Try to criticize less. Look for advantages, not disadvantages. Focus on them.
Treat the competition appropriately. There is no need to try to overtake all people in the race of life, it is again a question of individuality.
Don't withdraw into yourself. The situation will not get better from self-pity and withdrawal from society. Only your activity will provide solutions to problems. Try to find other ways of interacting with society and approaches to people if something does not work out.

Exercise to develop stress resistance

Obsession with negative emotions is another problem that requires separate consideration. In the fight against negative emotions and thoughts, the technique of concentration (switching) will help: at the moment of tension and abundance of thoughts, emotions, find an object in the room, for example, a clock hand. Follow the arrow and don't think about anything.

It's not as easy as it sounds. Thoughts will come periodically - again concentrate your attention on the arrow. Do this exercise every day, even when you are calm. The goal of the lesson is to gain control over your thoughts. Start with 3-5 minutes. Repeat the exercise 2 times a day, preferably after waking up and before bed.

Combine this technique with relaxation:

before exercise, take a comfortable position (lying or sitting);
close your eyes, breathe calmly and deeply;
after exercise, lie down (sit) for some time with your eyes closed;
repeat the breathing exercise.

There is a widespread belief that sleepiness occurs after relaxation. In fact, good deep relaxation, on the contrary, improves performance and memory, gives vigor, clarifies consciousness.

Afterword

Stress can be overcome only by activity (search activity), but not in the form of a senseless and dangerous fuss, but with a well-thought-out plan of action. You can't just wait, you need to help yourself. An increase in stress resistance is facilitated by such qualities as emotional stability, endurance, perseverance, openness, benevolence, decisiveness, and a low level of anxiety.

Sometimes people intuitively and subconsciously look for ways of relaxation, rest, relaxation. So, laziness is sometimes a sign of overwork and the body's attempts to change activities, to rest. It is important to be able to relax and calm down in order to restore resources and set yourself up for productive work.

Increasing stress resistance is a regular work on oneself, personal development. A person who knows who he is and where he is going is difficult to lead astray. Thus, in order to increase stress resistance and prevent stress, you need to work on your body (food, sports, care), (release of emotions, everyday joys, hobbies as an outlet and a favorite business, in which success is sure to be expected), mind (self-acceptance and love for yourself, regular development).

Resistance to stress is the main quality required in employment, in everyday life and in interpersonal relationships in the 21st century. Along with increasing the level of knowledge, abilities, skills and professionalism for the realization as a person in a successful person, the answer to the question: how to increase stress resistance is of paramount importance.

The term "stress" was defined by the physiologist Hans Selye in the middle of the 20th century as a non-specific response of the body to the demands presented. This is the reaction of the psyche to external stimuli that biologically ensure survival.

When a danger arises, a mechanism is started:

release of adrenaline;
increased dopamine levels;
increased blood pressure;
headaches;
raising the level of cortisol - the stress hormone;
increased heart rate.

The body's ability to quickly adapt through natural recovery and regulation of internal reserves, the ability to stop a negative reaction to stress, stay calm at critical moments is called stress resistance.

Stress-resistant individuals are able to make the right adequate decisions, not to panic, not to despair, to maintain joy, optimism and emotional integrity. Quality does not depend on age, social status and success, but develops in the process of working on oneself.

Resilience resources

Observations of psychologists over the behavior of people in extreme situations made it possible to draw conclusions about different reactions to the same irritating factors, in connection with which the concept of stress resistance resources was scientifically fixed. Experts divide resources into internal (depending on the person) and external (depending on external circumstances).

Internal resources

This type consists in working out and accepting the situation through the struggle with one's own psychological barriers and includes resources:

Personal - active motivation to overcome stress and negative reactions. Finding positive things, analyzing mistakes, developing rational thinking based on knowledge give rise to self-confidence, fortitude and willpower.
Behavioral - the ability to combine your own inner strength with respect for others. It is based on the principle of teamwork, mental self-regulation, which forms hope, courage and optimism.
Physical - the state of health at the physical level. Taking care of your own well-being and strengthening your strength increases the body's immunity and creates a margin of safety.
Stylistic - lifestyle. The absence of bad habits, balanced nutrition and good rest serve as the foundation for the formation of a positive reaction to current events and the correction of life values.

External resources

Living in a society, a person cannot be absolutely free. Social factors are imprinted through interpersonal relationships and include the following resources:

Material is the measure of freedom and independence. Having a sufficient level of income gives stability and confidence in the future, is a sign of security and well-being.
Emotional - support and understanding from others. Family members, close friends, a warm team can prevent the onset of depression.
Informational - the study of primary sources. Psychological literature, a critical look at the actual problem allows you to assess the situation from the outside and make an adequate decision.

Resources help to adapt to stress, so the higher a person has them, the faster they cope with a stressful situation.

Determination method

The ability to adapt to a stressful situation presupposes a person's social readiness to change conditions, while maintaining their own significance. The degree of the organism's latent capabilities is characterized by its adaptive potential.

American researchers Holmes and Rage discovered a directly proportional relationship between the occurrence of illness and stressful life events. The result of labor is a created test questionnaire with a scale, where each non-standard life event is reflected by a certain number of points, depending on the degree of stressfulness and includes 43 points.

The maximum number - 100 points is awarded when the most "explosive" situation occurs (physical death of a loved one), the minimum - 11 points - with the minimum loss of money (fine for traffic violations). The final assessment is carried out by adding up the "stress" points for the current year and is interpreted according to the following scheme:

below 150 points - a fairly high degree of resistance;
interval 150 - 200 points - high degree;
interval 200 - 300 points - threshold resistance;
more than 300 points - a low degree, requiring qualified assistance from specialists.

Efficiency and ability to solve a problem is individual and depends on the level of stress-resistant behavior that characterizes psychological endurance:

High level. It is characterized by the ability to calmly make decisions in extreme situations that can lead ordinary people into confusion and despair. The level allows you to solve super-tasks, remaining unperturbed in moments of strong emotional overload.
Average level. Allows you to resist everyday hardships and difficulties: job loss, breakdown of relationships, lack of funds. The level is an incentive for change, self-improvement and revision of outlooks on life, supporting a person in a constant search mode.
Low level. It is characterized by a state of unstable balance, when a minimal nuisance is able to get out of the usual "rut". A person cannot concentrate and is lost in simple problems, the solution of which is not worth any effort. A low level is associated with the development of hypersensitive emotional susceptibility, bordering on the impossibility of an adequate response to the actions of others. As a rule, it is the result of strong emotional upheaval.

Ways to Increase Stress Resilience

Negative stress responses are detrimental to mental and physical health, so building stress resistance is important for everyone. Chronic stress is a common cause of chronic illness. For the correct reaction to stressful situations, special exercises have been developed, centers for the provision of psychological, psychotherapeutic and psychiatric assistance have been created.

Through exercise

Constant study of specific literature using practical recommendations is the foundation for the development of stress resistance. Healthy full sleep, relaxing baths stabilize the psycho-emotional state.

The recommended complex includes:

exercise, sports and outdoor walks;
alternation of active rest with passive;
autogenous training - psychotechnics based on self-hypnosis;
meditation and breathing exercises;
auto-training and muscle relaxation;
individual consultations and help of a psychologist;
cognitive behavioral therapy led by a psychotherapist.

With the help of medicines

A long stay in an extreme situation, a low level of stress resistance are common reasons for the impossibility of rehabilitation without drug therapy. The following are used as restorative agents:

Novo-Passit - with a mild form of neurasthenia, accompanied by irritability, mental exhaustion, sleep disturbance;
infusion of valerian - with increased emotional excitability and neurocirculatory dystonia;
Phenazepam, Gidazepam, Afobazol, Sibazon - tranquilizers that have an anti-anxiety, sedative, hypnotic and anticonvulsant effect;
Amitriptyline, Miaser, Melitor are antidepressants prescribed to patients to eliminate mild forms of depression.

Drug therapy can only be prescribed by a psychiatrist, self-medication is strictly prohibited. An untimely visit to a doctor can, with prolonged stress, provoke a neurosis, leading without treatment to psychosis - an irreversible mental disorder.

According to the statistical data of psychological research, stress-resistant individuals make up no more than 30%. To develop such a valuable quality, experts recommend:

Prioritize correctly. Unimportant things should be placed on the last plane of the picture, which should not be dwelling on.
Make time for enjoyable activities. The more responsibilities and stress a person has, the more difficult it is for him to resist stress.
Tune in to the positive. You should not think about an unpleasant situation every minute, you should let the problem go free and try to consider it temporary, ready to be resolved soon.
Learn to "shut down". This will make it possible to react painlessly to criticism, insults, to cope with offenses, since the buttons "on" and "off" of the nervous system must work in tandem.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Development thinking sees mistakes as valuable experiences for the future, setting a barrier to stress.

Practicing stress psychologist Sharon Miller advises eliminating distraction and chaos in thoughts by "participating only in battles worthy of wasting time and energy."

Conclusion

Stress is an inevitable "companion" that you cannot get rid of. Increasing stress resistance - developing a positive attitude towards critical situations. The phrase belongs to the sages: "True life does not consist in real events, but in our reaction to them." The process of releasing internal resources requires effort, and the result in the form of calmly making well-considered decisions, regardless of the prevailing circumstances, is worth it.