Stress

The general adaptation syndrome is comprised of three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. In the alarm phase, an organism prepares physiologically and psychologically to respond to a stressor. This includes the release of hormones like cortisol and the activation of the HPA axis. In the resistance phase, the organism mobilizes resources to adapt to the contiued presence of a stressor. This may include reducing non-essential metabolic activities in preference for those that support the stress response. Cortisol levels remain high during this phase if the stressor is chronic. In the exhaustion phase, the physiological cost of maintaining a heightened response to the stressor begins to take its toll. Resources may be diverted away from essential systems (cf. resistance phase) which cause damage to the body and brain.

Hostility is a "personality trait associated with heart disease and characterized mistrust, an expectation of harm and provocation by others, and a cynical attitude." Hostile personality traits are present in individuals with a so-called "Type A personality." The heightened, chronic stress responses associated with hostility include high blood pressure and heart disease.

Problem-focused coping strategies are those that seek to change the external source of a stressor. This can include changing the environment itself, or changing how one interacts with the environment to avoid causing stress. Examples of general approaches to problem-focused coping include active coping (trying to remove or work around a stressor), planning (developing strategies for managing a stressor), and instrumental social support (seeking advice about specific actions from others), among others.

Emotion-focused coping strategies, meanwhile, are those that seek to change the internal response to a stressor. Rather than trying to reduce or remove the cause of stress, these strategies attempt to change the emotional response to the stressor – how it is experienced by an individual. Emotion-focused coping strategies include emotional social support (seeking affirmation and encouragement from others), venting emotions (talking about stressed feelings to others as a means to feeling better), and mental disengagement (trying to think about other, non-stressful things), among others.

Both emotion- and problem-focused approaches are viable methods for reducing stress.