Previous page

Definition: Stress

There is no one agreed definition of stress and there are in essence two different approaches to defining stress.

The first approach and one used in common usage is people describing ‘feeling stressed’ to describe the unpleasant feelings associated with too much pressure

Stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” S. Lazarus

Another approach to defining stress is much broader:
The generalised response of the mind and body to any demand.

‘Stress is our mind-body reaction to being knocked off balance or out of homeostasis – a condition that is possible under any situation involving change. Stress is a natural by-product of change.’ NLP encyclopaedia.

Seyle (1984) defined stress as;
"The Non-specific response of the body to any demand"
Or to put it simply stress is a response to change.

The experience of stress is subjective – a situation that is unpleasantly stressful to one person may be a pleasant challenge to another.

Further information

* How to Cope Successfully with STRESS – Anna Rushton
Wellhouse ISBN 1-903784-18-2

*The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook, Martha Davis, Elizabeth Eshelman, Matthew McKay.
New Harbinger Publications Inc. ISBN 1-57224-214-0

* Stress Management Sessions from Hypnosis Downloads.com
A range of downloadable hypnosis mp3's teaching stress relief and stress management techniques.

* Coping with stress - BBC website

* Stress Management Techniques
Practical techniques for reducing stress.

* Stress Management
Articles and resources on stress and stress management.

* Stress Management Techniques and Stress Reduction from Mind Tools