2. What is Psychological Distress:
Psychological distress is a general term used to describe
unpleasant feelings or emotions that impact one’s level of
functioning.
In other words, it is psychological discomfort that interferes
with your activities of daily living.
Psychological distress can result in negative views of the
environment, others, and the self.
Sadness, anxiety, distraction, and symptoms of mental illness
are manifestations of psychological distress.
3. Operational Definition of Psychological
Distress:
Decker (1997) and Burnette and Mui (1997), conceptualized
psychological distress as lack of enthusiasm, problems with
sleep (trouble falling asleep or staying asleep), feeling
downhearted or blue, feeling hopeless about the future,
feeling emotionally bored (for example, crying easily or
feeling like crying) or losing interest in things and thoughts
of suicide etc.
Psychological distress is a subjective experience. That is, the
severity of psychological distress is dependent upon the
4. Difference between Stress, Eustress, and
Distress:
Stress is a normal part of life and most people experience stress at one
time or the other. It is an individual physical and mental reaction to
environmental demands.
A certain amount of stress is necessary for survival and a moderate/
optimal level of stress is normal and in many cases it is useful. And
optimal level of stress is required for success in job, achievement higher
productivity and effectiveness. These positive reactions to stress are
called as eustress. Eustress can enhance longevity, productivity and life
satisfaction.
When stress level is extreme, and unchecked and unmanaged, can create
5. Psychological Theories of Stress
1.James-Lange: Theory of Emotion:
Emotions do not immediately succeed the perception of the
stressor or the stressful event; they become present after the
body’s response to the stress.
For instance, when you see a growling dog, your heart starts to
race, your breath begins to go faster, then your eyes become
wide open.
According to James and Lange, the feeling of fear or any other
emotion only begins after you experience these bodily changes.
6. 2. Cannon-Bard: The Emergency Theory
Emotion in response to stress can actually occur even when the
bodily changes are not present.
Cannon said that the visceral or internal physiologic response of
one’s body is more slowly recognized by the brain as compared
with its function to release emotional response
According to Bard, the emotional response is released first, and
then sent as signals by the thalamus to the brain cortex for the
interpretation alongside with the sending of signals to the
sympathetic nervous system or SNS to begin the physiologic
response to stress.
Therefore, this theory argues that emotional response to stress
7. Causes of Psychological Distress:
Traumatic experiences, such as the death of a loved one, are causes of
psychological distress.
Major life transitions, i.e. moving to a new state or graduating from
college, can be a source of psychological stress if one is unable to cope
with these transitions place or having difficulty adjusting to the new
situation.
Some other sources of psychological distress include:
• Cancer and other medical illness
• Divorce
• Starting a new job
• Being a victim of bullying
• Adverse school experiences
• Adverse work experiences
• Infertility
8. Symptoms of Psychological Distress:
As we previously stated, psychological distress is a subjective
experience. Just as no two people experience events in the
same way, no two people manifest psychological distress in
exactly same way.
Other symptoms of psychological distress include:
• Weight gain
• Anger management problems
• Obsessive thoughts or compulsions
• Physical symptoms not explained by a medical condition
• Decreased pleasure in sexual activities
• Social isolation
• Relationship difficulties
• Weaken immune system
• Consuming tobacco
9. Stress and Coping Mechanism:
Psychologists Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman scientifically
defined coping mechanism as the sum of cognitive and
behavioural efforts, which are constantly changing, that aim to
handle particular demands, whether internal or external, that
are viewed as taxing or demanding.
Simply put, coping is an activity we do to seek and apply
solutions to stressful situations or problems that emerge
because of our stressors.
10. Types of Coping Strategies:
1. the appraisal-focused strategies are those coping
mechanisms which involve the change of mindset or a
revision of thoughts. Denial is the most common coping
mechanism under this category.
2. the problem-focused strategies are those that modify the
behaviour of the person.
3. the emotion-focused strategies include the alteration of
one's emotions to tolerate or eliminate the stress. Examples
include distraction, meditation, and relaxation techniques.
11. General Classification of Coping Mechanism:
• Defense - the unconscious ways of coping stress. Examples: reaction
formation, regression
• Adaptive -tolerates the stress. Examples: altruism, symbolization
• Avoidance -keeps self away from the stress. Examples: denial,
dissociation, fantasy, passive aggression, reaction formation.
• Attack - diverts one's consciousness to a person or group of individuals
other than the stressor or the stressful situation. Examples: displacement,
emotionality, projection.
• Behavioral - modifies the way we act in order to minimize or eradicate the
stress. Examples: compensation, sublimation, undoing.
• Cognitive - alters the way we think so that stress is reduced or removed.
Examples: compartmentalization, intellectualization, rationalization,
repression, suppression.
• Self-harm - intends to harm self as a response to stress. Examples:
12. Example of some coping mechanism:
Perform diaphragmatic or “deep breathing” exercises.
Meditation
Exercise regularly or take up yoga.
Make time for music, art or other hobbies that help relax and
distract you.
Learn to identify and monitor stressors. Come up with an
organized plan for handling stressful situations. Be careful not to
overgeneralize negative reactions to things.
13. Set aside a time every day to work on relaxation.
Avoid using caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, junk food, binge eating
and other drugs as your primary means for coping with stress.
Learn to just say, “No” occasionally. It won’t hurt other
people’s feelings as much as you think and is simply a method to
be more assertive in your own life, to better help you meet your
own needs.
Get the right amount of sleep. For most people, this is seven
to nine hours a night.
Cultivate a sense of humor; laugh.
Research has shown that having a close, confiding relationship
protects you from many stresses.
Don’t run from your problems! This only makes them worse.
Talk to your family and friends.
14. Conclusion:
Stress is a factor in the life of every person on Earth.
The foundation and processes connected to stress were not
fully understood, which inhibits our knowledge of how and why
stress affects human body as well as their thinking.
Once the causes and effects of stress were fully understood,
researcher would be able to more effectively manage and
relieve it.
In conclusion, stress and coping mechanisms goes together,
but which method is the best to be used is depending on type
of stress and individual needs. Based on the results of this
study, a meditation-based stress reduction-counselling
programme can help and guide the person to know which
coping method suit needs.
15. References:
1. Coping strategies. Retrieved from
http://www.humanstress.ca/stress/trick-your-stress/steps-to-
instant-stress-management.html
2. Cramer, P. Understanding defense mechanisms.
Psychodynamic Psychiatry
3. Dombeck, M. Coping strategies and defense mechanisms:
Basic and intermediate defenses. Psychological self-help tools:
Online self-help book. Retrieved from
https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/coping-strategies-and-
defense-mechanisms-basic-and-intermediate-defenses
4. Galor, S. Defense mechanisms vs. coping. Retrieved from
https://drsharongalor.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/defense-
mechanisms-vs-coping
