Reinventing the Stress Concept

Abstract

Studies that attempt to models stress have been limited by the ambiguity surrounding the stress concept. To address this conceptual lacuna, this article proposes a new approach to conceptualizing stress. Through a historical survey of ideas relating to stress, clarity will be brought to the conception of stress through a synthesis of insights on the nature of stress arousal, particularly focusing on the dynamic of generation of stress in the mind. Stress, resulting from both positively and negatively appraised events, is experienced in proportion to the certainty with which we assess an impact to something to which we have attachment (Sanskrit, upãdãna ), whether physical or ideological. Ultimately, this ancient conception of the psychological dynamic of stress has borne fruit in philosophy, religion, and psychotherapy, making it a sound candidate for a fundamental psychological conception of stress.

Why nurses chose to remain in the workforce: Portraits of resilience

“…This learning from action transforms and creates understanding of deeper levels of learning (Alliex & McCarthy, 2005;Gaberson & Oermann, 2010). Johnson and Johnson (2010) attest that this appears to offer a useful antidote to a flight and fight reaction to stress-dependent problems. Jade says: Hope has been described as the ideation of successful goal-directed thought and planning to meet goals, as well as a belief in the capacity to accomplish and achieve, even in the most difficult situations (Snyder, Lopez, Shorey, Rand, & Feldman, 2003).…”