Acute episodic stress: recurrent anxiety

Episodic acute stress often has serious effects on health. It defines a psychological state of high wear and tear that comes and goes, that comes with intensity for a season, and then disappears for a short time. Likewise, it is also important to highlight that it is usually associated with a very specific personality profile.

We are talking about that profile that American cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Raymond Rosenman defined in the 1950s as “type A personality.” These are competitive people, very demanding of themselves. and who live with a permanent sense of urgency.

They are somewhat problematic patterns of behavior and emotional processing. They are defined by impatience, impulsivity, poor management of their emotions and, sometimes, even hostility. However, the most dangerous thing is that This personality profile suffers a higher rate of cardiovascular problems.

We analyze it below.

Acute episodic stress: typology, symptoms, triggers and treatment

Episodic acute stress is one of the three most common typologies of this psychological condition. Thus, something essential from a therapeutic point of view is to know the trigger that is mediating the person’s physical and mental wear and tear. Therefore, it is always important to remember these three distinctions:

Chronic stress disorder: Factors such as work or complicated family and personal situations can mediate this reality. Stress is a continuum in the patient’s life.Acute stress disorder: defines a state of stress that generally appears after a sudden and unexpected event or trauma. The situation of suffering, hyperarousal and exhaustion can last a month.Episodic acute stress disorder. This type of disorder appears, as we have pointed out, in “type A” personalities. Your obsession with perfectionism and poor control of emotions are risk factors. It is also a state that appears and disappears depending on the season, but it has a serious impact on health.

Likewise, there is another element that we must consider. Many people who suffer from this type of stress do not seek professional help. It is taken for granted that always being stressed is part of their personality. However, it is necessary to offer adequate psychological measures to mediate towards a healthier change in which your physical and psychological health is not at risk.

What are the symptoms of acute episodic stress?

As we have already pointed out, there is a problematic aspect of episodic acute stress disorder: those who suffer from it do not perceive that they need help. He does not see that his way of reacting is disproportionate or that he is a poor manager of his emotions. They understand that life is complex in itself and that, therefore, you have to adapt to it however you can.

The most characteristic symptoms of this condition are the following:

Constant states of irritability and bad mood.Make small everyday problems big mountains. Oversizing anything, which leads to a feeling in the person that everything surpasses them and an intensification of their bad mood.Muscle rigidity, tension, feeling of heaviness throughout the body.Digestive problems, dizziness and constant tachycardia.Generally, They are people whoThey were suffering from hypertension and cardiovascular problems.

Likewise, it is important to highlight that together with episodic acute stress It is common for panic attacks to appear as well.

What causes acute episodic stress?

Episodic acute stress is the clear result of a hypersensitive, demanding personality stylewho lives oriented towards immediacy, in the feeling of constant alarm, of not meeting their objectives…

The so-called type A personality, defined by the American cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Raymond Rosenman, Above all, he is a poor manager of his frustration, anger and anger.. He tends to be competitive, to the need to prove to himself that he can achieve what he sets his mind to, but when this does not happen, desolation and panic arise.

Thus, studies such as those carried out by Dr. Mark P. Petticrew indicate that the behavioral pattern associated with personality A is little more than “the crown jewel” for coronary heart disease.

Treatments for stress

There are many effective treatments for stress. However, not all techniques are valid for each person and therefore we need, above all, to individualize and know the needs of each person.

Thus, and in general, people with episodic acute stress can benefit from the following therapeutic strategies.

Emotional control techniques

People with difficulties controlling emotions and impulses benefit significantly from emotional control techniques. Among the most appropriate in these cases we have the following:

Irritability and anger control techniques.Regulation of thought.Emotional self-regulation.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help a person understand how they think and understand how those mental processes affect their emotional states and behavior. Thus, the objectives of this therapy are the following:

Change the thinking style that fuels stressimpulsivity and self-demand.Encourage the person to calmly focus on the present momentidentifying the causes of your anguish and working on them to improve your mood.

To conclude, point out just one important aspect. Sometimes, we get trapped in behaviors that we attribute as normal or as traits of our personality when, in reality, they are clear pathological states. Making stress our lifestyle dilutes well-being and has a serious impact on health. Let’s keep it in mind.

You might be interested…