S is for… stress
The Psychologist A to Z continues.
11 June 2018
Suggested by Karen Shepherd PhD student at the University of Nottingham
'I chose stress because I'm interested in why mothers of children with type 1 diabetes – reported in the literature as experiencing higher levels of stress – use online support groups, and their motivations for doing so.'
Can stress ever be beneficial? In a fascinating talk we reported in November 2016, Ian Robertson considered how we can push ourselves into the 'sweet spot'. His focus was noradrenaline – 'a potential candidate for the most remarkable brain-enhancing substance'. The idea that stress can be good for you was also reinforced in our popular 'Guide to Healthy Living' last year.
Are women the 'stressed sex'? In a February 2014 article, with an audio interview you can listen to on our website, Daniel and Jason Freeman delved into reasons behind their finding that women experience around 20–40 per cent more mental ill health than men. Letters followed…
Caregivers experience a particular burden of chronic stress, and our 2012 'Viewpoints' piece looked at a carer, the researchers, and the health professionals hoping to put the findings into practice.
Taking a mere five-day break from Facebook will lower your physiological stress levels, according to a study covered recently on our Research Digest blog.
Introverts may miss leadership chances because they overestimate how stressful it will be. That's according to a 2017 study led by Andrew Spark and reported on our Digest.
- Our Psychologist A to Z so far is collected here.
Illustration: Karla Novak
