Title: A Psychological Overview of Stress 



Mental illness poses a major problem within today's society, with stress being one of the main contributors to this issue. Research in this area is therefore of critical importance and any advances made, may well prove instrumental in improving levels of mental health throughout society. It is the aim of this essay to give an overview of stress from a psychological perspective, exploring associated issues, past research and possible solutions 
Stress presents itself in many different ways and in a variety of situations. It is due to this diversity that it is hard to accurately define the issue, however, (Auerbach and Gramling, 2008) defined stress as, "An unpleasant state of emotional and physiological arousal that people experience in situations that they perceive as dangerous or threatening to their well-being".  Another issue in this area is that, stress is very difficult to measure. Several surveys have been created in an attempt to gain statistical insight into the issue. The (Rosenberg M. 1965) is a commonly used example of one such psychological tool. Surveys tend to be quite general and considering the individuality each specific case, a combination of surveys and psychological analysis may a more comprehensive means of measuring a person's stress level. Stress is a taboo subject in many societies, preventing people suffering with the issue from realising they have a problem and seeking help. This is an effect which ultimately exacerbates the situation, and leads to more serious psychological problems. Past studies have consistently shown positive correlation between, ones stress levels and issues such as anxiety, depression and self-esteem along with many other related problems, (Auerbach and Gramling, 2008) is one such example, which shows a positive correlation between stress and physical illness.
Factors such as self-esteem and optimism have been shown to impact on one's stress levels. Therefore, by clinicians focusing on improving a patient's level of self-esteem and optimism, among other related areas, stress will in turn be reduced. Perhaps the most powerful tools in fighting the prevalence of this issue is, creating awareness and changing public perception. If people were willing to realise that they are suffering from stress or related issues at an earlier stage, then the treatment would be much simpler and more successful. 
There is no clear cut solution in dealing with such a diverse and complex issue; however, the more knowledge clinicians have at their disposal the more effective they will be in assisting patients. As with many other cases, education is key. 


References:
1. Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press
2. Rausch, S. M., Auerbach, S. M., & Gramling, S. E. (2008). Gender and ethnic differences in stress reduction, reactivity, and recovery.Sex Roles, 59(9-10), 726-737. doi:10.1007/s11199-008-9460-0