Research Proposal – Stress

Introduction- We all experience stress in our life. We are all affected by stress. We know that it can be harmful, and some people thinks they are most productive when they are under stress. How does it affect people physically and psychologically? Some people handle stress well and others’ don’t. How can people minimize the negative effect of stress? What degree of stress is safe to have?

Rational- I realize one day that stress is affecting my life. I find that I can’t think when I am under stress, I just freeze, and I always let stress get inside my head. For example, I was in a debate competition for the first time, totally inexperienced and unprepared. When my opponent found a loophole in my argument and ask me about it, my mind just went completely blank and I couldn’t think of anything to say. This experience make me realize how poorly I perform under stress. Stress has always been holding me back. I always think maybe I could do better if stress is not affecting me. Maybe if I can handle it better, I can reduce the negative effect stress has on me.

Research plan- one side of the opinion is stress can be harmful. It cause health problem such as heart disease and premature death. Stress also cause mental problem such as depression. Bulimia can also be stress related. In a newspaper article I found called “Feeling Stressed? It’s Probably Harming Your Health”, it says “the perception of the negative effects of stress may increase blood pressure or heart rate, or have indirect effects like increasing smoking or excessive drinking”(Bakalar). In another article “stress and anxiety”, it says “Studies suggest that the inability to adapt to stress is associated with the onset of depression or anxiety.” On the other hand, stress can also stimulate creativity. Stress also makes brain release chemical that makes you more social. There is this stress hormone call oxytocin which from its name suggest that it release when the brain is under stress. “This hormone makes people crave physical contact, enhance empathy, makes people more compassionate and caring” this is what I learned after I watched a ted talk named “How to make stress your friend” by kelly Mcgonigal. And if people has a positive attitude toward stress, stress can turn into motivation and production. Also, social economic status and stress are related. People who live in poverty are more likely to be affected by stress. I need more research on all of the above, also what are the ways that people suggest to reduce streese? How does stress cause health and mental problem? What are the proves that stress stimulate creativity or productivity? How much stress is safe and healthy to people since it is impossible for people to not feel stress?

Implication- the world is more competitive than ever, and people are under a lot of pressure from all aspect of their life, for example their financial condition, stress from their family, social life. We all experience stress, that is the reason why the public should care. Stress can be harmful to people, and there should be a way to decrease the level of harm. Since stress is related to social economic status, from learning about how stress is affecting people, cause people with low social status to perform poorly at their job or school, maybe we can find a way out of the poverty cycle.

This is the TED talk that make me want to do this topic –Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend

here are two Newspaper Article:
Feeling Stressed? It’s Probably Harming Your Healthn By NICHOLAS BAKALAR JULY 1, 2013 Feeling Stressed? It’s Probably Harming Your Health

Stress and Anxiety Stress and Anxiety