Network scientific journal
Psychosomatics and self-regulation

The article deals with the role of psychological stress in development of various diseases. The author considers distress as prenosologic

pathogenetic stage of diverse mental and somatic diseases. Not only external psychotraumatic factors, but also mental disorders such as an inadequate selfesteem, level of subjective control, alexithymia, irrational cognitive opinions and others play an important role in stress development. They impair formation of the self- regulation processes, effective coping-strategies and the psychological defenses needed to overcome difficult life situations. Psychological and physiological disorders observed during stress are described in the given article. They are caused by changes in hypothalamic- pituitary, reticulo-limbic and other parts of the central nervous system. Long existence of stress leads to an exhaustion, compensatory mechanisms and to development of various diseases. In Russia steady growth of stress- induced disorders which promote high disease and death rate of its population is observed. This is a serious problem, in which solution with a big role belongs to both medicine and psychology, which is not sufficiently developed in our country. The author points out the need for further work in this area, which will improve the health of Russian citizens.