Very few people, if any, go through life without having stress in their lives. Most of us probably experience stress on a daily basis working on deadlines or having to deal with situations that arise that might cause us some internal anxiety. I’m not sure many would consider any stress in their lives as a positive, but factually, there are generally two kinds of stress and one of them ‘eustress’ is actually good for us.
Eustress is the type of stress that we feel when we are excited. Our pulse quickens and we may have other physiological responses but when we have it, there is no threat or fear that accompanies the stress. It is healthy and can improve the quality of life we experience; it inspires and motivates us, helps us focus our energy and enhances our performance.
In an article read, ‘Good Stress vs. Bad Stress: How Can You Tell the Difference,’ it says, “Stress is a natural, adaptive, built-in response that prepares us for action, both physically and mentally, Dr. Menchola said. That stress response is there to temporarily increase our energy and focus — so we can tackle whatever challenge is there in front of us.
“Positive, healthy stress should feel like, ‘OK, this is going to be hard, but I can do this, here we go…
“Generally, stress is good when it meets two basic criteria: What’s being asked of us feels doable and we know the stress is temporary.” He goes on to say,
“Remember, positive stress may make you feel nervous or tense, but it should also make you focused, energized and invested.”
Another type of stress is acute stress that comes from quick surprises that need a response. It triggers our body’s response but doesn’t always cause happiness or excitement. If we can find ways to relax quickly, the affects won’t cause physiological changes once the stressor has been dealt with.
Chronic stress is another form of bad stress that occurs when we repeatedly face stressors. Examples are a stressful job or an unhappy life. Because our bodies aren’t designed for chronic stress for an extended period of time, our emotional and physical body experiences negative health effects.
“Our minds live in our bodies, and our thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical functioning are intertwined,” Dr. Menchola said. “We cannot impact one without impacting the other.”
He shares a number of ways that we can tell if our stress is harmful:
“It interferes with your functioning: You start making mistakes on things that are routine — like accidentally putting your keys in the fridge or forgetting to feed your dog.
“It affects your health: You stop taking care of yourself — maybe you start relying on substances every night to “take the edge off”
“You’re spending tons of time and energy on small things: “We often do this when we are trying to regain a sense of control, because we are stressed over things we cannot control
“You feel paralyzed: This is when small things seem impossible
“You isolate: You’re so stressed that you don’t want to see or talk to loved ones, you don’t ask for help, or you answer “fine” and change the subject when a friend asks how you’re doing”
Now that we know stress can either improve our lives or steal our health from us, let’s be aware of our personal stress. We can do a lot to help ourselves to deal with bad stress by taking walks or talking to someone, but if we need more support or counselling, Mental Health Support is available.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
