When under stress we can experience anxiety, shortness of breath, headaches, and stomach aches. Typically, the effects of acute stress are short-lived.
As the stressor passes or is removed, our system returns to a healthy level of hormones like adrenaline. Prolonged exposure to stress, such as a situation that cannot be resolved for months,, can lead to chronic stress.
Over time, the results of prolonged excess of stress hormones can result in physical complications, such as high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke, reproductive issues, weakened immune system, and chronic pain. Chronic stress can also perpetuate mental health issues, such as constant anxiety which can lead to panic attacks and depression. Distress is the result of any of these types of stress exceeding your ability to manage it. Distress happens when you experience a high-volume of acute stress factors, chronic stress from situations that cannot be changed for long periods of time, or habitual behaviors that result in repeatedly negative emotional stress.
Fears and phobias, obsessive thought patterns, and perfectionism are all internal stressors that can put us in distress. Left unmanaged, stress has the ability to harm us mentally and physically.
It can also damage our personal relationships, as the irritability and anger we can experience as a result has the tendency to have an effect on other people. We may also turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms to manage the effects of stress, such as substance use. Practicing awareness — Recognizing when your body is responding to stress can be helpful. Noticing when an event will trigger things like increased heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating, or nausea can help bring awareness to your body.
We need healthy amounts of stress to function well in normal life. Stress will alert you to get out of the way. You have a big project coming up?
These are all instances where there is a stressor and your mind and body respond appropriately to meet the challenge. These instances can very helpful in promoting growth in individuals. For example, the stress of a big exam or a job interview might motivate you to do a great job in those situations. Using that stress as a motivator to succeed can send you in new directions and lead to growth. The stress and pressure of a crowd at a concert or a competition might allow you to perform at a higher level than you otherwise would.
The stress of a big date might motivate you to impress a potential partner. The primary difference between eustress and distress is the way we perceive and respond to the situation. The thoughts we have about something directly impact the way our bodies respond to that stimulus.
Additionally, the way we manage our thoughts plays a big role in how much stress they produce. Many times, the unique properties of your brain play little tricks and make things out to be more stressful than they need to be. An old boyfriend lied to you? The stress response might be huge when your current partner gets a text. Had a difficult time doing a presentation in college? The idea of public speaking might induce an anxiety attack. The beautiful thing is that we can change. We can adjust the way we interpret stressors and improve our experience.
In doing so, we transform distress into eustress. Counselors in Pennsylvania are available for everybody to explore their experience with. These people can help you identify instances of distress and reinterpret them. You can also explore trauma with your counselor. The brain has a funny way of hiding those things from itself. Resolving internal patterns can help you see and respond to stressors clearly. Taking those thoughts out of your head and onto the page can help clarify them.
Write down the particulars of your conversation with the friend. The ruminations and obsessions over small details are side effects of distress.
They outweigh your ability to improve the situation. Writing them down can help you see them in an objective light. When you recognize stress and anxiety, ask yourself if the response is appropriate. Is there a benefit to your distress? Does the stress outweigh the reality of the situation? Often, recognizing distress is the best way to reduce it. Just knowing that your response is disproportionate helps to separate you from it and think objectively. The thought that such intense emotions could be unjustified might be hard to stomach.
But if the response is disproportionate, what is it really doing for you? Not to mention, our stress response is a wild card before we start training it. Distress can cause physical symptoms such as chest pain, headaches, digestive issues, or insomnia.
It can also worsen or cause serious health conditions, such as heart disease. On the opposite end of the spectrum, eustress is positive stress. Eustress can promote feelings of energy, focus, excitement or fulfillment. It is typically caused by positive experiences, such as starting a new job or getting married.
Eustress can produce positive effects, such as building mental resilience and even building physical strength challenging workouts are another example of eustress. It helps with motivation and working toward goals.
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