Stress is a normal response that our body has to change that requires adjustment and is a normal part of our lives. So, when does this response become good or bad?
We feel stressed, and it is perfectly normal. Students feel stressed about exams, adults about their work deadlines. While stress affects everyone in different ways, there are two major types of stress: good stress and bad stress.
In general, good stress or eustress is short-term and it motivates you to achieve your goal, you tend to have control over yourself in the situation. Whereas, bad stress or distress, long term or short term is accompanied by a defeatist attitude because people tend to lose control over the situation. The extreme effects of distress over the body makes it difficult to cope with the stressful situation.
Stress is good
Without stress our body will never be alert in the occasion of dangers, producing a fight-flight response. When the brain perceives stress, it releases chemicals that alert the body to work against the stressful situation. Besides, there are certain health benefits related to a little bit of stress. It improves your heart work, protects your body against infections.
Stress is bad
Extreme stress or distress is when the body is unable to cope with the demands of a stressful situation. Emotional effects of distress can stay around for weeks and it weakens the immunity system, cause high blood pressure, anxiety, fatigue, and even heart diseases.
Signs of distress
It may be difficult to understand if your body is in distress or not. But there are signs that your body gives when you are struggling with too much stress.
Some of the signs could be:
Unable to concentrate or complete a task
Catch cold easily
Irritable mood
Loss of appetite
Trouble falling asleep or sleep too much
Avoidance
Upset stomach
Perception of stress
Some people work a lot better under stress and some completely crumble under a stressful situation. So why is that? A situation perceived as good or bad, due to the perception of the individual. How we perceive stress indicates how great an impact it is going to have on us.
A situation can be both, distress and eustress. This depends on how we perceive, when the person may be motivated to inspire themselves to learn new things and do well (eustress) or when you feel pressured to perform and feel afraid of failure (distress). The goal here is to challenge the stressful situation enough to indicate hope and active engagement.
A change in perception can show a change in how you feel under stress. So, try and keep a hopeful outlook even in a stressful situation and you are less likely to feel distressed.
To learn more about Dr. Prerna Kohli, click here
All images courtesy Pixabay
