Rethinking Stress

Written By Colēgia

Stress is something that can cause many adverse effects but what if we told you there is a good type of stress? Understanding how this state of mind affects you is key to conquering and making the most out of it which is why today we want to rethink stress.

What is Stress?

There are many moments where we may feel that we are struggling to get by due to circumstances. This is part of what stress is. It can be defined as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” There are two kinds of stress we want to cover which are acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is usually a form of pressure that is concentrated to a single event such as not performing well on a test. These feelings usually don't last for long and are an innate response to the situations we feel. Another common form of stress is chronic stress which is characterized by lasting for a long period of time. This can be something such as a living situation or being anxious. It is important to recognize which of these are affecting you along with taking active steps by either asking for help or prioritizing your health first.

“These feelings usually don't last for long and are an innate response to the situations we feel.”

Eustress

There is a third type of stress that is known as eustress. This is considered good stress as it pertains to being helpful for the person experiencing it. A great example of this is feeling stressed about a sports activity but rather than letting it affect you negatively, you would instead use that as motivation to succeed. This is important since the key takeaway is the mentality that you are using. While there are many valid reasons to be stressed, sometimes it can be helpful because it can help you intensely focus on the task at hand. Another example of this is eustress with an upcoming test. We can preemptively take time to study more material before the test to mitigate any negative feelings. When we take the test itself, we can use our knowledge gained prior to that along with the eustress we are feeling to boost our performance.

“This is considered good stress as it pertains to being helpful for the person experiencing it.”

Using it Efficiently

Stress can be both difficult and helpful at the same time. Recognizing the type of stress you are going through is a valuable life skill and one that can help immensely. Taking time for yourself when under stress is one of the best things you can do as it is often a combination of many things that contribute to this. Prioritizing sleep and eating well are good methods to reduce chronic stress whereas stepping back and focusing on your breathing can help for acute stress. How you handle it matters just as much as what you are experiencing which is all the more reason to take active steps. Stress doesn't always have to be a bad thing, it can teach us how to take care of ourselves along with being able to adapt new perspectives.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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