Basics About Stress

Facing stress? Here are some basics you should know.

Stress, a state of mental or emotional strain or tension due to adverse or demanding circumstances, is a common issue that affects people worldwide. There are some basic things to know about stress – as well as ways to deal with it. Read on to learn more.

Stress is a natural reaction of the body. It is one’s response to a stressor. Things that cause stress may include:

• An environmental condition
• A chemical agent
• A biological agent
• External stimulus
• An event

Humans respond to stress in many ways. A person may respond to stress:

• Physically
• Emotionally
• Behaviorally

Stress is a normal part of life. Per Cleveland Clinic, “…your body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress.”

The origins of the term. Per Encyclopedia.com, stress was originally defined in the 1930s by Hungarian Canadian biologist Hans Selye (1907-1982) as “a series of biochemical, nervous, digestive, and muscular responses in laboratory animals to a perceived threat, which he called a stressor.” This notion would expand to humans and the various types of stress they experience. Nowadays, people use the word stress loosely. This can sometimes be confusing and may differ from medical terminology.

Stress can affect people in different ways. Positively: Sometimes, stress can guide folks into action and therefore be helpful. Negatively: Other times, it can interfere with thinking, emotions, and performance.

How is it positive? Stress can ultimately help people avoid danger, stay alert, and act. Here are three examples of positive outcomes of stress:

• Jamal is walking alone in the woods. He spots fresh footprints of a bear headed in the direction he is going. He feels stressed about going further. He turns around.
• Aarav is on an airplane that is experiencing some air turbulence. He experiences stress. He sits down and puts on his seat belt to be safe.  
• Yolanda has an important speech to make at a business event. She feels stressed. This motivates her to focus on her audience and practice harder so that she can succeed.

While it is not great to experience stress, in these examples, it pushed people into action and produced positive outcomes. That’s because stress can trigger a fight-or-flight reaction.  

How is stress negative?

Stress can take a toll on people physically, mentally, and spiritually.

• Jason has regular arguments with his girlfriend. It negatively affects his mood and performance at work.  
• Philip works as a nurse in the ER. Treating the constant influx of patients is endless, tiring, and stressful. He feels overwhelmed and impatient.
• Vivian and Lance have financial troubles and are stressed over losing their jobs. They worry constantly about paying their bills.
• Terrance has chronic digestive problems and is stressed anytime he must leave his home. His stress spikes at times.  

Here, stress may affect mood and performance. This can trigger negative responses.

Feeling stressed makes people feel unwell and can take a toll on health.

There are varying types of stress to include:

• Acute stress (Short-term)
• Episodic acute stress (Regular ongoing stress)
• Chronic stress (Long-term)

People typically experience varying types of stress during their lifetime. It’s important to deal with stress to stay calm and on task. Some stress is temporary, such as the tension associated with studying for a major exam or panicking when running late. Short term stress may resolve quickly.

Eposodic acute stress can occur when performing high-stress work. Being a firefighter or police officer can produce ongoing daily stress, mainly due to the dangers associated with high-risk jobs.  

Long-term stress may also be experienced. Sad events or bad experiences in life can trigger long-term stress. For example, victims of violent crime, or those experiencing death or illness of a loved one, may carry long-term stress. For some, the loss of a pet can trigger long-term stress.

Let’s examine what may occur when carrying stress.

Examples of how carrying stress can burden the body:  

• Stress can tax the body by causing psychological reactions like anxiety, depression, personality disorders, or panic attacks.
• Behavioral symptoms may also occur, such as alcohol abuse, gambling, or overeating.  
• Stress can contribute to physical problems as well, such as headaches, exhaustion, or trouble sleeping. It may play a part in high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and strokes.

Stress avoidance and management are key to living well and healthfully.

How can we avoid stress?

Some stressors can be avoided or reduced by acting. For example, a young person who dislikes their career path due to the stressful nature of their job can switch careers. Or someone with a toxic friend who is stressful to be around can choose to distance themselves from that person. In these examples, stress is avoided by recognizing the stress and avoiding stress triggers.

How can we manage stress?

Stress can be managed in numerous ways. Per Harvard Health Publishing, people must accept some stress as a normal part of life. However, there are some useful techniques that can be used to reduce and manage stress:

• Practice relaxation techniques (Meditation, yoga, deep breathing…) These activities trigger the relaxation response, a physiological change that can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, oxygen consumption, and stress hormones.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) In this therapy, therapists help patients identify negative thinking and replace it with positive thoughts.
• Goal setting (Establishing objectives) This creates a positive vision and puts people in control. Goal setting is helpful to careers, relationships, health and more.

Stress, when appropriately dealt with, can keep the mind, body, and soul in good shape. Stress that feels unmanageable requires medical attention. It’s important to stay connected with a doctor for guidance. For more ideas related to stress management, visit our sister article entitled Five simple ways to reduce stress. To read more about stress management, visit WebMD.

This article is not medically reviewed. It is for general purposes only. People experiencing stress should consult their doctor. If you are struggling and experiencing crisis, help is available via the 24-hour confidential 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 to connect with people you trust.