Stress - Positive or Negative?

How frequently have we claimed that we are Stressed? Countless times, for sure!

Even so, do we know what exactly is Stress?

Simply put, Stress is our body’s response to changes in its inner or outer environment. It is a normal reaction to changes, challenges, pressures & situations of our daily lives. It affects nearly every system of our body, influencing how we feel and behave.

Do changes, challenges, pressures & situations of our daily lives always mean something bad?

What about our first day at school? Our first interview, or first job? First presentation? Learning how to drive?

Were all of those experiences bad? Maybe? Maybe not?

The excitement & happiness of going on a trip, meeting friends after a long time, trying something new, doing something adventurous. The apprehension & nervousness of being late for an appointment, missing deadlines, waiting outside an operation theatre.

The situations are clearly different. Poles apart. Some of them are positive while the others are negative. In some cases, we wait with bated breath for something to happen. In some, we dread something happening.

Believe it or not, the excitement, the apprehension, the anticipation, the nervousness, all of these are what count as Stress. Yes! Stress can be both. Positive and Negative.

Scientist & Endocrinologist Hans Selye introduced the concept of Stress having two categories: Distress and Eustress.

Distress is the most commonly known type of Stress. It is a Negative Stress that causes feelings of worry, fear or anxiety.

Distress is typically caused by negative experiences and situations, when we feel like we don't have control over the things happening in our lives, or when we feel overwhelmed or are facing too much pressure from work, relationships, or other stressors, such as losing a job or when a family member is diagnosed with an illness. Distress or Negative Stress may lead to physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, chest pain, digestive issues, or insomnia. Prolonged Distress can also worsen or cause serious health conditions, such as heart disease as well as mental health problems like Anxiety and Depression.

Eustress, on the other hand, is Positive Stress that promote feelings of energy, focus, excitement or fulfilment.

Eustress is typically caused by positive experiences, such as starting a new job or project, working towards a goal, giving a speech, participating in an athletic event or even exercising. When we face these challenges, our bodies release hormones that help us learn, stay motivated, and become excited about the outcome. It generates a sense of fulfilment or achievement, mastery, and high levels of performance.

Eustress or Positive Stress can have beneficial and positive effects on the body and mind. It can help motivate and energise a person and facilitate growth and development, increase productivity, improve job performance, and overall health including building mental resilience and even building physical strength.

So what does it all mean?

Just like the rainbow is a spectrum with Violet on one end and Red on the other, Stress can also be seen as a spectrum with Distress on one end and Eustress on the other.

That is how apprehension & nervousness and excitement & happiness reside on opposite poles of the spectrum. However, what usually ends up happening is, we tend to address Distress simply as Stress, totally ignoring the other, much more positive end of the spectrum.

Now you may wonder, why is it so important to understand the differences between the two?

Or, now that we know the differences, what do we do with the information?

Knowing the differences simply helps us to identify them. And that in turn, enables us to be able to work on managing Distress and promoting Eustress.

Using Eustress to balance Distress may also prove to be a constructive way to manage Stress. By choosing to do activities that create Eustress, it creates a good reaction in the body and helps to handle Distress.

Management of Distress largely relies on two factors: our ability to identify the stressor that is causing the Distress at any given moment & to know whether the stressor is Internal or External.

As the name suggests, Stressor is the factor or situation that triggers the state of Stress in our body. Stressors are not always limited to situations where some external events create a problem. Internal events such as intrusive thoughts, fears, unrealistic expectations and perceptions, as well as habitual behaviours such as overscheduling, procrastinating, and failing to be assertive can also cause Distress.

As Hans Selye famously said, “It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it”.

And with that, it is also important to remember that help is always available.

All we need to do is ask the trusted ones.

Let's stay healthy, not only physically but emotionally and mentally as well!

~Mrinmoyee Saha

Counselling Psychologist