Good Stress And Bad Stress

 

The stress response of the body, in a way, is like an airplane getting ready for take-off. Virtually all systems (e.g., the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the lungs, the digestive system, the sensory organs, and brain) are modified to meet the perceived danger that is just around the corner.

 

The Pounding Heart

The adrenaline in our system makes our heart beat faster in order to pump more oxygen to the brain in order to obtain a quick flight or fight response if it is needed. This excited feeling can sometimes overtake us and lead to poor decisions.

 

Become aware of your stressors as well as your emotional and physical reactions to those stressors. As the phrase goes, “Know thyself”. Notice your distress. Don't ignore it. Don't gloss over your problems. Determine what events distress you. What is your body and mind telling you about the events taking place? Determine how your body responds to the stress. Do you become nervous or physically upset? If you do, in what specific ways are you acting or thinking?

 

Preventing Stress

Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress. In today’s society the stress reaction is more often than not, triggered by your perception of danger and not real life threatening situations. Are you viewing your stressors in exaggerated terms and/or taking a difficult situation and making it a disaster?

 

Are you expecting to please everyone?

Are you overreacting and viewing things as absolutely critical and urgent? Do you feel you must always prevail in every situation? Work at adopting more moderate views; try to see the stress as something you can cope with rather than something that overpowers you. Try to temper your excess emotions. Put the situation in perspective. Do not labor on the negative aspects of the situation.

 

Good Stress and Bad Stress

The stress response (also known as the fight or flight response) is critical during emergency situations, such as when a driver has to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. It can also be activated in a milder form at a time when the pressure's on but there's no actual danger - like stepping up to a podium to give a presentation in front of a room full of people, getting ready to ask someone out for the first time, or waiting for test results from the doctor. A little of this stress can help keep you on your toes, ready to rise to a challenge. And the nervous system quickly returns to its normal state, standing by to respond again when needed.

 

By analyzing our stress at the time we are having it, our left-brain kicks in and allows us to take more control of our situation. If you are taking a test, there is no way that the professor is going to attack you if you don’t finish on time, nor will there be any physical repercussions if you ask someone out and they say no. So, once you realize that there is no mortal danger present, you can see that your body is overreacting and you can quickly gain control before doing or saying something that you will regret later.