Types Of Stress And How To Deal With It
As a student, you will undoubtedly face stressful situations, and have been taught multiple methods of coping. However, did you know that there are three main types of stress, and different ways of managing it? Everyone has their own understanding of what stress means and what it feels like to them, but regardless of how you categorise stress, it is important to prioritise your mental health and growth.
Here are the three main types of stress:
1. Positive Stress
Positive stress is normal and essential for healthy development. You may experience brief increases of heart rate, sweating and mild elevations in hormone levels. Sometimes, it is even considered anticipation or eagerness. Often, positive stress is in response to mildly difficult situations and offers us growth opportunities to discover our strengths and weaknesses. Positive stress is not prolonged and is usually related to personal growth of mindset and character.
2. Tolerable Stress
A tolerable stress response may be triggered by a longer-lasting difficulty such as a physical injury, the annual examination period or the loss of a loved one. This kind of stress activates the body’s alert systems to a greater degree, experiencing the same effects as positive stress but of a larger magnitude. This stress usually goes away after the event that triggered the stress is over.
To cope with tolerable stress, you may consider:
Journaling your emotions
Depending on positive relationships. Talk to a trusted adult or friend about your situation
Exercise or physical activity
Positive self-talk or constructive thought patterns
3. Toxic Stress
Toxic stress is the most long-lasting (prolonged stress even after the event that triggered the stress is over), and detrimental to one’s mental and even physical health. It can result from strong and frequent activation of the body’s stress response system when one feels unprotected or threatened in their situation. Toxic stress can disrupt brain development and even take a toll on one’s overall physical health. It is important to identify and combat stress before it becomes toxic.
If you are experiencing toxic stress, you may consider:
Visiting a counsellor or therapist
Identifying trusted adults or friends to confide in
Continue use of healthy coping mechanisms
Everyone experiences stress to different extents and in different forms, and it is good to be mindful of the type of stress you are experiencing to better cope with it.
If you would like to find out more about positive thinking strategies, check out our article on Constructive Thought Patterns!
Sources:
https://eftinternational.org/positive-tolerable-and-toxic-stress-responses-what-are-the-differences/
https://onetoughjob.org/articles/understanding-stress-positive-tolerable-and-toxic
By: Shana Lam