In previous blogs we’ve written about the different types of stresses. Whether they be emotional symptoms to look out for, and causes. Here we want to take it a step further and offer somewhat of a guide to the stresses to be aware of.
Kloc-In is building a community centred around all things Health, Wellness, and Well-being. We truly believe understanding the types of stresses will help our community gather insight and get ahead of things that happen around you.
By having an understanding you then have the required tools to take action, and become more aware that stress is a normal thing that most people deal with from time to time or on a more regular basis depending on various factors. Let’s not waste anymore time, let's jump straight in.
Types of Stresses:
There are various types of stress that one can experience and the triggers for these stresses can vary widely. Let us break down widely known stresses to get a better understanding. We’ll start with emotional stress:
Emotional Stress:
Emotional stress can also be linked to psychological stress or even mental stress. Usually this type of stress comes about through the pressure you may feel in dealing with your emotions and even mental state. There are a number of triggers associated with this type of stress including:
- Work conditions and environment
- Relationships - Personal, work, intimate partners
- Money woes and financial strains
- Trauma - Life changing events
- Discrimination
- Neglect
- Social isolation and loneliness
Challenges presented by these circumstances can cause our emotions to go into overdrive which needs to be noted in order to find the best solution to overturn sooner rather than later. Often when we experience these emotional attachments our bodies release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which then activates the ‘fight or flight’ response. This response is a way of dealing with the stress being felt and is a way for our minds to compartmentalise the threats by speeding up the heart rate, an increase in blood pressure, and breathing rate. It is important to understand if this is temporary or more chronic as chronic stress is more severe. If we start to experience emotional stress on a regular basis then other physical and emotional health problems can occur.
There are some common symptoms of emotional stress which can include:
- An increase in irritability levels
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Tension - Mainly in muscles
- Sleeping difficulties
Emotional stress can also have a negative impact on our immune system which then increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and can contribute to the development of mental health disorders including anxiety disorders and deep set depression.
If we take the emotional stress that can be presented by life changes as an example to show a better connection. Things like having a moving house deadline where you have to pack up your belongings and move to a new place can bring up fears around being in a new place, area, or neighbours. When we get a little worked up this trigger can trickle into the way we cope and cause us to deal or run out of time. The feeling of moving homes can cause the process to seem negative. In this instance if we did one thing at a time because truly that's all we can do. Then we may find the process more enjoyable. For example, write down everything that needs to be done and tick them off one by one. Instead of seeing them as chores let's look at it as rewards, take joy in each task being ticked off. Calculate how long things will take and put into action so you are left with enough time. Equally visiting the new area you may be moving to to find similar things that you love like, your local gym, coffee shop, parks can help you get excited about the next chapter.
With emotional stress it's about controlling what is in your powers and putting the rest aside, asking for help when needed and getting the support you may need from social groups. You’ll be surprised at what is available to you if you just look around.
The best way to cope with Emotional stress is to firstly recognise the symptoms and signs, look in the mirror to identify if you need outside help. Therapy, counselling, trusted advisors and family are all ways to tap into the support you may need to put your best foot forward. Here are a few things that may help:
- Relaxation techniques - Deep breaths, meditation, muscle relaxation like squeezing your muscles as hard as you can for a few seconds then releasing.
- Physical activity - Things such as walking to unwind, running, yoga can all be useful. Find a physical activity that works for you.
- Social Support - Sometimes talking to loved ones that we trust and friends we relate to can help you feel supported and reduce the feeling of isolation and loneliness.
- Coping tools - Write, journal, practice mindfulness, pick up a hobby. There may be something you once enjoyed doing in your spare time, try picking that back up.
- Sleep - Sleep good, get the sleep needed to feel refreshed in the morning and ready to take on a new day.
Let's dive into more different types of stress by looking at Acute Stress:
Acute Stress:
Just like other stresses Acute stress is normal and happens to the best of us. In a nutshell acute stress is a short term response to stress that prepares your body by sending signals known as Flight or Fight. This can actually be helpful in forming ways to deal with the stress felt. Acute stress is short term but if left undealt with can transfer into Chronic stress which we’ll detail later on. Acute stress is triggered by a threat that could be a work deadline or planning say a wedding and feeling like you are running out of time.
There are a number of known causes of acute stress including conflict with others or unexpected life events, feeling uncertain about now or the future. Environmental causes such as loud sudden noises, bright lights can contribute to acute stress. Time pressures, as well as trauma, things like natural disasters, accidents and violence can trigger acute stress.
Symptoms from person to person can vary but some commons ones include:
- Increased heart rate
- Breathing heavily
- Sweating
- Muscle tension
- Difficulty concentrating
There are various ways to help you cope with Acute stress when you experience it. Things like mindfulness, taking deep breaths in a controlled manner, and gaining social support are all things that can help. Exercise is a great way of trying to cope with Acute stress which is short term. Usually once the threat is gone you’ll find yourself feeling relaxed, easing the stress once felt.
Chronic Stress:
Chronic stress is a type of stress and is seen as more long term, so ensuring to take note when you are stressed to prevent the other types of stresses becoming Chronic is very important. Chronic stress is an extended response to stressors that continue over longer periods of time. Unlike acute stress, chronic stress can have very negative consequences on both physical and mental health. The causes of chronic stress can vary however some common triggers include:
- Work - Work can sometimes demand a lot especially when there are deadlines, working long hours, and feeling like we lack control. Often chronic stress can be triggered by conflicts with coworkers and management.
- Finances - Being in debt and not knowing what to do can be a trigger, being unemployed while still having responsibilities or feeling like our income isn’t reflective of our worth and value.
- Relationships - This can be romantic, family and friends who cause ongoing stress.
- Health problems - Chronic health issues or being a carer for a loved one as part of your day to day job can be quite a heavy load to bear.
- Trauma - There are traumatic events that can trigger Chronic stress including abuse, neglect, exposure to violence.
- Environmental - It may sound strange but we can be affected by noise and air pollution, being in overly crowded places where we feel trapped on a continuous basis.
There are some symptoms you may come across when dealing with chronic stress:
- Emotional - Constant feeling of anxiety, depression, irritation, mood swings.
- Cognitive - The ability to think straight is difficult, concentration levels drop, which can make it hard to get on with your day to day.
- Physical - Headaches, muscle tension and pain, fatigue starting to have digestive problems as well as sleep becoming more difficult.
- Behavioural - Over or underreacting, distancing yourself socially. increased use of substances like alcohol and drugs.
- Health - When these symptoms persist we can find ourselves at risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and autoimmune disorders.
Although different types of stresses cause different reactions there can be a trickle effect, so please take note and pay attention to you as these can widely vary from person to person. If you notice that you feel any of the symptoms on a daily basis it is important to seek help to protect your health and overall mental being. Healthcare professionals and doctors have the ability to help identify the causes of stress in order to provide useful ways to manage what is going on.
Episodic Acute Stress:
This type of stress is an extension to acute stress. It is the motif of stress in which a person encounters regular acute stress. Episodic acute stress is signalled by chaotic, disorganised and overwhelmed ways of living. Often when this type of stress is encountered the body and mind tends to overreact to stressors which may mean living continuously on the edge or in high alert mode. This type of stress also has a tendency to make a person unduly worry with it being harder to relax which can then lead to physical and mental health issues.
Some characteristics to take note of are:
- Frequency of acute stress - If you experience acute stress regularly then this transfers to episodic acute stress.
- Thought patterns - Negative thoughts and outlook on life are common with those going through episodic acute stress. Finding it hard to express gratitude and see the positives in life.
- Physical - There can be a range of physical symptoms including fatigue, headaches, aches and pains in the body, digestive issues.
- Emotions - Being irritable regularly, anxious, and going through depression.
- Behavioural - Changes in usual behaviour like overeating or undereating, taking up bad habits, isolation.
The examples can be similar to those experienced when going through Chronic stress. Are you finding your job is more demanding on a daily basis and feel like there is no support? Going through these demands alone and persistently could be causing episodic acute stress. Also relationship woes, feeling like a relationship isn’t working and not knowing how to express this in a healthy way or feeling like you don't have a safe place to express can weigh heavy on a person. Trauma, and health problems that are out of your control can be an example of episodic acute stress.
Physical Stress:
As we are getting to know there are a number of different types of stresses, let’s explore physical stress. Physical stress is a stress that relates to the body. The demands that we may go through physically can lead to this type of stress. There are a number of known causes that can lead to the body expressing physical tension. Intense activity as well as being exposed to extreme temperatures like heat can factor into the body going through physical stress. We can extend this by not getting enough rest, inadequate nutrition, and injury.
Physical stress is not always a bad thing in the short term, it can help refresh the body making the body stronger in cases like exercise. However, if one experiences chronic stress it can lead to a number of physical strains including in the muscle, joints, cardiovascular and weakened immune system.
It is important to pay attention to the way the body feels and rest when needed to ensure the body is able to cope physically. Symptoms to be aware of:
- Muscle tension and stiffness
- Headaches or migraines
- Extreme pain and soreness in joints
- Exhaustion
- Poor sleep or insomnia
- Increased heart rate or blood pressure
- Mood changes
- Respiratory problems including shortness of breath or chest pains
- Memory problems and concentration levels decrease
If you feel any of these there is no harm reaching out to a professional to assess further. Be proactive in putting your overall health first to ensure you catch the effects of physical stress early. Managing physical stress through exercise, stress reduction techniques and self care programs can be very effective.
Psychosocial Stress:
Psychosocial stress is in reference to the psychological and social components that cause stress within an individual. There are a variety of factors that these stressor present including within relationships, work, finances and other life events. The impact of this can trickle into the mental state of each person experiencing this, and have an affect on:
- Physical Health
- Emotional Well-being
- Cognitive Functioning
- Immune System
The effects of this type of stress can cause a big strain and increase the risk of developing mental health disorders which can include depression and anxiety. Psychosocial examples of stress include struggling financially and feeling alone in this struggle, especially when compared with your peers, family and friends. Other examples are losing a job, long term unemployment, considerable life transitions like marriage, divorce, or retirement. The impact of Psychosocial stress can include being discriminated against or the experience of prejudice in areas like race, gender, sexual orientation.
There are some symptoms one may express when the development of Psychosocial stress begins to become more apparent. This can be quite similar to the other types of stresses discussed so far. It is important to be proactive in identifying change so that you can pinpoint the type of stress, or at least be able to talk to it so a professional can help.
- Physical symptoms: Headaches, muscle tension, stomach problems, fatigue, sleep apnea, changes in appetite.
- Emotional symptoms: Anxiety, depression, irritability, anger, general mood swings, feeling overwhelmed.
- Cognitive Symptoms: Difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, indecisiveness, unsettled mind.
- Behavioural symptoms: Social withdrawal, activity level changes, substance abuse, and increased risk-taking behaviour.
As these symptoms overlap with other stresses and symptoms of mental health, a proper understanding and attention to detail should be taken when understanding if this is the type of stress experienced.
There are ways to cope with Psychosocial stress similarly to the other stresses discussed thus far. Practise relaxation like deep breathing, meditation, yoga. Try to stay active through exercise as well as tapping into your network for support. Look into the type of food you are consuming and try to consistently balance out your meals, get enough sleep. Watch substance intake, try not to lean into alcohol and drugs when going through stress, it won't help in the long run.
What do you enjoy doing? Doing more of that whether it's an activity, or hobby eases the tension by doing what you love. Just because something is not a career path doesn't mean there is no value. If it makes you smile indulge. Another way to help is to look at your time management ability, making sure to prioritise what's important and taking it step by step to complete.
Lastly when you find yourself being negative or in a constant state of woe is me. Challenge those thoughts, start to replace them with more positive ideas and see what happens.
Occupational Stress:
It may seem like there are many different types of stresses and there are, what Kloc-In is doing here is creating a guide for the stresses to be aware of so you can better understand what they are and begin tackling them if you experience any.
Occupational stress is purely in line with work-related factors. This common problem can negatively affect individuals physically and mentally. This type of stress is more common than it should be and needs to be addressed. It is everyone’s responsibility to make the working environment pleasant for everyone to ensure a healthy work life balance.
Occupational stresses emerge from a number of factors, including workload, job demands, interpersonal conflicts, organisational changes, lack of control and autonomy within an individual's job. Some familiar signs of occupational stress vary but incorporate feeling overwhelmed like there is too much going on, or expected of you or just unrealistic targets and timeframes for deadlines. Strained concentration, losing focus easily and being distracted by the slightest things. The feeling of irritation, areas where you once showed patience is no longer, with the added feeling of anxiety. Other things like headaches and muscle tension can factor in as well.
In order to reduce these pressures that are linked to occupational health it is necessary for employers to take steps to include knowledge and resources of well-being in their overall values so it is embedded in its foundation. Providing resources and support for employees is helpful, as well as creating a positive work environment, a safe place for staff to feel heard and actively promoting work life balance. Individual employees can take steps to manage occupational stress, by practising good time-management skills, seeking social support and engaging in activities outside of work.
Traumatic Stress:
Just like the name suggests traumatic stress becomes present when exposed to a traumatic event or a series of trauma enhancing events. These incidents can be direct or indirect, meaning that the trauma can be something that directly affects you, or something affecting someone close to you or that you care about which is indirect. Indirectness can also be present when we don't know the person directly but feel deeply for the trauma they may be feeling. Factors that contribute to traumatic stress include experiencing or witnessing:
- Violence
- abuse
- Natural disasters
Traumatic stress can have a dramatic impact on a person's mental and physical health. With the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The are some symptoms to take notes of:
- Intrusive thoughts or memories of the traumatic event
- Avoidance of reminders of the trauma
- Negative changes in mood or thought patterns
- Increased arousal or hypervigilance
- Nightmares or flashbacks
Ways to manager Traumatic stress includes;
- Seeking help - Reach out to trusted friends, family or work colleagues. You may also look into specialists in mental health, specifically trauma based.
- Practice self-care - Engage in activities that promote relaxation like meditation, yoga, walking, deep breathing.
- Education - Learn more about the impact of trauma on mental and physical health and explore the resources available for trauma survivors.
- Connect with others - Consider joining a support group of other individuals who are experiencing a similar thing, focus on groups that have a recovery element.
- Take care of your physical being - Eat well, a balanced diet, exercise regularly and get enough sleep.
Psychological stress:
Another type of stress is Psychological stress which is linked to worrying, anxiety, fear and uncertainty, much like emotional stress. Again this stress can have notable consequences on a person's mental and physical health and overall well-being. To understand Psychological stress further, here are some symptoms that are linked to this type of stress.
- Increased worry and/or anxiety
- Sleep pattern changes - Difficult time sleeping and staying asleep
- Reduced energy and fatigue
- Headaches and stomach issues
- Notable changes in appetite
- Lacking concentration with difficulty making decisions
The type of worry a person gets when under financial strain, mounting bills, supporting others becomes out of a person's means but is still done. Problems with intimate and social relationships, pressure academically as well as work related stress. All play a vital role in psychological stress and should be monitored. When this type of stress persists, seek help and find ways to manage stress by:
- Relaxing - Deep breaths, meditation, yoga can reduce the level of anxiety felt.
- Exercise
- Social support - Talking to trusted friends, family or health professionals.
- Stay above negativity - When negative thoughts seep in, challenge them and think of more positive things.
Distress:
As we approach the end of this guide on the different types of stresses, we have to briefly touch on Distress. Distress is a negative state of emotions, mental or physical strain that is caused by a variety of things.
Causes:
- Illness
- Injury
- Trauma
- Stressful life events
Surrounding this is the anxiety and sadness that comes along when dealing with such causes. There is often an overwhelming amount of discomfort which then can have a negative association on a person's overall well-being.
Distress can combine some of the other stresses previously discussed including acute and chronic stress and can have a number of effects on a person's physical and mental well-being. This includes affected sleeping patterns, discomfort in the head, tiredness, appetite changes and an increased risk of developing mental health conditions like depression.
Being able to recognise distress is important and seeking the help needed either within a person's close circle of friends, trusted family and professional help is advised. This will help manage in the best way to ensure it is dealt with and not pushed to the side.
Eustress:
Not all types of stress are negative. Eustress is in fact a positive form of stress that is advantageous and stimulating, rather than having harmful traits, it's the type of stress that can help a person feel better, energised, focused and engaged. This aligns to the feeling of excitement, anticipation and challenge.
Eustress is different from distress, as distress is negative. Eustress can help to support performance, helping a person to achieve their goals. Some clear examples of eustress are taking on a challenge head on like a new work project, moving to a new country or city. Preparing for something competitive like a marathon. As well as tapping into highly thrilling activities such as bungee jumping, skydiving or even going on a rollercoaster ride at a theme park. Although these things can be scary and demanding they are extremely rewarding and improves personal development and helps us grow.
Eustress is typically associated with positive emotions and feelings of well-being, rather than negative. There are some common symptoms one may experience:
- Increased energy and motivation - Feeling more alert and focused with increased physical and mental energy.
- Improved performance - Eustress helps you perform better on tasks and challenges, as it can increase your ability to concentrate and find solutions.
- Positive impact on mood and emotions - The feeling of exhilaration, happiness and enthusiasm.
- Sense of achievement - Increases your ability to know that you are achieving, which leads to satisfaction when overcoming challenges and getting closer to your goals.
- Creativity and inspiration - Eustress can stimulate the creative juices and increase the ways we are inspired to keep going and get on with life.
Lean into the challenges of life to create that feeling of Eustress that can help you manage other types of stress by looking into the positives and finding refuge in locating solutions. Eustress can be a powerful force for positive change, it is important to manage it in a healthy way by taking care of yourself and staying focused on your goals. Harness this energy of eustress and use it to get closer to your personal and professional growth.
Last Thoughts…
There are different types of stresses, overall they are fuelled by the way we feel when events happen in our lives. Stress can come from all angles including work, relationships, finances, discrimination, etc. It's the challenge that day to day life can come with. Emotions can have a positive or negative effect of the type of stress felt, however there are a number of remedies to help you get through and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Look out for the symptoms to better understand the type of stress and get the help needed to operate at your best. We can’t always be up but we can start to understand what leads to stress and start to find ways to cope. Ask yourself questions that lead to answers and Kloc-in to the resources and professionals available to overcome. When Eustress is experienced, manage this feeling and transfer into other areas of your life where possible.
We are building a community and would love to better understand if there are other types of stresses we should discuss. Kloc-in and be a part of a community that truly cares about your health, well-being, and wellness. It's not just about where you are now, it's also about where you are going and the steps required to get there in the best way for you.
