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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
There are some symptoms you may come across when dealing with chronic stress:
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:
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:
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:
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.
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:
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:
Ways to manager Traumatic stress includes;
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.
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:
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:
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:
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.