Different types of stress
We all tend to associate stress with unhelpful feelings and situations. However stress is part of our normal human experience and can be a helpful response.
Helpful feelings associated with stress
Feeling motivated, excited, full of energy, on a high
Helpful situations associated with stress
A new challenge, a new job, flying on a plane, a first date, passing an exam, going somewhere new, birth of a baby
The amount of stress and type of stress we experience, helpful or unhelpful, very often depends on what we think, feel and do in particular situations. There may be situations listed above that you don’t associate with helpful feelings, for example, for some people flying on a plane would be very stressful situation with…
Unhelpful thoughts
I know the plane is going to crash
Unhelpful feelings
Constantly feeling sick at the thought of flying
Unhelpful behaviour
Drinking too much to calm your nerves to get on the plane
For others, they would find flying an exciting experience.
Remember that what is stressful to one person may not be for another.
Sometimes it feels like everything is coming at you at the same time and it’s all getting on top of you. When you don’t know what to do, it can be helpful to think about where your sources of stress are coming from.
At some time or another, we all experience stressful events in our lives, for example:
Events like Christmas and holidays can also increase our stress levels.
Very often we don’t recognise that we are heading for stress overload, because it is the build-up of many everyday hassles, rather than one major stressful event.
Some examples to help you think about your everyday sources of stress.
