Although many people assume stress is only a negative experience for the mind and body, stress can actually be good in that it can help enhance your performance. Understanding good and bad stress can empower you to manage your stress levels and live a happier, more relaxed life. Learn how to tell the difference between good and bad stress below.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Stress
There are two types of stress — eustress and distress. Eustress is the “good” stress that inspires and motivates people to complete tasks or perform their best. Distress refers to the “bad” stress that can quickly wear you down and impact your relationships, work and other aspects of life.
Stressors can cause pleasant adrenaline rushes, making it possible to enhance performance and feel an increased sense of motivation. However, too much stress can lead to diminished performance and performance anxiety. Finding a balance and recognizing which kind of stress you’re experiencing is key to increasing happiness and giving each task your best effort.
What Is Good Stress?
When we experience good stress, we feel a rush of excitement. Breathing rates and heart rates increase, and there’s a short-term change in the body, creating feelings of energy and preparation. This kind of stress can help us achieve our goals and navigate our daily tasks. Good stress can also alert us when something is wrong, or danger is present, empowering us to escape when needed.
Ultimately, stress is the body’s way of handling everyday pressures. Although these feelings can sometimes seem overwhelming, small amounts of this stress can help you focus on tasks. Under good stress, you’ll often feel like you have control over the potential outcome, empowering you to achieve greater success.
What Is Bad Stress?
Bad stress often has a longer-lasting effect than good stress. This type of stress can feel draining and have adverse effects if you don’t manage it well. Distress can prevent you from accomplishing your tasks and force you to live in a constant state of threat. The flight-or-flight response that can give you an edge in small bursts can become detrimental, affecting your mind and body.
When you experience too much bad stress, you may experience anxiety, rapid breathing, headaches, perspiration and similar symptoms. Often, distress will cause an overload of stress during situations you would usually not consider stressful. Staying in this state for prolonged periods can have different physical and mental effects, such as weakening your immune system, causing fatigue, increasing blood pressure and contributing to anxiety or depression.
Good Stress and Bad Stress Examples
You can add activities and goals to your life to reduce bad stress and increase good stress to feel excited and happy. You can often determine whether a situation will cause good or bad stress by analyzing how the thought of it makes you feel. As a general rule, good stress should come from activities you want to do, and you can reduce bad stress by only completing tasks you have to do if they’re absolutely necessary.
Bad stress could include situations like:
- Worrying about an upcoming exam or due date
- Feeling like friends or family are upset with you
- Facing a new, unwelcome change, such as attending a new school
- Needing to pay multiple bills at one time
- Coping with the loss of a family member or friend
- Working long hours
- Having little to no say in an outcome
- Losing a job or missing a developmental opportunity
- Facing harassment or discrimination
- Navigating a divorce or breakup
- Discovering a chronic injury or illness
- Overcoming a traumatic event like a natural disaster or violent crime
Examples of good stress could include:
- Getting physical exercise to build strength, endurance or flexibility
- Traveling to a new place for a vacation or visit
- Learning about something you have a passion for
- Tackling a project you’re excited about
- Beginning a new job or accepting a promotion
- Riding a roller coaster
- Buying a new house
- Getting married
- Going on a first date
- Preparing for the birth of a new child
- Competing in a sports game
- Developing a new skill
- Setting a new goal
Tips for Reducing Bad Stress
When everyday stressors become overwhelming, it’s important to have healthy ways of coping with those intense feelings. You can do several things to reduce bad stress in your life. Try these tips when you’re experiencing bad stress:
- Practice self-care: Self-care can lower your risk for mental and physical illnesses, increase your energy, boost your mood and help you embrace changes. Practicing self-care involves aligning activities with interests, hobbies or goals that bring you comfort. This process looks different for everyone, but common activities include going outside, eating healthy food, journaling or prioritizing sleep.
- Go for a walk: Going for a walk outdoors can reduce your stress. Being in nature can improve focus, lower blood pressure, enhance mood and strengthen your immune system. Whether you walk through your favorite park or wander around your garden, spending time outside can help relieve anxieties.
- Write it down: Many people use journaling as a coping mechanism because it empowers them to track anxiety systems, identify negative behaviors, engage in positive self-talk and prioritize their concerns and fears. You can follow prompts to help ease anxiety or free-write until you feel better about your situation. Either way, you can get your thoughts out in a meaningful way.
- Talk to someone: Talking to loved ones about your mental health can empower you to strengthen relationships and build a robust support system. If you’re overwhelmed with stress, reach out to see if someone close to you can help.
- Remember the positives: Reframing your thoughts can empower you to overcome challenges and refocus your thoughts on important life elements like your family and friends. You can reframe your negative thoughts by practicing mindfulness, labeling your thoughts, using a diary or practicing gratitude for the best things in your life.
- Ground yourself: Grounding can help you move away from intense emotions and focus on the world around you. There are several helpful methods for grounding, and each can alleviate some bad stress.
- Set sustainable boundaries: Boundaries are essential for every relationship, including at home and work. Blurred boundaries can lead to confusing and sometimes scary situations that constantly make you feel stressed. Whether you’re setting boundaries for a better work-life balance or voicing your need for some alone time, these boundaries can help you realign your focus.
- Get professional help: Sometimes stress is so overwhelming it feels like there is no end. When you’re experiencing these intense stressors, the best thing to do may be to seek professional help. A stress management therapist can help you identify common triggers and how to overcome stressful situations in a way that’s meaningful to you.
Find Stress Management Support
At Merrimack Valley Psychological Associates, we understand that everyday anxieties and stressors can quickly become overwhelming. When you choose us for stress management services, you can access a dedicated team ready to support you through your experiences.
We are proud to offer comprehensive stress management services to help a wide range of people, from adolescents to adults. We know each person is different, which is why we cater our counseling plans to your unique needs.
When you need help navigating stressors, trust our team to help. Contact us to learn more about or services and schedule an appointment.
