Is Stress Ever Good?

What comes up for you when you think of the word ‘stress’? Most of us would probably say that stress was negative, harmful, and something we would avoid if we could. But not all stress is bad. ‘Good stress’ or eustress as it’s known can help us feel prepared and energised when we need to perform well and it’s part of a healthy life. Read on to find out about how some types of stress can be useful and how therapy can help you manage stress in your life.

Good stress versus bad stress

Think back to the last time you felt excited and you felt your pulse quicken. Was it when you had the adrenaline rush of being on a theme park ride? Or maybe it was first date nerves. Situations like this provoke a stress response, but the big difference is, there’s no fear or threat. Some stress is necessary in life to keep us motivated, alert, energised, and ready to face what comes. At a certain level, it improves performance.

Though research has found that there is a tipping point at which stress begins to impact negatively on performance, and wellbeing.

Acute stress triggers the body’s stress response to enable us to deal with a pressing and temporary event or situation such as meeting a work deadline or passing an exam. Stress is commonly understood as the “fight or flight” response, a natural reaction to perceived threats. This response prepares our body to either confront or flee from danger by releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. While this reaction was useful for early humans facing physical threats, modern stressors do not usually benefit from this physical reaction. Although some stress can be motivating, too much can lead to negative physical and emotional symptoms.

We can deal with acute stress as long as we find ways to relax (i.e. calm or soothe our sympathetic nervous system)  afterwards and return to our normal state. Chronic stress is the most harmful kind of stress, and it occurs when we’re exposed to long-term stressors we feel we can’t do anything about. Examples of things that may provoke this type of stress are constant work pressures, ongoing financial worries, and relationship problems. We aren’t designed to cope with long-term stress, so it inevitably impacts on physical and mental wellbeing when we experience it.

Balancing good and bad stress

Are there enough things in your life that make you feel motivated, happy, and excited? Adding some ‘good’ stress to your life can be beneficial and help you rediscover that zest for life that often gets lost when bad stress overwhelms us. You can try:

Learning or trying something new-Learning new skills like a language and experiencing new things such as trying a new hobby can take you out of your comfort zone and challenge you in a positive way.

Getting physical-Exercising can be a way of adding some good stress into your life. Over time, you can challenge yourself to get stronger, run further, or become more flexible.

How therapy can help with stress

Talking therapy can help you get to the bottom of what’s causing your stress, and maybe even change your perception of it. What if instead of thinking about something as a threat, you saw it as a challenge to overcome? A therapist can help you change your perception and experience of stress by helping you:

• Focus on the resources and strengths you have.
• See potential opportunities in a stressful situation.
• Replace negative thoughts about the stressful situation or event with more positive ones.
• Teach you new skills such as breathing or mindfulness.
• Be an outlet for you to share your worries.

This is not easy, but eventually, being able to think this way about the stressors you face will help you become more resilient, improve your wellbeing, and enable you to have a more positive view of yourself and your life.