Distinguishing Between Healthy & Unhealthy Stress

Dealing with stress is a natural part of life. It propels us to act, alerts us to problems, and sharpens our focus during high-pressure situations. However, not all stress is created equal. It is important to understand the differences between healthy and unhealthy forms of stress so that we can recognize when we need help. This article will discuss what these differences are, identify the risk factors for unhealthy stress, and explore helpful coping strategies for managing unhealthy stress.

Healthy Stress (Eustress) is a Motivator

When you encounter challenges, your body’s stress response is activated to help you manage the situation. This type of stress can be beneficial—it builds resilience, enhances performance, and encourages personal growth.

For example, preparing for a job interview or giving a public presentation may cause your heart rate to rise and increase your alertness. These are normal responses that help you stay focused. Once the challenge is over, the stress usually subsides, and you are often left with a sense of accomplishment for stepping outside your comfort zone.

• Effects are short-term and specific to the situation.
• Increased energy, motivation, and concentration
• Accompanied by excitement and anticipation.
• Leads to problem-solving and adaptability.
• Builds mental strength.

Unhealthy Stress (Distress) is a Drainer

When your stress response starts running on overdrive, it leads to a more chronic and negative form of stress. Unhealthy stress results when the challenge at hand exceeds your ability to resolve it or cope. This can lead to feelings of helplessness, frustration, and irritability. Chronic stress can also suppress your immune system, making you more susceptible to sickness, and it can contribute to physical illnesses such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and digestive issues. The following signs are indicative of unhealthy stress:

• Long-lasting, recurring, and not specific to a situation
• Emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion
• Burnout and overwhelm.
• Disordered anxiety and panic
• Can lead to harmful coping behaviours such as substance abuse or emotional eating.
• Can negatively relationships
• Interferes with daily functioning.

Risk Factors for Unhealthy Stress

While stress can be helpful in the short term, it can turn into unhealthy or chronic stress when it becomes constant and overwhelming. This often happens when you are repeatedly exposed to high-pressure situations, feel unsupported, or are dealing with ongoing instability in your life.

Over time, if you are forced to push through without proper rest and recovery, your body’s stress response can become dysregulated meaning it stays “on” even when the immediate threat or challenge is gone.

Breaking the cycle of chronic stress starts with recognizing the underlying causes and patterns that contribute to it.

High-stress Jobs

• Persisting work demands without enough support, direction, or clarity.
• Lack of work-life balance
• Unpredictable work hours
• Unrealistic work expectations

Financial Instability

• Inability to pay the bills.
• Inability to save money.
• Uncertainty around future financial situation
• Difficulty finding work or working a low-income job.
• Unstable work hours and inconsistent paychecks

Demanding Caregiving Responsibilities

• Single parenting or lack of support with caregiving responsibilities
• Having a child with special needs
• Caring for elderly parents or other family members
• Balancing caregiving with other life demands

Life Transitions

• Dealing with breakup, separation, or divorce
• Grieving the loss of a loved one
• Being diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness
• Relocating to an unfamiliar environment

Unstable Living Situation

• Living in a dangerous neighbourhood
• Frequently relocating to different residences
• Homelessness
• Living in poverty
• Lack of access to necessities or medical care
• Living with abuse, neglect, and other forms of trauma

Interpersonal Distress

• Lacking connection with family or friends
• Lacking a sense of belongingness
• Relationship and communication issues

Individual Characteristics

• Perfectionistic tendencies
• High self-criticism
• Neuroticism
• Low self-confidence and self-esteem
• Emotion dysregulation and anger mismanagement
• Aversion to uncertainty or ambiguity
• Social withdrawal and mistrust of others

Coping Strategies for Unhealthy Stress

Having healthy coping mechanisms is crucial for your wellbeing and success in life. While chronic stress increases your risk of various complications, the good news is that you can significantly alleviate the impacts of these complications with the right strategies. Even if you are unable to eliminate all stressors in your life, you have control over how you respond to these stressors. Let us go over seven strategies to help you achieve this.

1. Identify Your stressors. Gaining clarity on the aspects of your life that are creating chronic stress for you is the first step toward change and healing.
2. Set Boundaries. Setting boundaries in your relationships or around how you spend your time, what tasks you want to take on, and whether you need to say no can help you create limits and keep your expectations of yourself realistic.
3. Break Down Tasks & Goals. Rather than trying to tackle massive things all at once, break them down into smaller, more doable steps. This will help you better structure and organize your time which will lead to feelings of productivity and accomplishment.
4. Stay Active. Exercise is a natural endorphin booster, and it helps to reduce stress hormones. This makes it a powerful and effective coping strategy for managing chronic stress.
5. Get Enough Sleep. Poor sleep quality contributes to emotion dysregulation and lower resilience. Ensuring that you get enough hours of sleep every night will help you recover from the day’s work and regain mental and physical energy.

6. Eat Nutritious Foods. Healthy food improves your body’s ability to deal with the negative effects of chronic stress by repairing damaged cells and maintaining healthy immunity. In contrast, unhealthy and sugary foods can elevate cortisol levels, thereby leading to increased stress.

7. Practice Relaxation Techniques. An uncomplicated way to immediately relax your nervous system is by deep breathing. Try repeating the boxed breathing technique until you feel a sense of relief in the moment. Additionally, you can practice meditation or yoga which are effective strategies in reducing your baseline stress levels.

It is Okay to Seek Help

Keeping your stress to yourself can make things worse over time. You might feel like you just need to keep pushing through, but without support or healthy ways to cope, the effects of stress can build up and take a toll on your mental and physical well-being. Discussing your struggles with loved ones, a support group, or a therapist can help relieve pressure, give you new insights and perspectives on your stress, and help you feel less alone in your struggles. If you need a safe space that can offer you support, guidance, or simply a listening ear to help you sort through your thoughts, I welcome you to reach out to me Marina Daif, RP (Qualifying) #11207 at marina.daif@mylifecounselling.ca