6 Things you Didn’t Know about Stress

Stress is such an innocuous word for all the trouble it can cause. Did you know that stress can cause serious medical issues like cancer, obsessive compulsive disorder and clinical depression? Sure, that seems like common sense. But there is a whole world of things to know about stress. Here are six things you didn’t know.

Beneficial and Not So Beneficial Types of Stress

Did you ever think you’d come across a type a stress that’s good for you? This magical, helpful stress is called eustress. You need that kind of stress to have a healthier, more fulfilling and exciting life. Have you ever been on one of those amusement park rides that slowly carries you up, up, up a gigantic tower? You know that ride that pauses for a breathless second at the tippy top and then drops you back down to earth? Well, eustress develops when you do things like that. Or when you go sky diving, play laser tag and even when you fall in love.

You Can Stop Your Stress Reaction Right Now

When it’s time to fight or flee, your body produces the necessary biochemical reactions to get you in top physical shape. If you remain in that state and don’t calm yourself down right away, the stress could have an adverse effect on your health. In order to train yourself back down from that flight-or-flee high, you can practice stress relief techniques like meditation or breathing techniques.
Even Small Amounts of Stress Can Affect Your Health

Large amounts of stress can cause serious issues, as previously mentioned. Smaller amounts and shorter periods of stress, likewise, can wear down your immune system. The likelihood of developing an illness is greater when you are under stress, even if the stresses are relatively small. Your brain and body react the same whether the stress is life threatening or a simple annoyance that upsets you.

You Can Prevent a Significant Amount of Stress in Your Life from Occurring

This one is pretty easy, so without mincing words, here are some ways you can prevent high levels of stress:

Healthy diet
Close, meaningful friendships
Regular exercise
Relaxation and meditation
Positive outlook
Fun activities
Professional help, as necessary

Not Everyone Experiences Stress in the Same Way

We are all unique, born with different qualities and personalities. Two people may experience the same thing, but perceive it in different ways. What stresses one person out doesn’t necessarily stress out someone else. The stressor might be the same, but the external event isn’t what causes stress—the reaction to the stressor is. You can change how you react to stressors by practicing different stress management techniques, such as mediation.

By Imagining Your Stress Gone, It Can Be

And finally, banishing the stress! Such tricks as guided imagery and visualizations actually help you think away your stress. Here are some other ways to imagine away your stress:
Positive self-talks
Journaling
Art or other creative outlets
Group talks with friends
Meditation

Try a couple or all of those techniques to see which one better helps you banish your stress.