Aghh that word Stress again……….

The word “stress” or being “stressed” has become evidently so popular in people’s vocabulary in recent years.   But have you ever stopped to think for a second and answer the question, what does the word “stress” actually mean?

The Oxford dictionaries definition of stress when related to human behaviour is:

“A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances”

The actual word “stress” has been used since the fourteenth century; however the term stress and our interpretation of stress back then would have consisted of a slightly different meaning and understanding.  In the fourteenth century it would have been more to do with suffering with regards deprivation, or affliction, and adversity, and very little to do with our psychology. The word “stress” when related to the field of psychology is actually a fairly new concept and was first explained by Walter Cannon in 1932, in his research describing the fight or flight theory.   

In today’s world when someone says “I’m stressed” we automatically know what they mean, and our interpretation of that is most always a negative one.   However when we look deeper into the term stress from a science perspective, psychologists explain that there are two types of stress. Stress that is harmful to us, termed “distress”, and a stress that has a positive impact to us, which is termed “eustress”.   An example of negative stress maybe experienced during bereavement in the family. Whereas a positive stress maybe that experienced following a parachute jump or roller coaster ride.

In the two examples mentioned above, the person has been subjected to known “stressors”, being the experience of bereavement or that of the rollercoaster ride.  Therefore to undergo stress we must therefore experience a specific “stressor”, which can be defined as:

 “a chemical or biological agent, environmental condition, event or external stimulus that causes our body to trigger a stress response”.  

From this definition it becomes clear that pretty much anything and everything experienced in our daily lives can cause us to undergo a stress response.   Once subjected to a particular stressor our body will then experience various physiological, psychological, behavioural, and biochemical changes in response to the stressor and this my good friends is what I call experiencing “Stress”.  

At Make Space we educate everyone on symptoms of the stress response in a practical sense, so that it has meaning to you.   We understand that every person has a different life story and presents with many various life stressors. At Make Space we individualise our services and give you practical advice and tools which allows you to manage your specific triggers of the stress response.  

If you want to live with a clearer, more focused mind, which is able to better manage the everyday stressors that life throws at you, then please do not hesitate to contact us.   

As always be mindful!