WHAT IS STRESS?

"Being in an activated state to meet a perceived increase in demands"

There are actually two different types of stress we may encounter, both involve activation of our sympathetic nervous system, or fight or flight response as it is commonly known as.

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Imagine you are given a tight deadline on a project. Initially it's daunting, but the increase in demands results in some often overlooked benefits. You increase your focus, put more dedicated effort in and maybe you pull together as a team or call upon help to get the project over the line. This is 'Eustress' and it has sent us into an activated state which enables your peak performance and helps you to thrive. We get a buzz from being in the flow state and feel good when we our smashing our targets. This Eustress isn't reserved for work, if you are at the pub with friends enjoy conversation and laughs you're activated to a degree and it's making you feel good, rather than being in total relaxation horizontal on the couch at home.

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Conversely, imagine the demands at work or home are too great or maybe too frequently you're required to be in that activated state. If we perceive that we do not possess the sufficient resources to match these demands we will experience 'Distress'. Resources can come in many forms such as; training, adopted coping strategies or asking for help. Without these resources in place we may begin to display a number of signs and symptoms evidencing this distress.