There are many different types of stress…
Stress affects each one of us in different ways, according to the cause and its effects. Therefore, there are different kinds of stress recognized by clinical and research studies.
It is important for each of us to recognize the cause of stress in order to know how to deal with it, and hopefully reduce stress levels. Moreover, each type of stress has different approaches to treatment.
Basically, there are three known types of stress: acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress. However, a fourth kind – psychological stress – is also becoming more prevalent and is considered as a legitimate type of stress.
Acute Stress
This is the most common form of stress, which results from the pressures one is subjected to in their everyday life. In small doses of acute stress, it can actually be beneficial to us. Think of athletes that are about to compete in an event. They experience acute stress, which triggers the production of adrenaline and giving them a burst of energy needed to perform their best.
The symptoms for this type of stress are easily recognizable and mostly affects us for only a short term. Common symptoms include back or neck pain, muscular tensions, headache, rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, cold hands or feet.
Episodic Acute Stress
As mentioned above, acute stress is quite common to most people. However, there are a few others who experience it more often than others. These people are the ones who are so focused on achieving organization and yet always fail when it comes to performance. Therefore, it is not surprising that they often become irritable, if not with themselves then their initial environment. This also explains why they find the workplace quite a stressful environment.
Other forms of episodic acute stress are those people who keep worrying. They have become so pessimistic about the environment that they always project something wrong would happen. As a result, they end up feeling awful, tense, or anxious without having clear reasons for feeling that way.
Chronic Stress
This is the type of stress that wears one out. Plus, it builds up over time and can produce long-term effects on a person, whether emotionally or physically. Most forms of chronic stress are caused by trauma that they find difficult to let go and so it continues to disrupt their everyday lives.
One problem with chronic stress is that people often believe that it is something that is innate to them and that they cannot get rid of. Thus, it makes treating this condition difficult because it is often ignored by the person affected by it. It can, however, be treated through stress management procedures and behavioral treatment.
Psychological Stress
Stress has its own set of complexity. With the different types outlined above, psychological stress concerns more of a person’s ability to respond to a given situation.
To be specific, the loss of that ability. During dangerous situations, your body produces hormones known as adrenaline and cortisol that prompts the body to make a response.
Compare this to charging a battery that produces a high voltage that must be discharged. In the case of a person suffering from psychological stress, the body fails to discharge that burst of energy that is produced. The continued increase in your heart rate and the production of adrenaline could result to problems with your heart.
There are several reasons as to how one acquires psychological stress but it can include trauma suffered from an emotionally disturbing event in the past or other emotional anxiety.
The problem with people suffering from psychological stress is that they tend to induce more stress in their lives by subjecting themselves to stressful situations.
Today, there are many excellent ways to help you release and successfully discharge the stress from your life – be sure and connect with me to explore solutions to your stress.
What a great break down of the different types of stress. I had no idea there were different types. thanks for the great information, Moira!
Great article on stress, great tips. Discernment is important to see what is good or bad stress! There are actually some that do us good. 🙂
Thanks for the breakdown on the different types of stress. There are days where I feel I have more than 1 type. Doing everything in my power to minimize it for my own health. Great article, Moira!
Having experienced decades of chronic and psychological stress as a result of secondhand drinking (coping with various loved ones’ untreated, unhealthily discussed, unacknowledged alcohol misuse), pursuing help as you suggest to identify, address and handle stress is so important for people to understand for their physical and emotional health’s sake. Thanks for sharing!
Really good tips! Thank you!
Great tips. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the helpful tips. I think the best way to get out of stress is to commit to something positive, exercising or volunteering are two examples and start small. You will be proud of yourself.
Thanks Burton – I agree with your tips – feeling better and being proud of ourselves are powerful motivators of change!
Interesting article, Moira. I had not given much thought to the different types of stress–though, clearly, I have experienced all of them at one time or another. In reviewing the stressful periods in my life, I can see that the response to them and their effects would definitely differ.
Thanks for your comments Marie Leslie – it’s so true that we cycle through different phases of stress depending who we are being and what the situation is!
I liked everything about this post. I learned so much! Stress is such an interesting subject and I think too many times gets pushed under the rug or rationalized away. So many are irritable or sad and don’t understand it’s due to stress. Thanks for the explanation of all the different types of stress. So interesting . . .
Thanks Martha! Yes – stress is a fascinating subject… one that I believe we need to fully understand in order not to become overwhelmed by it!
I know much of my stress comes from financial worries. I’ve trained myself to be a positive person as the damage stress does to my body is nasty. I much prefer to focus on good things and bring these to my life.
Good for you Kathy – it does take dedication and discipline to maintain a positive outlook – but the pay off is awesome!!
Fabulous article Moira and so on the nose. As someone who collapsed from adrenal overload, I know how important it is (now…almost too late) to find ways to respond differently to what is going on, especially for those chronic stress situations. Believe me, it’s well worth the effort to learn a different way to see things>
I can totally relate MamaRed (I’ve burnt out myself) – it is really important to find different ways to discharge stress reactions.
Ah yes – worry is a tough stressor! I hope you are finding some good tools, techniques and support to release the effects.
Great article! I recollect an experience where I had fallen and my left leg was trapped between a train and the platform. The train was about to leave the station in Tokyo. Although I screamed for help, no one would help me. When the adrenaline kicked in and I turned into superhuman strength, I literally flew up and out of the trapped space and boarded the train. The amount of sweat that poured out of my pours was amazing. For me, it was a demonstration of our inner strength and that God placed the hormone epinephrine in our systems to help us in these situations. I am forever grateful.
Thanks for sharing that amazing story Barbara! It’s so true that we actually DO have incredible strength flowing through us – it’s at moments like you experienced that we get to witness it’s full awesomeness.
I think much of my stress comes from having too many things to do on my “to do” list and not feeling like I can complete them in a timely manner..I definitely need to find a way to be better with time management..I think the only way to do it is to be on the internet less:)
Ah yes Daniele – isn’t amazing how much time can disappear when we are on the internet! I love the fact that I can “carry over” items on my “to do” list – it’s a good way to reduce stress 🙂
So
great to learn there are different types of stress. Great as well to know
each of their causes and symptoms. But how are they linked, is it possible to
experience them all at the same time?
Hey Lorii 🙂 ~Understanding the various types of stress is helpful in learning to recognize and release the issues… they are all linked by the fact that they cause tension and anxiety on some level and yes – it’s perhaps possible to experience them all at the same time – but then it would really be a time to sit down and work through the layers to release tension and learn to relax in the moment.
I was fascinated to read about the different forms of stress, Moira. I see different ones at different stages of my life … and slivers of several as I go through my busy days. It helps to be able to “baptize” them!
Thanks Sharon – Yes awareness of the different types (and effects) of stress is key in helping shift through the experience without getting overly caught by the effect!
Acute stress…the best way for me to work. If I don’t have enough to do, the things I have to do don’t get done either or take f o r e v e r 😉