Suppose I ask you “How are you today?”

and your reply is “Oh, I am stressed!”
But sometimes you don’t even know what are you stressed about, Right?

Knowing which stressors trigger you is vital and powerful information and the beginning steps toward living a healthier, stress-reduced life. Stress is actually a normal part of life. At times, it serves a useful purpose. Stress can motivate you. But if you don’t get a handle on your stress and it becomes long-term, it can seriously interfere with your job, family life, and health. Everyone has different stress triggers.

MAIN TYPES OF STRESS

Stress is your body’s reaction to the demands of the world. Stressors are events or conditions in your surroundings that may trigger stress. Your body responds to stressors differently depending on whether the stressor is new or short term (acute stress) or whether the stressor has been around for a longer time (chronic stress).

1. ACUTE STRESS

Acute stress is caused by daily demands and pressure and it occurs only in a very short period of time. Acute stress is one of the least damaging types of stress, which is good because it is also the most common type. We experience acute stress multiple times throughout the day. Acute stress is experienced as an immediate perceived threat, either physical, emotional, or psychological. For example: Riding a roller coaster is a kind of acute stress which brings excitement or suppose you are Almost getting into a car accident or giving a speech in front of people. Acute stress can be easily managed because it occurs and then it’s over. You feel your heartbeat in your throat, you become hyper-aware of everything around you, and feel pumped. These are signs that your stress hormones are hard at work.

2. CHRONIC STRESS

This is stress resulting from repeated exposure to situations that lead to the release of stress hormones. This type of stress can cause wear and tear on your mind and body. Chronic stress not only has detrimental effects on our physical health but also has a large impact on mental health. Depression and burn-out are commonly linked to chronic stress. But even before one reaches a state of depression or burnout the first thing to happen is increased anxiety. Many factors can trigger a stress response, including dangerous situations and psychological pressures, such as work deadlines, exams, and sporting events. The physical effects of stress usually do not last long. However, some people find themselves in a nearly constant state of heightened alertness. This is chronic stress.

Can you identify some internal pressures and some outside factors that can cause you to feel stressed?

External Stressors

Some stressors come from external factors, which are forces that you can’t easily control. Examples include major life events, discovering your pay has been cut, urgent deadlines, or an upcoming exam.

Here are some examples of external stressors :

1. Major life changes
   These changes can be positive, such as a new marriage, a planned pregnancy, a promotion or a new house. Or they can be negative, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce.
2. Workplace
   Common stress at work includes Heavy workload, Unrealistic demands, Organisational change, Lack of recognition, Poor interpersonal relationships, Harassment.
3. Relationship difficulties
   Your relationship difficulties truly take a toll on your physical health and affect your emotional well-being as well. It can leave you feeling frazzled, overwhelmed, and less confident in handling other stress you face in life.
4. Financial worries
   Financial worries can take a huge toll on your mental health, your relationships, and your overall quality of life. Feeling beaten down by money worries can adversely impact your sleep, self-esteem, and energy levels.
5. Unpredictable events
   Some stressors may not be predictable, for example, illness of a spouse, death of spouse, meeting with an accident or traumatic event and being retrenched.
6. Social                                                                           Social stress can also emerge in the context of evaluating performance situations, where others could be judgmental or critical, or in contexts in which one feels rejected, ostracized, or ignored.

INTERNAL STRESSORS

Some stressors are internal stress-inducing thoughts or behaviours. These thoughts come from one’s psychological mind set or expectations. Examples include putting pressure on yourself to be perfect or fear of public speaking. In more serious cases, internal stressors may lead to feelings of depression and anxiety.

Here are some common internal stressors :

1. Inability to accept uncertainty
   Fear of the unknown can trigger the physiological state of stress, says Patel-Dunn. Low tolerance of uncertainty has been associated with mental health conditions like depression, generalized anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
2. Negative self talk
   Focusing on negative thoughts may lead to depression motivation as well as greater feelings of helplessness. Those who find themselves frequently engaging in negative self-talk tends to be more stressed.
3. Unrealistic expectations
   Perfectionism is an unrealistic standard that can never be met which creates stress and anxiety. You expect too much and always fall short. Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility.
4. All-or-nothing attitude
   All-or-nothing thinking often involves using absolute terms, such as never or ever. This type of faulty thinking can also include an inability to see the alternatives in a situation or solutions to a problem. Need to always be perfect
5. Fears
   Common ones include fear of failure, fear of public speaking, and fear of flying.
6. Beliefs
   These might be attitudes, opinions, or expectations. When your beliefs conflict with the way you are living your life, stress may result.

Internal and external stressors can have the same physical and psychological effects. You may have trouble sleeping, lose your appetite or lose interest in daily activities. You may be irritable, have headaches or stomach pains, or find that you cry easily. Know which stressor triggers you is the first step toward solving it. By beginning to identify and understand the sources of your stress, you have taken the first step in learning to better manage it. Manage it, not eliminate it.

Stress is a normal fact of life. And that ok. You can learn ways to handle it.