Introduction
Consider these scenarios: a young woman stepping into a new managerial role in her job, a college student balancing a full course load with a part-time job, and a working professional caring for an aging parent. While their situations differ, these people share a common thread – they are all experiencing stress. But what exactly is stress? How is acute stress different from chronic stress? What toll does it take on our mental and physical well-being? And crucially, how can we effectively manage it? In this post, we'll delve into these questions, exploring the nature of stress and its impact on our lives.
What is Stress?
While we often think of stress as something negative, and spend so much time trying not to feel stressed, it’s important to appreciate that stress is a deeply hard-wired response in all of us that may actually be the reason why human beings are still around today. From an evolutionary psychology viewpoint, we can think of stress as a “threat-detection system” that developed in humans as a way to handle threats and stay safe. Back in the days of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, experiencing stress meant gearing up to either fight or escape a dangerous situation—like facing off with a wild animal or an enemy. This "fight-or-flight" response gave people a quick burst of energy and focus, which was crucial for making it through life-or-death situations.
Today, the threats we experience are much more often emotional than they are physical; instead of wild animals, we’re dealing with work deadlines, money problems, final exams, or relationship issues. But our bodies interpret these situations as threatening and still react the same way, increasing our heart rate, releasing adrenaline, and going on high alert. Even though these stressors don’t require physical action and aren’t life-threatening (like that wild animal our ancestors encountered) our body doesn’t know the difference and so it treats them the same way.
So now that we know where stress comes from, lets unpack the two main types of stress: acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is short-term, and is what you feel when you're facing a challenge right now. It usually goes away once the situation's over. Take a big exam for example. You might feel super stressed about it beforehand, but it's temporary and once the exam is over, your stress about it will go away too. In fact, you may find that some stress in these situations is beneficial! Low levels of stress has been shown to help make people sharper and more focused. Chronic stress, though, is long-term stress. It sticks around because of ongoing problems or pressures that just won't quit. Think of something like money troubles that never seem to end, or a job where you're always under the gun with tight deadlines. In these situations, there is no quick fix or big event that will end and take the stress with it. When dealing with these chronic stressors, we can find ourselves stuck in a fight-or-flight state.
Our bodies weren't built to stay in a state of stress long-term, so the same response that helped us survive in the past can actually wear us down over time. When we stay in a state of stress for a long time, it can have a major impact on our mental and physical health.
Mental Health Effects of Stress
Chronic stress isn’t just about feeling tense or overwhelmed for a little while; it can really take a toll on mental health over time. When you are in a state of chronic stress, your mind and body stay on high alert, which leads to a whole range of effects like constant anxiety, irritability, and even a sense of burnout. Over time, your brain actually gets used to being stressed, which makes it harder to relax and switch into “rest mode,” even when you have a chance to unwind. To stick with our example pf taking an exam, instead of feeling calm once the exam is over, you may notice that your mind starts looking for the next thing to worry about. Maybe you start worrying if you wrote down your answers correctly, or begin going over your answers again and again, or you may start thinking about an assignment in another class that’s coming up. This can mess with your sleep, drain your energy, and leave you feeling mentally exhausted.
On top of that, chronic stress can make it tough to manage emotions. Little annoyances start to feel like huge problems, and you might find yourself reacting more intensely than usual. For many people, this stress also leads to feeling disconnected from friends and family, or even to feeling hopeless. Left unchecked, chronic stress can also increase the risk of more serious mental health issues, like anxiety disorders and depression.
Physical Health Effects of Stress
Chronic stress doesn’t just mess with your mind—it takes a real toll on your body, too. When stress is always hanging around, your body stays in a state of high alert, which means markers like your heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels are constantly up. Over time, this can lead to some serious health issues. For example, high blood pressure and a constantly racing heart can increase the risk of heart disease, while all that extra cortisol can mess with your immune system, making you more likely to get sick.
Long-term stress can also show up in ways that might seem unrelated at first, like headaches, stomach problems, or even muscle pain. That’s because stress triggers inflammation in the body, which can aggravate pain and digestive issues. On top of that, many people dealing with chronic stress have trouble sleeping, which only makes things worse. Without enough rest, the body doesn’t have a chance to recover, leading to even more physical exhaustion and health problems.
When to Seek Professional Help for Stress
When stress starts to become unmanageable, it usually shows up in ways that make everyday life more difficult. You might feel drained all the time, snap at people over small things, or find it hard to focus on tasks that used to be easy. Physical signs can pop up too, like headaches, muscle tension, pain, or stomach issues. Emotionally, it might feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster, or you may notice yourself pulling away from friends and family.
Conclusion
Chronic stress can feel overwhelming, but recognizing its presence, and its impact, are the first steps toward taking back control. Small changes in how we handle daily pressures can make a big difference in both mental and physical health. Whether it’s setting aside time for relaxation, seeking support from friends or a therapist, or building healthier routines, managing stress is about finding what works best for you.
If your stress is feeling unmanageable, our experienced therapists at Gofman Therapy and Consulting are ready to help. With our expertise in treating both the mental and physical impacts of chronic stress, we will help you find balance and build the tools you need to feel like yourself again. Reach out today and take that first step toward a healthier, more resilient you.