Not all the news about stress is bad.
As Hans Selye, the pioneer researcher in the field of stress, said, “Stress is
the spice of life.” He termed the good kind of stress eustress, as opposed to distress, or the nasty kind of stress. (The
“eu” part of eustress comes from the Greek, meaning “good.”) Stress can be a
positive force in your life. Watching a close playoff game, taking a ride at an
amusement park, solving an interesting problem, falling in love — all can be
stressful. Yet these are the kinds of stresses that add to the enjoyment and
satisfaction of our lives. We want more of this kind of stress, not less.
And
even many of the less pleasant uncertainties and surprises of life can be a
source of challenge and even excitement and interest. That nervousness you’re
experiencing about that presentation you’re making tomorrow can actually
improve your performance. The right amount of stress can motivate you, focus
you, and get you to perform at your peak. Change and the pressures of modern
life don’t necessarily create the bad kind of stress. Rather, how you view the
potential stresses in your life and how you cope with them make all the
difference.
“But I thrive on stress”
“I’m
at my best when I’m under pressure — a tight deadline, a major crisis. That’s
when I feel most alive, most vital.” A surprising number of people claim to
thrive on stress. They like to be challenged, to have their abilities stretched
and tested. For them this is a good kind of stress that can be satisfying and
rewarding. Many people who claim to thrive on stress are workaholics. They get
stressed when they have nothing to do. Lying on a beach, sitting in the park —
now that’s stressful for them!
Interestingly
enough, some research suggests that part of the addictive quality that some
people feel about stress may be more than just psychological. It may be that
people can become hooked on the adrenaline secretions that occur during a
stress response. Like other addictions, this adrenaline boost may be
experienced by some people as pleasurable. This could explain that feeling of
being “truly alive” that some people feel when they are super-stressed. Most of
the rest of us, however, could live quite nicely without this boost, thank you
very much.
Copyright © Allen Elkin Phd – Originally appeared in Stress Management for Dummies 2nd edition by Allen Elkin
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