It is called distress or distress to negative stress. Stress is the body’s response to a threatening situation. While stress is negative in and of itself, when it becomes chronic, it can start to produce negative consequences.
Stress, Eustress and Distress
People often talk about stress because of the way those of us who live, especially in large cities, live. But Not all stress is bad, and not all stress is stress.
Stress has various meanings, the most general and common to describe it is that of a reaction of the organism to a situation that is perceived as threatening or of increased demand. This reaction can be both to an environmental factor and to a stimulus.
Currently, the constant pressure exerted by work, education or obligations keeps many people in a state of alert before the need to meet these objectives. When this situation is accentuated or extended over time, it can become negative for the body.
But, stress in a certain amount is positive and necessary for human beings. It is a natural process that allows humans to solve problems using our abilities. That is why when we talk about this topic we can divide it between two opposite emotional responses, eustress and distress.
Positive stress: Eustress
The eustress it is the kind of stimulation that allows us to experience the world as it is. A way of relating to the outside that does not provide organic imbalances but pleasant sensations. It’s part of our adaptability.
This type of stimulation is achieved, for example, by using relaxation techniques that allow us to be in harmony with what surrounds us and remove distress. It prepares us for a creative life and in harmony with ourselves.
Eustress is then a positive emotional response to a certain situation. Knowing this definition, we understand that a little stress is always necessary, because we need external stimuli to feel motivated.
The problem -like everything in life- occurs when we have it in excess.
Negative stress: Distress
When stress becomes a repetitive situation and can also produce negative consequences for health, it becomes distress or distress
It is a level of internal or external stimulus that, through repetition and perseverance, ends up producing fatigue, tiredness and problems in the body, such as loss of appetite or inflammation in the digestive system.
The causes of distress there are many, but it is usually related to the work stress. It is very common for people who go through this type of situation to appear “burned out”. This type of syndrome caused by work stress is called ”burnout syndrome”
The Distress has severe physical and psychological consequences, especially if it lasts for a long time. At one extreme, it can lead to cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease. You may also experience symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, decreased sexual desire, dizziness, digestive problems, among others.
In the psychic aspect, there is a lack of creativity, irrational behavior, aggressiveness, insecurity, lack of concentration, depression and impatience.
As stress is also used to name situations in which there is a negative stimulus on the body, some diseases are called with the word distress. But they do not have to do in particular with a psychic situation but with associated pre-existing diseases. It is the case of respiratory distress.
Work stress and distress
There are many factors that cause negative stress in the world of workthis type of distress is identified as burnout syndrome.
It generally appears in people who have poorly paid vocational professions or lack the vocation to continue. When the demand is too high and the reward too low, the person is discouraged from moving forward.
It can also happen when there is an excess demand for work and poor working conditions. The lack of personal fulfillment, the bad working environment, the bad communication with the team and the lack of interest on the part of the organizations are factors that lead to this imbalance.
How can we deal with distress?
First of all, it is important to identify the situation and seek the help of a professional. It is important to attend to the physical consequences but also the psychological ones, since the problem has an emotional origin.
Then start giving more space to life and personal space. Find an activity you enjoy or take a few minutes a day to relax your mind and dispel negative thoughts.
Exercise routines, as well as meditation and mindfulness they are tools that are there for your health and well-being.
Ask yourself what you like and give yourself a space in the week to do it. “I don’t have time” is not an excuse. The place always exists, the issue is knowing how to manage it to give it what we want without failing to meet our commitments.
Sources: Wikipedia, Web prevention, Psychoactive.