Understanding Stress
Stress is defined as the tension an individual feels when facing a demanding or uncomfortable situation. It can also be described as an alarm system that tells the body to 'watch out.' So how does this alarm system work? Have you ever noticed your heartbeat quicken enough to hear while watching a horror movie, or felt your hands go ice-cold and your mouth go dry while giving a presentation in front of a crowd? All of these reactions stem from the body's 'fight or flight' mechanism, which is triggered in response to stress. This survival mechanism has been inherited from our ancestors. In ancient times, when our ancestors faced situations requiring self-protection—such as encountering a wild animal—sudden hormonal changes and physiological responses supplied the energy needed to either fight the threat or flee quickly from it. Symptoms like a racing heart, cold hands and feet, and sweating are bodily changes that enable rapid action and once protected our ancestors' lives. In modern life, we experience these same bodily responses while stuck in heavy traffic or right before an important presentation. Since today there is usually no dangerous situation or harmful animal that will actually hurt us, reorganizing these responses so they serve us well in daily life is the most effective way to manage stress in a healthy manner. In fact, it appears that at its core, stress is a reaction that arises to protect us. Dr. Ryan Niemiec developed an equation to better define stress and manage it in a healthy way. The equation is:
Stress = Pressure Exposed To – Coping Capacity
According to this equation, stress is what remains once you subtract your capacity and resources for coping with it from the total pressure you are exposed to. Based on this simple equation, the ways to cope with stress are:
Reducing the pressure you are exposed to
Increasing your capacity to cope with stress
The pressures we face and the capacities we have are multifaceted. There can be biological pressures such as physical tension or illness and discomfort; psychological pressures such as depression, anxiety, and anger; social pressures such as isolation, ridicule, rejection, neglect, and difficulty in relationships with others; and spiritual pressures such as a lack of meaning or purpose in life. You may have biological capacities such as adequate sleep and healthy, balanced nutrition; psychological capacities such as a sense of peace and happiness; social capacities such as being loved and spending time with friends; and spiritual capacities such as engaging in activities you feel add meaning to life, spending time in nature, or having a hobby. Pressures and capacities are variable and can be reorganized when worked on.
Based on the equation he developed, Dr. Niemiec also described the life situations that can arise from it. Knowing these possibilities will help us become more aware of our own process and take steps to reorganize the situation we are in.
If pressure is high and coping capacity is low, you may feel overwhelmed and under intense stress.
If pressure is low and coping capacity is high, you may feel bored. Although there are many resources available, low pressure can prevent you from experiencing a sense of achievement in life.
If pressure is high and coping capacity is high, you can experience success and a sense of fulfillment.
If pressure is low and coping capacity is low, you are likely to feel a sense of dissatisfaction, since there is no challenge in life.
The variety of life situations shows that reducing stress to zero is not very functional. At this point, it will be beneficial to keep stress at a level that can serve us well in life and to work on regulating the pressures and capacities accordingly.
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