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Understanding Stress: The Good and the Bad

When we think about stress, it's usually about sweaty palms before a big exam or that stomach-churning feeling when you're about to give a class presentation. However, not all stress is bad. In fact, psychologists often speak about a kind of stress known as 'eustress' which is actually beneficial. Before diving into what makes certain stress good, let's unpack the word stress itself.

Defining Stress

Stress, in scientific terms, is your body's response to pressures from a situation or life event. What contributes to stress can vary hugely from person to person and differs according to our social and economic circumstances, the environment we live in, and our genetic makeup. In young people, sources of stress can be academic pressures, social relationships, family life, and even one's aspirations and fears about the future.

Good Stress vs Bad Stress

Stress is often grouped into two categories: 'eustress' and 'distress'. Eustress is positive stress that comes from grasping opportunities and facing exciting challenges. It's the kind of adrenaline that pushes you to finish that race or to nail that audition. Distress, on the other hand, is negative stress that can occur when the demands of a situation are perceived as overwhelming or unpleasant.

How Can Stress Actually Be Good?

Eustress plays an important role in motivation, performance, and overall well-being. Good stress can help you focus your energy, improve your performance, and even enhance your memory. Whether it's jittery nerves before a performance that sharpen your concentration, or the last-minute panic that pushes you to finish your homework on time, good stress can propel us to adapt and overcome obstacles.

For example, consider the stress of playing sports. The physical pressure and the competitive nature of the game can indeed be stressful, but this type of stress can push you to perform better and achieve greater physical feats. Similarly, the stress before school exams can make you study harder and perform better academically.

Real-life Impact of Stress on a Young Person

While a moderate amount of good stress can be energising and exciting, constant or very high levels of stress can lead to problems. In young people, too much unresolved stress can contribute to anxiety disorders, depression, and other health issues. Moreover, stress can affect your body in direct physical ways causing headaches, an upset stomach, sleep problems, and even changes in your eating habits.

Young people today face intense pressures, from the expectations set by social media to the academic demands of school life. Understanding the difference between harmful and helpful stress is crucial for mental and physical health.

Strategies to Manage and Harness Good Stress

Knowing how to manage stress effectively is a crucial skill for teenagers. Here are some practical ways to ensure stress becomes a positive force in your life:

• Time Management: Often stress arises from feeling overwhelmed with deadlines and commitments. Use planners or digital apps to organise your tasks and manage your time better.
• Exercise Regularly: Physical activity is a proven stress-buster. It's also a great way to turn stress into performance energy. Even a short walk can release endorphins, which improve your mood.
• Get Sufficient Sleep: Sleep is crucial for your body to manage stress. A lack of sleep can heighten the effects of stress and make you less capable of handling challenges.
• practise Mindfulness: Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga can improve your resilience to stress. Mindfulness helps you calm your mind and focus on the present moment, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety.
• Communicate Openly: Talking about your experiences and feelings can help to manage stress. Whether it's with friends, family, or a counsellor, sharing can lighten your emotional load and provide support.

Learning To Embrace Challenges

Not all stress is detrimental. By understanding the positive aspects of stress, such as how it can energise and motivate us, we can learn to harness it. This approach turns potential obstacles into stepping stones and challenges into opportunities for growth. The key is to maintain the stress levels that excite and motivate us while managing the negative stressors that could overwhelm and hinder us.

With effective stress management strategies, young people can not only navigate through the complexities of teenage years but also prepare themselves for the challenges of adulthood. Understanding and managing stress is not just about surviving; it's about thriving.

How are you feeling?

It is really important that when we need help, we feel able to ask for it. This could be speaking to a parent, a close friend, a teacher or someone else you trust. Sometimes it can be really hard to share our feelings with other people but if we are feeling low or don't know where to turn, sharing with others is really important. Teachers will always take you seriously and listen to your problems in confidence if you approach them for help. Likewise, parents, siblings or friends will help you if you reach out to them.

If you feel like you can't speak to anyone you know, there are people and organisations that can help support you:

• Childline - Call them on 0800 1111 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
• NSPCC - Call them on 0808 800 5000 between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday or email them on help@NSPCC.org.uk
• The Samaritans – Call them on 116 123 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
• SANE – Call 0300 304 7000 for support (4:30pm - 10:30pm every day)
• Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 (9:00am - 6:00pm Monday to Friday)

*Sometimes we will use real life examples in our articles to aid understanding. When we do, names and ages will be changed.