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Brooke Thompson

Mr. Freeland

English Composition 2

27 March 2022

How can you identify the differences between positive and negative stress?

I became familiar with the word stress at a very young age. Constant anxiety about every

school project, event, and conversation came with a lot of unneeded stress that I didn’t know

how to handle. Headaches, stomach aches, loss of appetite were all things I was experiencing at

the ripe age of 13. As a kid experiencing this severity of stress, it wasn’t easy. Not knowing how

to manage the distress I was experiencing, I felt extremely lost. The word stress comes with a lot

of negative connotations. I’ve struggled with stress for years and would’ve never thought that

someone could look at stress as being positive. Stress was also able to propel me to get good

grades in school and get things done on time. I was able to learn the difference between what

stress was helping me and what kind of stress was causing harm. This difference, and using

stress management techniques changed how I look at the word stress. Stress can be extremely

detrimental to human health. Learning how to identify the difference between positive and

negative stress, recognize the symptoms, and learn how to overall manage stress will come with

great health benefits.

The history of stress has a completely different meaning than what it is known as today.

The word stress dealt more with hardship, misfortune, or some disorder. It wasn't until the 19th

century that a different meaning of stress began to take place. In 1936, the word stress as a

psychological concept was regularly credited to Hans Selye. Today, the word stress can be used

in many ways. It is implied that when someone says they are under stress, it is an automatic
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response to see stress as an overall negative experience. Psychologists have also distinguished

the difference between eustress, which is positive stress and distress, which is known as negative

stress. In research terms, stress now adopts biochemical, behavioral, physiological, and

psychological effects (Kennard).

Stress is not an ideal term for scientists due to it being a highly impressionistic term that

defies any kind of definition. Defining a word that's meaning relies on a specific individual is

extremely challenging. In 1936, the term stress was coined by Hans Selye and defined as “the

non-specific response of the body to any demand for change”, (AIS). He had also noted in

multiple experiments lab animals were exposed to severe but different psychological and

physiological stress stimuli. The stimuli included: extremes of heat or cold, persistent frustration,

blaring lights, and deafening noises. In every case, the animals showed identical physiological

changes of shrinkage of lymphoid tissue and different types of stomach ulcerations. He then later

showed that constant stress could be the reason for different diseases developed in the animals

that are different to those seen in humans such as arthritis, stroke, kidney disease, and heart

attacks. Hans Selye's theories attracted a lot of attention and the word stress quickly became a

very popular term that had a completely different meaning from his original definition. Most

people utilized the word stress to refer to a bad or overbearing situation they were exposed to.

For a great deal of the population, stress was the reaction to events in the form of palpitations,

headaches, chest pain, or heartburn. The remaining used stress to refer to what was seen as the

end of these repeated body responses, like heart attacks or ulcers. Scientists protested about this

confusion and in 1951 one physician decided in a British Medical Journal that, “Stress in

addition to being itself, was also the cause of itself, and the result of itself.”, (AIS). The use of

the word stress has caused more confusion to the population due to its undefinable abilities.
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I took the opportunity to interview my sister, Lexi Thompson, who has dealt with

negative and positive stress throughout her entire life. Lexi has always been a straight-A student

and currently sits ranked 63 in her high school class with a 4.8 GPA. She credits most of her

academic success to positive stress and , “If I didn’t feel stressed on a daily basis, I would not

study for hours or make sure my homework assignments are done on time”, (Thompson). Lexi

goes on to say “Positive stress is the reason I keep up with my school work and I am able to

study and succeed”, (Thompson). The effects of positive stress can be extremely valuable to

someone who struggles with finding structure in their everyday life and finding a schedule to

help reduce unneeded stress. Lexi has always had “trouble finding a schedule or structure in [her]

life” and the small amounts of stress throughout her day, force her to find structure and time to

get things done, (Thompson). Without the eustress in her life, she wouldn't find structure in her

life and daily activities. The effects of stress don’t have to be negative and can sometimes help

complete everyday tasks.

On the other hand, Lexi has also faced the crippling symptoms of stress overload, which

is also considered negative stress. Negative stress has been extremely detrimental to Lexi's

mental health. Lexi deals with migraines almost on a daily basis due to stress. She tends to stress

about things such as her anxiety. Lexi has social anxiety that causes her to stress about leaving

the house, ordering her own food, and living her life. This type of negative stress has been life-

altering. Lexi described her stress as “something she felt like she couldn’t get away from”,

(Thompson). Lexi now talks to a doctor monthly about her stress which has helped her out

tremendously. She talks to her doctor about the things that stress her out, and just talking about

her symptoms was able to release some of her stress. Lexi says the hardest part of managing her

stress is reaching out, “my doctor has been a safe person and has helped me overall manage my
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daily stress” and Lexi goes on to say that being able to just talk about what is causing her stress,

is a huge stress reliever and has helped with her headaches, which are one of the most common

symptoms of negative stress. (Thompson)

Stress has played a huge role in society due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The constant

uncertainty has raised stress levels in people of all ages. An experiment conducted by the

American Psychological Association found that one of their 2020 surveys showed that teens

aging from 13-17 and adults ranging from 18-23 were facing unprecedented uncertainty (due to

the pandemic) and were experiencing elevated stress levels that were causing symptoms of

depression, (APA). The elevated stress levels are causing emotional damage that in the end,

results in different types of depression. Multiple studies have been conducted by interviewing

citizens who have personally been affected by the pandemic. It was found that most of the

participants in the study reported “increased tension in their bodies (21%), “snapping” or getting

angry very quickly (20%), unexpected mood swings (20%), or screaming or yelling at a loved

one (17%).”, (APA). The stress of the inevitable has caused huge effects in the past 2 years.

Realizing how this pandemic has affected stress levels and increased anxiety, will make it easier

to find ways to manage the distress. Covid is a huge example of what negative stress can do to

the body and how not managing stress can overall affect the values of life.

The effects of stress on the body can be extremely detrimental to your physical health.

Persistent stress forces the muscles within the body to be in a constant state of alertness. In the

study done by APA, it was found that “Musculoskeletal pain in the low back and upper

extremities has also been linked to stress”, (APA). When muscles are tense for long periods of

time due to stress, it may prompt other reactions within the body that can be detrimental to

overall health. Taut muscles may even promote stress-related disorders. Examples of these
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disorders include both tension-type headaches and migraine headaches. Stress can also affect

your internal organs as well. Stress has prominent effects on the respiratory, gastrointestinal,

nervous, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. The male and female reproductive systems can

also be negatively affected due to stress. When stressed, shortness of breath and rapid breathing

become very prominent. The same study done by APA showed that “acute stress…can actually

trigger asthma attacks'' which can be fatal if severe, (APA). The cardiovascular system is a very

important body process that can also be affected by stress levels. Severe stress can cause strong

contractions of the heart muscles and increase overall heart rate. On top of the muscles

contracting, blood vessels and heart vessels dilate which increases the amount of blood pumped

into the body. As the blood is pumped out to different limbs and organs, blood pressure is

inevitably raised. As said in the study by the American Psychological Association, talked about

how long term constant stress can elevate the overall risk of heart attacks, hypertension or stroke.

All of these factors play a huge role in the everlasting effects of stress on the body and can be

deadly if not treated properly. (APA)

Positive stress, also known as eustress, can have positive impacts on your body and well-

being. During more positive reactions to stress, the production of the hormone cortisol is slowed.

At chronic levels, this stress hormone can become harmful. At the same time, the creation of the

steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone, is increased. DHEA or dehydroepiandrosterone, is often

referred to as the “anti-aging” hormone. It was proven that having a higher ratio of DHEA to

cortisol ratio can naturally be preventive against the negative effects of stress, (Aschbacher).

When oxytocin is released it yields a more positive response to stress on the body. Experts feel

as if this hormone may guide people to find better social contacts/relationships, (LaMotte). The

article “The Surprising Benefits of Stress'', makes a point that manageable stress can increase
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performance and alertness. This will then encourage stem cell growth that will further then

become brain cells. This increase in stem cells will overall improve brain function and affect

other organs as well. The way you look at stress can aid the process of overall managing distress.

(Jaret)

The difference between eustress and distress can be extremely beneficial to be familiar

with. Distress is known as stress that negatively affects the body whereas eustress is stress that

has a positive effect on overall health. Eustress is the type of stress that energizes and motivates

individuals to make a change, (Ross). It gives individuals a positive outlook and makes people

capable of overcoming different sicknesses and daily obstacles. Distress and stress have been

connected with elevated levels of oxidative damage. For example, pre-menopausal women

taking care of an ill child, endorsed higher overall stress levels and had greater oxidative stress

and in the end, shorter telomere length, which is a clear marker of cellular age, (Aschbacher). A

balance of stress can be extremely beneficial when it comes to fight or flight situations, job

interviews, or getting projects done on time. Understanding the differences between positive and

negative stress will aid the process of finding help when stress symptoms start to become too

much.

The interpretation and response to stress vary depending on each individual. Considering

that, the severity of stress symptoms will affect each individual differently. In the article “The

Surprising Benefits of Stress”, doctor Daniela Kaufer talks about how people who feel confident

feel as if they are able to manage their stress, decreasing their chances of becoming overwhelmed

by it, (Jaret). This means that they would be more likely to have a positive response to the stress.

The way stress is interpreted can play a huge role in how it is managed and how it overall affects

the body. The question of when does too much stress becomes harmful is something that cannot
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be answered. The severity of stress symptoms differ depending on the individual. Rachel

Yehuda, a scientist at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York, conducted an experiment and

proved that, Holocaust survivors had higher levels of the stress hormones. Yehuda’s most recent

work showed that even the offspring of the survivors have higher stress hormone levels. Rachel

wanted to prove that early life events could cause higher levels of stress later in life. This

evidence backs up her point of, how early life experiences shape how you inevitably deal with

stress. (AIS)

The symptoms of stress are different for every person. Realizing when stress starts to

interfere with daily life activities is when reaching out for help is optimal. The article “Stress”,

sponsored by MedlinePlus, talks about the specific symptoms that if experienced for more than 2

weeks, reaching out to a health professional might be beneficial. The symptoms include: trouble

sleeping, changes in eating, changes in weight, trouble getting out of bed, difficulty focusing,

losing interest in things, and not being able to complete usual daily activities. All of these

symptoms trace back to negative stress. If distress is causing thoughts of harming yourself,

feeling like you can’t cope, or feeling the need to use drugs or alcohol, health care professionals

might refer you to a mental health professional to help find ways that work specific to an

individual to reduce these, potentially harmful, symptoms of negative stress. Reaching out for

help is the best way to deal with symptoms that are causing huge upsets in daily activities.

(MedlinePlus)

There are a lot of different misconceptions about the concept of stress. The

misconceptions included in the source written by Premier Health include: stress is always bad for

you, no symptoms=no stress, stress is everywhere, only major symptoms of stress require

attention, stress is the same for everyone, and the most popular stress-reducing techniques are the
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best. These are all misconceptions that can take away from the actual meaning of stress. When

talking about these misconceptions, they are viewing stress as a whole. When talking about

stress, it has to be looked at from individual experience. No one will experience the same levels

of stress. This article is not a reliable source due to the date that it was published. Throughout

reading the article, the points made in the article are still very relevant to this topic and this

subject even due to the date that the article was published. This article, not being completely

reliable, was used as a point to show that these misconceptions are also unreliable. The way that

stress is perceived is how misconceptions like these are formed. All of these misconceptions can

also be rebutted completely based on personal experience. Stress is such an individual issue, no

misconception is going to be completely accurate. It can be perceived in many different ways,

but nothing can be proven as a whole. (Psych Central)

There is an abundance of techniques to try and reduce everyday stress. These techniques

include: keeping a positive attitude, accepting that some events are uncontrollable, time

management, and seeking out social support. Exercise can also be a huge stress reliever. Sleep

also goes hand and hand with exercise. It has been shown that people who regularly exercise

tend to get better deep “slow-waves” that help revitalize the body and brain overnight, (Ragland).

Getting an adequate amount of sleep every night is also said to reduce stress. The quality and

amount of sleep can affect concentration, energy level, mood, and overall functioning. Being

well-rested will help clear your mind and help you think more clearly when making stressful

decisions. Phones have also been a huge center of stress. The stress of social media can be

extremely detrimental. Putting phones down can be extremely beneficial and reduce unneeded

stress from the internet. Overall diet can help reduce stress. The benefits of eating healthy can

extend beyond your weight to your mental and physical health. A healthy diet can lower your
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blood pressure, level your mood, build up your immune system, and overall lessen the effects of

stress. (Mayo Clinic Staff)

Stress can come with positive and negative symptoms. Learning when stress is beneficial

and when stress ultimately becomes negative, can be extremely beneficial to one’s health.

Identifying when the symptoms of negative stress become too overwhelming, and learning how

to manage the symptoms will be useful for any future encounters with stress. Stress doesn't

always have to be bad and can be managed with many different techniques, including reaching

out for help. Stress does not always have a negative impact on life. Finding out what methods

work best and what helps reduce the symptoms. The way stress is perceived is how it is overall

going to affect mentality, and what symptoms come from it. Learning the difference and being

able to manage the symptoms will be beneficial to one's mental and physical well-being.
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Work Cited

Aschbacher, Kirstin, et al. “Good Stress, Bad Stress, and Oxidative Stress: Insights from

Anticipatory Cortisol Reactivity.” Psychoneuroendocrinology, U.S. National Library of

Medicine, Sept. 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4028159/.

Jaret, Peter. “The Surprising Benefits of Stress.” Greater Good,

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_surprising_benefits_of_stress.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Stress Management.” Healthy Lifestyle: Stress Management, 18 Mar. 2021,

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-

relievers/art-20047257.

Ragland, Lauren. “Stress Management: Ways to Prevent and Relieve Stress.” WebMD, WebMD,

https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-management.

Ross, Danielle. Distress vs. Eustress - Drake University.

https://www.drake.edu/media/departmentsoffices/recreationservices/Distress%20vs

%20eustress%20blog.pdf.
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“Stress.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 28 Dec. 2021,

https://medlineplus.gov/stress.html.

“Stress Effects on the Body.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological

Association, https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body.

“Stress in America™ 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis.” American Psychological

Association, American Psychological Association,

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/report-october.

“What Is Stress?” The American Institute of Stress, 4 Jan. 2017, https://www.stress.org/what-is-

stress.