Eustress vs. Distress

Everyone will suffer distress at intervals in response to unpleasant or overwhelming circumstances, making 100% prevention an impossible goal. When distress is unavoidable, however, it is necessary to guard against its bad effects and to employ tactics that can sometimes turn distressed into eustress.

The following suggestions and actions will help you protect yourself against and prevent distress:

Concentrate on the factors of a situation that you can change

When an individual perceives a stressor surpasses their ability to deal with it, distress occurs. This is more likely to occur when people tend to focus on components of a situation that are beyond their control. Often the only component of a circumstance that you can control is how you react to it, but there are other occasions when you may take measures to address the problem or relieve stress.

Make sense of stressful and difficult situations

While finding meaning in painful or challenging situations can be tough, those who do are more likely to feel eustress instead of distress. Finding meaning in misery does not imply gratitude, but it does show resourcefulness, perseverance, and optimism. Meaning can take the form of a new perspective on yourself or your position, enhanced understanding of what matters most, or more confidence in your capacity to overcome obstacles. Meaning can often be found in the shape of a new acquaintance, skill, or career prospect.

Determine actionable actions to address the situation or avoid a negative outcome.

When an individual feels hopeless and could do nothing to alleviate the tension or prevent a negative outcome, they are in distress. While this is true in certain cases, there are many more when an individual can take at least one actionable move to promote the desired outcome. When you’re stressed, doing something feels better than doing nothing. Even if your actions do not result in the intended outcome, you will most likely feel much better about yourself for putting forth the effort.

Deal with the underlying causes of stress in your life.

There is something tough, painful, or taxing about you or your life that causes stress. Something that is inappropriate, missing, or hard in your life could be the source of your stress. It could be relationships, a job, a responsibility, or even a bad habit you’ve developed. When the source of your stress is your life or your decisions, the only true remedy is to face the problem and actively attempt to modify, improve, or separate yourself from it.

Develop Self-Compassion.

Many people become self-critical when they are stressed, punishing themselves for things that they did or didn’t do in the past and setting unattainable hopes and expectations for the future. While you may believe that your inner critic motivates you and helps you better your performance, research reveals that the contrary is true. Self-compassion has been shown to be more motivating, useful, and likely to lead to productive results than self-criticism. Even better, self-compassionate people are less likely to fail and are more likely to come back up and try again rather than give up.

Get it out of your head with mindfulness

The majority of people spend a significant amount of time in their heads, either brooding on the past or fretting about the future. These mental attempts are ineffective since you can’t change the past or forecast the future, and they also feed the harmful form of stress. Break free from these mental thought cycles by focusing your whole focus on something in the current now. It might be your body, your breath, or the environment. As you start this practice, be gentle with yourself and attempt to gently draw your notice back to the present now whenever it wanders back to the negative ideas and tales.

Seek assistance from your support system.

While it’s natural to want to isolate yourself from others when you’re stressed or going through a difficult period, isolation and withdrawal have been shown to magnify stress and the negative consequences it has on a person’s mental and physical health. Make it a point to reach out to individuals you can trust, tell them what’s going on, and ask for the aid and support you require. This not only gives you support but also enhances your relationships.

Practice relaxation methods of managing stress in the current moment

Some relaxation techniques can help you relax by interrupting the physiological stress reaction. Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and guided meditations are all beneficial. Tai Chi and Yoga are excellent options for persons who struggle with seated exercises.

Consider starting EFT Tapping

The emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a groundbreaking technique for regulating emotions and reducing stress. EFT involves tapping the fingers on various meridians (energy points) throughout the body while speaking affirmations aloud. While it may appear unusual, there is considerable evidence that this method is incredibly successful, and it can be completed in as little as 10 or 15 minutes.

Increase your physical activity to relieve stress

Physical activity has been shown to reduce stress by rebalancing chemicals and hormones released when the body’s stress response is triggered. Make physical activity a priority, especially when you’re under a lot of stress. Dedicating time to exercise can assist to sharpen your thinking, soothe your nerves, and increase your performance, all of which will be beneficial during stressful times.