Stress - what is it actually?
We all know stress. For example, we may find some activities or days to be stressful and look forward to not being stressed. However, some people seem to flourish in stress and go to work full of energy. But how can this different feeling of stress actually be explained and how can people deal with stress sensibly?The stress model of Lazarus, who published his theory in 1984, is still recognized today. According to Lazarus, people rate every situation positively, dangerously and irrelevantly according to the three categories. If a situation is assessed as positive or irrelevant, there is no feeling of stress. After all, there is nothing to fear here. However, if a situation is assessed as dangerous, a second situation assessment is carried out. Here, the person concerned subconsciously determines whether their own resources are sufficient or insufficient to cope with the situation. If the person concerned comes to the conclusion that their own resources are scarcely or not adequately capable of coping with the situation, this leads to stress. Now everyone is trying to reduce their own stress, which, according to Lazarus, is possible in two ways. So the person concerned can now either act in a problem-oriented manner to cope with the situation and thus reduce the stress. Or he can undertake an emotionally oriented reassessment of the situation so that the stress level drops.
Eustress and distress - good and pathological stress
It is therefore clear why we feel stress and react to it either solution-oriented or emotion-oriented.However, not all stress is negative, but in the case of eustress it ensures increased performance, optimism and inner strength. The prerequisite for this is that the person concerned experiences temporary situations that he can effectively solve with the help of his own resources. The distressing distress is, in turn, as soon as the situation cannot be solved or can only be solved unsatisfactorily or persists. The consequences of distress are a weakening of the immune system and a long-term increase in the risk of strokes, heart attacks and other diseases.
Ultimately, whether people perceive stress as eustress or distress depends largely on their assessment of the situation and their ability to solve the situation.
Consequences for everyday life
We can use all of these findings to specifically reduce our sense of stress in everyday life.On the one hand, it is helpful not to postpone problems, but to resolve conflicts as soon as possible. It is advisable to work with daily and weekly schedules and to split complex goals into small, achievable intermediate goals. Those who manage to do this regularly also increase their own self-efficacy. Finally, our psyche remembers that in the past we were able to solve difficult problems. We may then accept future stressful environmental stimuli, so-called stressors, with much more serenity.
However, it is not always possible to resolve an uncomfortable situation. For example, those who live with the uncertainty of a chronic illness can often only do something about it to a limited extent. So that there is no permanent stress experience, a look at the model after Lazarus can help again. In such cases, an emotional re-evaluation of the situation makes sense. In this case, acceptance of the circumstance of the disease can be achieved. Afterwards, the person concerned can concentrate primarily on positive resources. In this context, discussions with friends and family, meditation and mindfulness exercises and, if necessary, the use of a psychological conversation are helpful. All of these measures can help
