Not All Stress is Bad & This is Why
It’s common to view stress, no matter what kind, as a negative emotional experience. However, there are different types of stress that we experience, and not all of those types of stress are necessarily negative. In order to understand why not all stress is bad stress, first you must understand what the different types of stress that we experience are. Let’s dive in.
Positive Stress
The first type of stress that I’m covering is positive stress. Positive stress causes mild elevations in stress hormones and very brief increase in heart rate. Examples of positive stress include movement, exercise, experiencing joy or excitement, and learning.
Tolerable Stress
The second type of stress is tolerable stress. Tolerable stress causes a moderate, but temporary, stress response that is buffered by supportive resources. For example, tolerable stress may include experiencing pain or discomfort, but then receiving care and guidance through the pain.
Toxic Stress
The last type of stress is toxic stress. Toxic stress is a chronic activation of the stress response in the absence of supportive resources. An example of toxic stress is experiencing ongoing physical or emotional pain without appropriate–or any–care or support.
Positive or tolerable stress can help you learn new skills and build resilience when you have resources to support yourself through it. But toxic stress without care leads to an overwhelmed nervous system that eventually moves into a shutdown state. The key to addressing this toxic stress is to provide your nervous system with the nourishment that it requires.
Providing your nervous system with the nourishment it requires could look like the following: getting nutrition, restorative sleep or rest, releasing stored trauma, time in nature, movement, or connecting with other people.
If supporting yourself alone sounds intimidating or impossible at this time, don’t feel like you can’t make progress. Ask someone for help or support. It could be a friend, a family member, or even me. I am a trauma trained practitioner and integrative healthcare provider and I can help you fill in the gaps where resources have been missing.
If you would like to learn more about how I can help you, feel free to check out my resources guide, my journey to a regulated nervous system after trauma, or my Instagram + Pinterest accounts for daily tips.
As always, stay safe & best of luck on your healing journey. Never hesitate to reach out.
SHARE THIS
Copyright © 2021 My Integrative Therapist, LLC | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Terms & Conditions