Stress: Inevitable, but not always an enemy

By Ma Kyung-hee

In today’s fast-paced world of constant demands, stress is so commonplace that it has become a fact of everyday life for many of us. This became especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic — a time of great uncertainty fraught with fear, anxiety, loneliness, and sadness. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of stress-provoked anxiety and depression increased by 25 percent globally, affecting millions daily.

For decades, stress has been a topic of concern in public health research and practice because of its link to physical and mental health. In addition to identifying various sources of stress, a wealth of scientific data have unveiled new pathways to stress responses, known as the “fight, flight, or freeze” response, which activates the sympathetic nervous system to release stress hormones. Symptoms include headache, upset stomach, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, muscle stiffness, and changes in appetite and sleep. Studies also have revealed the short-and long-term health consequences of stress, along with useful tools to cope. Knowing that stress is an inevitable and normal part of modern life, it is helpful to learn about it in order to improve health, adaptation, and well-being.

Stress is typically viewed as our body’s natural response to real or perceived threats to our well-being. Stress arises when we experience an imbalance between external pressures and the resources we have to cope. Stress can be characterized as acute or chronic. Acute stress is short-lived, fading when stress-provoking situations dissipate, whereas chronic stress is sustained for several hours per day, for weeks or months, causing wear and tear on the body. Physical effects include a weakened immune system, decreases in bone density, obesity, hypertension, and even heart disease. Normally, experiencing a single episode of acute stress does not lead to significant health decline, but can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with its own lasting impacts. Therefore, a key to maintaining health is to manage both acute and chronic stress effectively.

Because stress originates from various sources, identifying and understanding them is the first step to healthy coping. Possible sources include geophysical and climate events (e.g., wildfires, earthquakes, disease, etc.), man-made phenomena (e.g, accidents, wars, migration, and economic-financial crises), or internal factors such as fears, attitudes, expectations, lack of control and uncertainty. Despite their various forms, all stressors tend to generate similar physiological and/or psychological responses within our bodies. Stress is perceived as a subjective feeling of emotional and psychological difficulties, and an inability to cope. This means that people react differently to stressful situations, and symptoms and coping styles also vary. Each individual needs to learn to recognize stressors and their own responses, while developing internal and external resources to cope with them successfully.

Previous research tended to focus on the negative consequences of stress, framing it as a public health enemy that everyone should fight against. In contrast, recent stress-related studies have taken a more positive approach because stress experiences can engender both positive and negative outcomes over time. Preoccupation with only negative outcomes discourages affected individuals from effectively coping and developing. Successfully coping with non-traumatic stress can improve agentic motivations via enhanced self-efficacy, promote self-care through self-compassion, and spur a greater appreciation for life. Any attempt to cope offers opportunity for self-growth. Scholars claim that stress responses result from the interactive process between cognition and physiology. Thus, educating individuals to reframe their perceptions about stress more positively and consistent with reality, as well as establishing different expectations for stressors will help reduce current stress and enhance resilience for the future.

Diverse coping strategies exist for individuals to adopt, but coping strategies can be a topic of its own, so only a few are offered here as a quick remedy. First, the 4-7-8 breathing technique — inhaling for four seconds, holding for seven, and exhaling for eight — helps regulate a racing heart. Exercise reduces stress hormones and produces endorphins, which together facilitate relaxation. Meditation is also useful to keep in the “stress management toolbox.” Studies indicate that 30-minute meditation has the same effect as 30-minute walking. Nowadays, we are bombarded with volumes of information from news outlets, social media, and other sources. We are easily overstimulated with what we see and hear and can benefit from unplugging to quiet our mind. Lastly, building social connections and nurturing supportive relationships can help manage stress, leading to improved mental health.

Stress is ubiquitous and is found everywhere. Although we may not be able to avoid or eliminate stress altogether, with a better understanding of its origins and our responses, we can certainly reduce its impact. Not only is this a positive approach in the moment, but it also will help us to react and respond to future life challenges more effectively.

Ma Kyung-hee (kyungheem@daum.net) is an editor and researcher specializing in mental health.