In our everyday lives, stress is everywhere and definitely unavoidable; hence our emphasis should be on differentiating between what is good stress, and what is bad. This will help us to learn to cope with negative stress, and harness the power of positive stress to help us achieve more.

There are 4 main categories of stress, namely eustress, distress, hyper-stress and hypo-stress. Negative stress can cause many physical and psychological problems, whilst positive stress can be very helpful for us. Here’s how we differentiate between them.

Eustress

This is a positive form of stress, which prepares your mind and body for the imminent challenges that it has perceived. Eustress is a natural physical reaction by your body which increases blood flow to your muscles, resulting in a higher heart rate. Athletes before a competition or perhaps a manager before a major presentation would do well with eustress, allowing them to derive the inspiration and strength that is needed.

Distress

We are familiar with this word, and know that it is a negative form of stress. This occurs when the mind and body is unable to cope with changes, and usually occurs when there are deviations from the norm. They can be categorized into acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for long. On the other hand, chronic stress persists over a long period of time. Trigger events for distress can be a change in job scope or routine that the person is unable to handle or cope with.

Hyper-stress

This is another form of negative stress that occurs when the individual is unable to cope with the workload. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require longer working hours than the individual can handle. If you suspect that you are suffering from hyper-stress, you are likely to have sudden emotional breakdowns over insignificant issues, the proverbial straws that broke the camel’s back. It is important for you to recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up with severe and chronic physical and psychological reactions.

Hypo-stress

Lastly, hypo-stress occurs when a person has nothing to do with his time and feels constantly bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of stress; hence some stress is inevitable and helpful to us. Companies should avoid having workers who experience hypo-stress as this will cause productivity and mindfulness to fall. If the job scope is boring and repetitive, it would be a good idea to implement some form of job rotation so that there is always something new to learn.

If after reading the above article you find that you fit into one of the categories of stress and want or need help in dealing with your stress, you don’t have to deal with it alone, God wants to help you deal with whatever is stressing you out. God never meant for stress to have Sovereign control in your life and of your life,  so when you seek Him, He offers to help you and show you how to deal with whatever is stressing you out.  Although He may not change or take away whatever is stressing you out, He will guide you so that you will know how to deal with your stress. So, Why suffer anymore and go through it alone? Why not take God up on His offer to help you deal with Your Stress? Want God involved in what’s stressing you out? If so, Join us in this simple prayer;

Dear God,

My life is dominated by various levels and degrees of stress. I am unable to effectively manage this stress on my own. I invite you to come into my life and my circumstances and take control. Guide me in ways that will assist me in effectively dealing with and managing the stress that is at work in my life so that I can live this life that you’ve gifted me with in a Spirit of excellence for my good and Your Glory, I ask and pray – Amen!

G. Frost  & “The WIN International Ministries Team”

http://peacewithgod.net/