About the stress a little differently – Part 2.

Stresses cannot be avoided because they are part of our lives. If we wanted to avoid distress (i.e. the harmful effects of stress), we should not go to work, expose ourselves to challenges and should rarely meet our family members. It is not worth fighting against them, but recognizing their enormous energy, we must create positive forces from negative ones, as well as learn how to survive even the most difficult life situations and conflicts without injury. Along this learning-regeneration process the capacity of flexible resistance, resilience is strengthened.

Now let’s get to know two stress reactions that help us act.

Challenge reaction: when the situation is not so threatening, this stress reaction takes place. We focus, but we are not afraid. It encourages action and helps us learn from our experiences. We have easier access to our mental and physical resources.

In such cases stress gives us energy to rise to challenges- it gives us extraordinary physical abilities. Adrenaline opens up the senses. Hearing and vision are sharpened, the brain processes information faster. Endorphin, dopamine, adrenaline, testosterone are produced – it increases our self-confidence and strength. Excitement and pleasure fill our body, like when we are in love or parachuting. All high achievers also have high levels of good stress in their bodies. This is also what happens to us in a flow experience (when we experience the given action with pleasure, free of space and time, so-called “flow”).

The stress response often triggers an inner need to connect with others. This is the care-friendship thread: it encourages care and strengthens our social relationships. In this case the hormone oxytocin is mainly produced. Its primary role is to build and strengthen togetherness and social relationships. It is triggered during hugging, sex, breastfeeding.

Due to the production of oxytocin, we experience the feelings of others more easily. It also gives us courage. It pushes us to protect the people ad communities that matter to us.

In the previous sections you got a more comprehensive picture of stress and learned about the stress reactions that help you even more. Now let’s look at what happens during regeneration when our brain returns to its stress-free state.

Our body uses a lot of hormones for the recovery process: cortisol, oxytocin. Recovery from stress does not start immediately. The brain reweaves the threads for hours to remember what happened and learn from the experience. So, stress helps you learn and develop. We may need to discuss the experience with someone, recall every moment or try to understand what happened. Meanwhile, our emotions can intensify – anger, rage, joy, gratitude, relief.

The experience of stress is therefore deeply engraved in our brain. Our entire nervous system prepares to know how to react next time. This is called de-stressing. It’s like getting a vaccination.

Perhaps if we know and understand this, it will be easier for us to face new challenges. Although we wish for less stress, in fact, the opportunities for development open up in difficult times.

If you feel that it is difficult for you to cope with the stressful situations that arise in your life, look for the specialists of the Centre for Student Services and Career or watch the upcoming events, where we announce a stress management group every semester.

Source: Kelly McGonigal: A stressz napos oldala (Ursus Libris Kiadó, Budapest, 2016)