Picture called "Pug in a blanket" by Matthew Henry.
The official definition of stress is the body's response to changes that create taxing demands.
We all go through stress - each living day, there will be something that will stress us out either in one way or another. Maybe you are stressed out your alarm won't ring in the morning. Or perhaps you are stressed because it's 6 hours before your international flight is due to depart, and you still haven't got an uber to the airport yet.
My point is that stress, good or bad, is an integral part of our life, and there is nothing we can do to avoid it.
But did you know that there are three stress levels, depending on your circumstances and experiences while you stress out?
These three levels of stress apply to anyone - from children to adults. So which one is ultimately the worst for us?
Positive stress
The first of them all is called positive stress. Positive stress, as in its name, usually occurs when something positive happens. It is short-lived, exciting, and most importantly - it is something within our management capabilities to handle! Positive stress is considered a normal part of healthy development - and it's good to feel positive stress from time to time as it helps us to focus, motivates us, and allows us to be at our optimum!
For children, the everyday stressors that cause positive stress could be starting in preschool, going to school camps, meeting new people, attending birthday parties, and even visiting a doctor.
For adults, the everyday stressors that cause positive stress could be getting a pay raise at work, getting married, moving out, paying your entire debts after so long, having kids and many more.
In other words, positive stress is not the worst stress out there - it is stress that is good with multiple benefits!
Tolerable stress
The second of them is called tolerable stress. The nature of tolerable stress is that it comes from experiences that are negative but brief. Tolerable stress can activate the body's alert system to a greater extent due to more severe, longer-lasting difficulties. Symptoms can include anxiety, unpleasantness, and decreased performance.
For children, it can be due to their parent's divorce, an illness or injury that either they face - or someone they know is going through, or even bullying at school.
For adults, it can be around the exact scope of reasons, too, such as family members' death, injuries, temporary unemployment etc.
Tolerable stress is in the middle of positive and toxic stress. Usually, suppose the person in question is going through tolerable stress. In that case, a supportive community that can help assist will dampen the chances of it developing into toxic stress. The supportive community provided helps the brain recover from any effects incurred.
On the contrary, should the person not receive any supportive help, it will develop into toxic stress.
Toxic stress
The final level is toxic stress. Toxic stress, as its name, is harmful and toxic for us. Toxic stress is due to the prolonged activation of stress response systems in the absence of a supportive community, according to Harvard. That is, a subject goes through a prolonged negative experience without someone to help and support them. The symptoms of toxic stress are similar to tolerable stress, except that it is long-term and can potentially cause mental and physical impairments.
For children, it can be due to abuse of all sorts (physical, emotional, and sexual), chronic neglect, and possible exposure to domestic violence. It is worth noting that toxic stress is more detrimental to children, as it can cause brain impairments such as the size of the brain and brain functioning like executive functions, memory, and language. It can even affect the immune system, making the child more susceptible to illnesses. All these impairments can make children who go through toxic stress feel unwholesome as they grow older.
For adults, it can be due to prolonged unemployment, bankruptcy, abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual), neglect, hospitalisation (ownself or a close individual), and many more. It can cause recurring migraines, sleep disturbances, nightmares, lack of concentration, burnout, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Needless to say, toxic stress is the worst level of stress anyone can face.
So how can we help those, both children and adults, recover from toxic stress?
The answer is simple - to have a reliable community and support for those that suffer from toxic stress. Although the brain can heal itself, having proper support and a dedicated community is the most effective healing process. Having a supportive and reliable community to guide the affected can help build resilience to toxic stressors - the ability to overcome adversity, which aids the healing process. Resiliency is crucial in helping the affected to be able to overcome any other future events that may cause them toxic stress.
Supportive communities can be parents, teachers, and peers - to official communities like counsellors, psychologists, doctors, social workers etc.
Ultimately, the most important is that we all have someone to lean on for support, someone we can seek help from, and someone we feel safe seeking help. If we have a supportive community from the beginning that we can lean on despite whatever adversities, come what may, the chances of us having toxic stress, and suffering the consequences, is low.
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