Stress is both good and bad. A particular amount of stress is an essential for surviving. Most people think of stressors, or things that cause stress, as negative, such as traffic, a difficult job, or divorce. Many people are aware of tense muscles, headaches or stomachaches during, before or after such situations. But stressors can also be positive experiences. Having a baby, winning a basketball game, or completing a satisfying project are all examples of changes that can activate your stress response.

Distress, which is stress caused by a negative stressor, generally occurs when a demand is viewed as a threat. Frustration, tension and fatigue include the effects of distress. An example of distress is having to give a presentation in front of many strangers.

Positive stressors, also called eustress, are situations and events that we think of as positive, but which still trigger the stress response. Happenings such as earning a good grade, graduating, working at a new job, making more money,

helps to control the amount of stress you handle.

4. Tanner, Ogden. Stress. New York: Time-Life Books, 1984.

getting married, and even going on vacation are examples of eustress. These good things are stressful because they involve a change in the way we act and/or think about things. Most events that include eustress are viewed as a challenge, other than a task that needs to be completed.

I couldn't seem to keep my mind on the book, because I was very nervous and was trying to work faster than I was able to. A friend helped me calm down, and said to take a few deep breaths and just study like I normally would. During the test I was really tense and tried to calm down by breathing deeply and trying to relax. It turned out that I did better than I expected.

Relaxation is the opposite of stress. By relaxing, muscle tension is reduced, and headaches, insomnia, and high blood pressure that can result from constant stress are prevented. Different techniques, such as deep breathing, guided meditations, and tai chi, are ways of relaxation. These techniques typically rely on some form of focusing, in which you distract yourself from stressful thoughts by focusing your attention on a repeated word or phrase, a physical movement, or pleasant mental images.

Asking yourself questions such as, "What's the worst thing that can happen?"

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