The Three Classes of Stress

Stress: The Locked Door to Wellness

As children, we were taught that boogeymen lurked in the shadows, just beyond our sight. While these stories were ethereal, their impact on our young minds was tangible. As adults, stress has become that boogeyman—interwoven throughout our lives, both expectedly and unexpectedly. And like our childhood fears, stress manifests in very real ways, particularly affecting our health.

According to the American Psychological Association, there are three main types of stress (this discussion does not discuss distress versus  eustress):

1. Acute Stress
2. Episodic Acute Stress
3. Chronic Stress

Acute Stress

This is the type of stress that most people can identify with. We've all felt it—the thrill before heading down a technical ski slope, the anxiety of giving a presentation, or the fear of facing a schoolyard bully. Symptoms may include nausea, weakness in the knees, rapid heart rate, and dry throat.

In moderation, acute stress is not harmful. Our bodies are designed to handle it, with our sympathetic nervous system always on high alert for stressful situations. Acute stress comes, is dealt with, and then passes.

Episodic Acute Stress

Episodic acute stress is recurring and constant acute stress, where stress becomes pathological. Think of that person always rushing around, barely holding it together, or the excessively competitive individual. Maybe you know someone who constantly worries about what could go wrong, even when there is no apparent threat. These personalities exemplify episodic acute stress, marked by a constant state of over-arousal.

Over time, this type of stress can lead to persistent tension headaches, migraines, hypertension, chest pain, and heart disease. Even those who perceive their stress as beneficial are not immune to its detrimental effects, no matter how glamorized by Hollywood or the Wall Street Journal.

Chronic Stress

Described by researchers Lyle H. Miller and Alma Dell Smith as "the grinding stress that wears people away day after day, year after year," chronic stress destroys bodies, minds, and lives. It can result from unmanaged episodic acute stress, trauma, living in poverty or war, or an unhappy relationship. Chronic stress is the stress of hopelessness, of not seeing a way out.

People often become accustomed to chronic stress, making it difficult to recognize its severe health effects. Chronic stress increases the likelihood of  common illnesses, male impotence (as it is a primary cause), and severe conditions like cancer, suicide, coronary disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease.

As leading stress researcher and author Robert Sapolsky states, "The effects of chronic stress directly counteract improvements in medical care and public health... For so many conditions, stress is the major long-term risk factor. Everything else is a short-term fix." Unless chronic stress is addressed, medical interventions can only offer temporary relief.

As leading stress researcher and author Robert Sapolsky states, "The effects of chronic stress directly counteract improvements in medical care and public health... For so many conditions, stress is the major long-term risk factor. Everything else is a short-term fix." Unless chronic stress is addressed, medical interventions can only offer temporary relief.

Recognizing Stress

Are you stressed? Consider the emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms of stress ( Steve Bressert, Ph.D.):

Physical Symptoms:

• Sleep disturbances (insomnia, fitful sleep)
• Clenched jaw
• Grinding teeth
• Digestive upsets
• Lump in your throat
• Difficulty swallowing
• Agitated behavior (twiddling fingers, playing with hair)
• Increased heart rate
• General restlessness
• Muscle tension or twitching
• Non-cardiac chest pains
• Dizziness, lightheadedness
• Hyperventilating
• Sweaty palms
• Nervousness
• Stumbling over words
• High blood pressure
• Lack of energy
• Fatigue

Cognitive Symptoms:

• Mental slowness
• Confusion
• Negative thoughts
• Constant worry
• Racing mind
• Difficulty concentrating
• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty thinking logically
• Feeling overwhelmed

Emotional Symptoms:

• Irritation
• Lack of humor
• Frustration
• Jumpiness, over-excitability
• Feeling overworked
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Sense of helplessness
• Apathy

Behavioral Symptoms:

• Decreased contact with family and friends
• Poor work relations
• Sense of loneliness
• Decreased sex drive
• Avoiding others
• Failing to relax through hobbies, music, art, or reading

Do you identify with any of these symptoms? If so, you're not alone. According to a 2014 report by the American Psychological Association, 77% of people frequently experience physical symptoms of stress, 73% experience psychological symptoms, and 33% live with extreme stress.

Just as it's essential to identify other hidden health threats ( such as poor sleep), it's crucial to recognize stress in our lives. Stress is not inherently bad, but the chronic stresses of modern life are. If we don't identify these stresses, we can't address them. You can't fix a leak you don't know about. By identifying stress and its sources, we can develop strategies to reframe and resolve the issues ca