Stress doesn’t always look stressful
Internally, we all respond to stress the same: our blood pressure rises, our heart pumps faster, and our muscles constrict. When stressed, our bodies work hard and drain our immune system. Externally, however, people tend to respond to stress in three different ways: some become angry and agitated, others space out or withdraw, and still others freeze up.
The best way to quickly relieve stress may relate to your specific stress response. Read on to find out where you fit in.
How do you act when stressed?
Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people respond when they’re overwhelmed by stress:
* Foot on the gas. An angry or agitated stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable to sit still.
* Foot on the brake. A withdrawn or depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and show very little energy or emotion.
* Foot on both gas and brake. A tense and frozen stress response. You “freeze” under pressure and can’t do anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.
Are you overexcited, underexcited or both?
When it comes to managing and reducing stress quickly in the middle of a heated situation, it’s important to know whether you tend to become overexcited or underexcited.
* Overexcited – If you tend to become angry, agitated, or keyed up under stress, you will respond best to stress relief activities that quiet you down.
* Underexcited – If you tend to become depressed, withdrawn, or spaced out under stress, you will respond best to stress relief activities that are stimulating and that energize your nervous system.
* Both overexcited and underexcited – If you tend to freeze: speeding up in some ways while slowing down in others, your challenge is to identify resources that provide both safety and stimulation to help you “reboot” your system.