Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIf Someone Has Fewer Resources to Help Them Cope, They Will Be Extra StressedEveryone’s Body Handles Stress DifferentlyWhat People Believe About a Situation Influences Their Stress Level

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

If Someone Has Fewer Resources to Help Them Cope, They Will Be Extra Stressed

Everyone’s Body Handles Stress Differently

What People Believe About a Situation Influences Their Stress Level

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One widely-accepted definition of stress is that it’s what occurs when the perceived demands of a situation outweigh one’s available resources. In other words, stress plus limited resources equals more stress.

So, if you’re stressed out, your body thinks that it’s being threatened in some way. Thistriggersthe body’s stress response. Therefore, the level of resources one has available can make a significant difference in whether someone experiences stress in a given situation.

What Do We Mean By ‘Resources?’

It’s also important to note that “resources” refer to external and internal factors. Your resources help you to cope with stressful situations.

External ResourcesMoneyHelp from other peopleJob/food securityInternal ResourcesKnowledge of coping mechanismsLife experienceCourage/resilience

External ResourcesMoneyHelp from other peopleJob/food security

Money

Help from other people

Job/food security

Internal ResourcesKnowledge of coping mechanismsLife experienceCourage/resilience

Knowledge of coping mechanisms

Life experience

Courage/resilience

So, let’s look at the following scenario to break down what this looks like. Let’s say two people (person A and person B) working at the same company are experiencing major work stress. They have deadlines and some coworkers are on vacation which means that have even more work to do. Both person A and person B are working under the same kind of stress, but they have different resources:

Who do you think might have an easier time coping with job stress? You got it—it’s person A.

So, it becomes pretty clear that the difference in available resources is a major factor in why two people may experience the same situation differently.

How to Increase Your Resources

Some people are naturally more sensitive and reactive to stress. Differences in temperament and a collection of inborn personality traits can cause some people to be naturally more resilient in the face of stress while others can feel more threatened and less able to cope.

Build Your Personal ResilienceTalk to a trusted friend in times of crisis, to gain support and perspective.Give yourself time to process what’s going on in your life before immediately reacting. It’s helpful (but not completely essential) to have aspiritual focusthat works for you.Certain stress management techniques (likemeditationandexercise, for example) canbuild your resiliencein the face of future stressors. Try them.

Build Your Personal Resilience

Talk to a trusted friend in times of crisis, to gain support and perspective.Give yourself time to process what’s going on in your life before immediately reacting. It’s helpful (but not completely essential) to have aspiritual focusthat works for you.Certain stress management techniques (likemeditationandexercise, for example) canbuild your resiliencein the face of future stressors. Try them.

So, let’s explore what this means. Basically, any situation is neutral until you interpret the event. Everyone interprets events differently because everyone has different thoughts, emotions, and moral compasses.

Let’s go back to person A and person B from our example earlier. If person A really loves their job and person Bdoesn’t find any enjoyment in their job—the stress related to the job will feel different for each of them. Person A might see the hectic days as a challenge they actually want to take on but person B may look at it like a chore and find it to be grueling.

So, if you interpret the event/situation as a threat then that is going to lead to a different emotion and behavior.Shifting your perspectiveabout an event may help you cope with it. For instance, breakups hurt and are painful. However, someone who views abreakupas a blessing in disguise might heal a bit faster than someone who believes that they will neverfall in loveagain.

What This Means For YouAccepting another perspective can be really tough—which is OK. It’s not supposed to beeasybut it can help boost your resilience and reclaim some of your power. You can try looking for humor in a not-so-great situation or recognizing that you’re not the first or last person who had a particular experience.If you need some assistance doing this, atherapistcan help reframe your thoughts so that you can work through whatever life throws your way.

What This Means For You

Accepting another perspective can be really tough—which is OK. It’s not supposed to beeasybut it can help boost your resilience and reclaim some of your power. You can try looking for humor in a not-so-great situation or recognizing that you’re not the first or last person who had a particular experience.If you need some assistance doing this, atherapistcan help reframe your thoughts so that you can work through whatever life throws your way.

Accepting another perspective can be really tough—which is OK. It’s not supposed to beeasybut it can help boost your resilience and reclaim some of your power. You can try looking for humor in a not-so-great situation or recognizing that you’re not the first or last person who had a particular experience.

If you need some assistance doing this, atherapistcan help reframe your thoughts so that you can work through whatever life throws your way.

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