What is Stress?

Stress is a term that we hear used often in everyday life, and different people can mean quite different things when they use it. This sight explores some of the different ways the word stress is used, as well as examining ways of tackling each type.

Below is a list of some of the most common uses of the words stress and an explanation as to the nature of each form. While in some cases there is a lot of overlap with each label but there are some differences worth noting.

This is NOT a scientific list of definitions of stress, but rather our attempt to describe some of the common meanings.

Stress as Generalised Anxiety or Worry

This use of the term stress refers to ongoing anxious rumination, having one or more problems running through a person's mind without any satisfactory solution. The thoughts are usually hard to push out and can occupy a lot of a person's day in some cases. This sort of stress, along with other things, can interfere with sleep, make a person jumpy, snappy, and create difficulties with concentration. People with this sort of stress may wake in the night worrying about whatever is on their mind.

Stress as Agitation or Nervous Tension

This stress is the sort of stress that makes a person uptight and irritable. They may feel like pacing and fidgeting, and an increase in muscle tension. They might not always be conscious of what's bothering them but they have a “not quite right” feeling.

Stress as Panic-like anxiety

This is the sort of stress that involves strong fear or panic. It is often accompanied by physical symptoms like sweating, racing heart, increased breathing rate, a desire to flee the situation you are in.

(Never assume physical symptoms are due to stress unless advised by a medical practitioner – the symptoms can often have a purely medical cause).

Stress as Anger

Stress is also often used to describe a type of anger. Stress and anger can also frequently overlap. Feelings of frustration, impatience, irritability, etc. are often associated with this sort of stress.

When some people speak about “stressing out” they are often referring to the type of angry, snappy reactions some people display when they are stressed. While it is true that this sort of stress is often accompanied by irritability and other behaviours often regarded as anger, strictly speaking the stress is not the anger itself but the emotional state driving the anger.

Stress in Psychological Disorders

Not everyone who is stressed has a psychological disorder. Everyone suffers from stress, usually in a range of forms, at many times during their lives. It is usually considered a disorder if it becomes severe and disabling.

If you are experiencing significant stress problems or other psychological difficulties it is strongly recommended that you consult a GP or mental health professional such as a Clinical Psychologist for further advice.

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