Under Pressure: Debunking Four Myths About Stress
With all the self-styled mental health experts out there, it can be hard to distinguish the truth from the myths about stress. In this article, we'll take on four common misconceptions.
Are you stressing out over which myths about stress are actually true? Well, you're in luck, because your friendly neighborhood Mythbusters have decided to take the subject in hand. In this article, we'll reveal the truth about four stressful myths that tend to keep people up at night.
Myth 1: All stress is bad for you.
There's some disagreement about this one, but it mostly centers around what stress (the mental kind, anyway) actually is. Some researchers claim that the term "stress" is bad by definition, and that if the stress has positive results, it has to be considered "pressure" or "motivation." Well, folks, that's just semantics.
In reality, you should take this myth about stress with several grains of salt. Stress can be positive or negative. Too little stress and you stagnate. You need some reason to get up in the morning, right? What's important is how you manage the stress you feel; do it right, and you'll cope just fine.
Myth 2: Stress is avoidable.
Er...no. See the above myth. If you live, you'll feel stress. No matter what you do, some idiot's going to cut you off in traffic, steal your favorite CD, or do something else that keeps you from "walking in beauty," as the Navaho lyrically put it. How you handle that stress, however, will determine how it affects you.
The sooner you recognize this myth about stress and stop ducking your problems, the better. Find a way to cope productively with stressors, either by finding a good self-help book or set of online tips, or discussing the issue with your doctor or therapist.
Myth 3: Everyone reacts the same way to stress.
Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Suppose three different people lose jobs they really enjoy on the same day. One person might just shrug and start looking for a new job. Another might bottle up their emotions and lash out at someone later. The third might get drunk. It's the same stressor, but the reactions are varied.
If this myth about stress were true, then psychology would be as predictable a science as physics or chemistry. But it never will be, because humans are the ultimate variable in any social equation. You never can tell for sure just how a person will react to a specific stimulus.
Myth 4: Only weak people get stressed out.
Don't fall for this one, because it can really hurt you if you do. We all like to think that we're emotionally and mentally invulnerable, but that's rarely the case. Even physical stress can lead to emotional and mental stress that can quickly get out of control.In addition, emotion and interaction play a significant part in most people's makeup, often at a subconscious level. Even if you think you're a tough nut to crack, everyone has a limit. If you ignore yours and let this myth about stress control your thinking, you're likely to pay for it mentally or physically.
