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Lesson One - How Stress Affects Your Life

Negative Stress


Negative stress is what the majority of people think of when they hear the word “stress”. Negative stress is also called distress and is perceived to be outside of a person’s coping ability. Distress can be both short- and long-term and decreases performance. Ongoing distress may be the precipitant to anxiety, mental, or physical issues.

*Not everyone who is under distress will develop anxiety, mental, or physical issues. If you have concerns, consult a professional.

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  • Financial hardships
  • Death of a loved one
  • Sleep issues
  • Losing contact with a close friend/family member
  • Issues at school (bullying, low marks)
  • Being abused or neglected
Credit: Mental Help
Distress can also be internally caused.

  • Fears or phobias (spiders, heights, being in public)
  • Cyclical or repetitive thought patterns
  • Constantly worrying about the future and "what if's"
  • Having unrealistic expectations (a perfectionist type of attitude—nothing will ever be good enough)
Credit: Mental Help
Finally, there are some things that people do in their daily lives that help to contribute to distress.

  • Overcommitting your time (not making enough "down time")
  • Not being assertive enough
  • Procrastination and not planning ahead
Credit: Mental Help