We all experience stress, whether it comes from small daily hassles or major life events. It’s a natural part of life. However, how we perceive and react to stress can significantly impact our health and happiness.
A recent study from Bath investigated how seeing stressful situations as threats rather than challenges can affect our mental and physical well-being. The findings suggest that perceiving stress as a threat can lead to poorer mental health, lower overall well-being, and more physical health problems.
This article goes over the study and offers practical tips for healthily managing stress.
Stress Appraisals – Challenge or Threat
The Biopsychosocial Model (BPSM) of stress, created by Blascovich and Tomaka in 1996, explains how we view stress. According to this model, there are two ways to look at stress:
- Challenge Appraisal: This happens when we think we have the resources to handle a stressful situation. It’s like seeing a difficult math problem and feeling confident that we can solve it.
- Threat Appraisal: This occurs when we feel a stressor is too much for us to handle. It’s like seeing the same math problem and feeling overwhelmed and unprepared.
The way we appraise stress (as a challenge or a threat) can influence our body’s responses and our overall health.
Key Findings of the Study
Dr Ella McLoughlin and her team studied 395 people to see how their stress appraisals affected their health. Here’s what they found:
- Mental Health: People who often saw stress as a threat had higher levels of depression and anxiety. This means they felt more sad and worried compared to those who saw stress as a challenge.
- Psychological Well-being: Those who viewed stress as a threat felt less happy and energetic. They had lower overall well-being and life satisfaction.
- Physical Health: Viewing stress as a threat was linked to more physical health problems. These can include more frequent respiratory illnesses, headaches, and sleep disturbances. This occurs because chronic stress can weaken the immune system and disrupt normal bodily functions.
Co-author Dr Lee Moore from the Department for Health at Bath, was quoted by ScienceDaily as saying:
“We found a convincing link between mental and physical ill-health, and the way a person typically views stressful situations.
“The more you’re able to appraise a stressful situation as a challenge, the more likely you are to report good health and wellbeing.”
Why These Findings Matter
The study’s findings are important because they show that how we think about stress can impact both our mental and physical health. If we often see stress as a threat, it can lead to feeling overwhelmed and result in health problems. This supports the idea that changing our perspective on stress could improve our health.
Practical Tips for Managing Stress
Based on the study, here are some practical ways to manage stress better:
- Think of Stress as a Challenge: Try to see stressful situations as challenges you can overcome rather than threats. This positive outlook can help you handle stress more effectively.
- Use Stress Optimization Techniques: Techniques that help you view stress as something that can be beneficial can reduce feelings of threat. For example, remind yourself that feeling your heart race during stress means your body is getting ready to take on a challenge.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Strategies: These strategies can help you change how you think about stress. Techniques like mindfulness, relaxation, and cognitive restructuring can boost your ability to cope with stress.
References:
- Ella McLoughlin, Rachel Arnold, Lee J. Moore. “The tendency to appraise stressful situations as more of a threat is associated with poorer health and well‐being”. Stress and Health, 2023; DOI: 10.1002/smi.3358
- “When a stressful situation is perceived as a threat, health and wellbeing suffer.” ScienceDaily. 1 February 2024. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240201121720.htm>.
- “When a stressful situation is perceived as a threat, health and wellbeing suffer.” University of Bath. <www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/when-a-stressful-situation-is-perceived-as-a-threat-health-and-wellbeing-suffer/>
