The facts are that stress is both good and bad for us. Many of life’s enjoyable pleasures mobilise the stress hormones and it is the adrenalin in our blood that gives us the buzz we feel while experiencing these pleasures. A passionate kiss, orgasm, the thrill of a roller coaster ride, our team winning, a promotion, the achievement of a goal or the thrill of working towards a goal are all adrenal reactions that give us that familiar lift that makes life worth living. Such short-term bursts of stress are good for us, they create energy and enthusiasm and raise our resistance to disease.
It is the prolonged stress of over-work, bad life situations, bad diet, dehydration, shallow breathing, negative attitudes and even too much of doing what we enjoy that does the damage. When going too hard at what we enjoy causes our body to become racked with pain and the symptoms of disease, we have stress with distress. At this point it’s time to back off and accept that what once may have made us feel good is now making us feel bad. The stress hormones that in the short term gave us a buzz are now breaking down too much tissue and causing metabolic imbalances. It’s now time for their levels to begin to drop. Rest and a change of attitude is now indicated.
Stress is a bit like drinking champagne. A little bit at a party makes you feel merry and light headed, too much makes you feel ill, depressed and heavy headed the next day. In this way the enjoyable things in life can distress us in the same way as the more easily recognised distresses previously mentioned.
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