Stress is a threat or challenge that signals the body to engage the fight or flight response, releasing chemicals and hormones to help you respond effectively.1 It can be a healthy defense mechanism, but becomes problematic when it is frequent or chronic. There are three types of stress: acute, episodic, and chronic.
Treatment for stress can include medication to stabilize mood, counseling, and lifestyle changes. How you manage stress can depend on the type of stress that you’re experiencing, but there are many stress therapy options that can be beneficial in reducing the harmful symptoms that your stress may be causing.
1. Acute Stress
Acute stress is a relatively common occurrence and can be caused by many things (e.g., being in a car accident, losing a loved one, witnessing or being the victim of an attack, being diagnosed with a chronic illness). It’s important to remember that acute stress occurs just as often from witnessing a disturbing event as it does from experiencing one first-hand.1,3
People can also feel acute stress when they are preparing for a job interview or presentation, going to the doctor or dentist, or even anticipating important moments or major life events (e.g., wedding day, birth of child, starting a new job, moving, retiring, children going off to university or college).1
While sometimes difficult, different types of stress aren’t always bad. Sometimes, stress is a natural process we experience as we try new things, grow, learn, and adjust. It can push us to meet and surpass a challenge, or at least find ways to cope,1 protecting you in dangerous situations. However, acute stress can be concerning if it has a significant impact on your mental and physical health.
How Acute Stress Affects Your Mental & Physical Health
Acute stress doesn’t usually have serious consequences on your mental and physical health due to its short duration. However, you can develop something called acute stress disorder, which is categorized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as a temporary stress disorder following a stressful event. This can last anywhere from three days to a month after an incident has occurred.2,3
It’s also possible to develop and be diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a one-time stressful event (acute stress), a series of stressful events (episodic stress), or ongoing stressors (chronic stress).2,3 PTSD is diagnosed if you are exhibiting specific signs related to stress for at least one month in duration. Let your doctor know if you are experiencing any significant distress for a prolonged period. Certain types of stress may warrant further assessment by a medical professional to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.1,2,3
Signs & Symptoms of Acute Stress
Acute stress disorder symptoms can resemble those of PTSD as they share many of the same characteristics. The main difference is duration of symptoms.
Some symptoms of acute stress include:1,2,3
- Faster heart rate and breathing rate
- Increased perspiration
- Increased irritability
- Having no or reduced memory of a traumatic event
- Avoiding people, places or things that remind you of the traumatic event
- Hyperarousal, focus, and energy as blood rushes to your muscles, heart, and organs to prepare your body for the fight-flight response
- Feeling numb, detached, having reduced awareness of what’s happening around you
- Having distressing thoughts, dreams, nightmares, and flashbacks of the event
- Having sleep difficulties
- Feeling restless
- Being easily startled
- Having difficulty focusing your attention
- Feeling tense
- Feeling heightened irritability, sometimes leading to disgust or hatred for others
Finding ways to manage this type of stress is important for developing strong coping skills in the face of acutely distressing events or situations.
Best Ways to Relieve Acute Stress
One of the most important steps to relieve acute stress is to make an appointment with your family doctor. They can determine whether you should consider medication to manage your mood, or they might refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for a more involved mental health assessment. If they have concerns about your safety, they may admit you into a hospital for an emergency mental health evaluation.3
It’s helpful to explore cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a means of reframing the thoughts and emotions surrounding a stressful event. Trauma-informed therapy and therapy that incorporates elements of exposure can reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD. Proactively dealing with acute stress is one of the most effective ways of preventing it from evolving into a prolonged and complex issue.3
2. Episodic Acute Stress
Episodic acute stress refers to frequent, consistent periods of stress where the stressful experience occurs on an intermittent or regular basis. This type of stress can also occur when you’re impacted by consecutive stressors, or often worried about a negative experience or event that could happen in the future.1
Examples of episodic acute stress sometimes reflect examples of non-episodic acute stress. They include stress over regular presentations at work, recurring doctors appointments, meetings to discuss a divorce, etc. Generally, this type of stress is most common for people who identify themselves as naturally anxious, irritable, or short-tempered, as they may interpret even minor stressors as being the source of major stress.
How Episodic Acute Stress Affects Your Mental & Physical Health
Even though some people may not perceive certain events or situations as being stressful, the person impacted by episodic acute stress often feels alarmed and overwhelmed. Given its repetitive and frequent nature, this can lead to serious impacts on mental and physical health.4 It’s clear that the persistent and cyclical pattern of episodic stress can have a disturbing impact on the mind and body.
Signs & Symptoms of Episodic Stress
Signs and symptoms of episodic stress include the following:4
- Feeling irritable and angry
- Increased heart rate
- Panic attacks
- Heartburn and indigestion
- Muscle pain and tightness
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Frequent headaches
Best Ways to Relieve Episodic Stress
One way to manage episodic acute stress is to speak with your doctor. They can help you determine whether anti-anxiety medication could be helpful. In some cases, medication enables you to interpret and reflect on challenging situations with less panic, distress, and worry.4
Similarly, engaging in CBT can help change the negative thoughts, distressing feelings, and maladaptive behaviors that could be amplifying stress and mood concerns. In addition, implementing relaxation and stress management techniques (e.g., deep breathing, yoga, and meditation) and lifestyle changes (e.g., improving sleep, exercise, and nutrition habits) can further reduce the impact of episodic stress on your daily life.4
3. Chronic Stress
Chronic stress is described as ongoing and constant stress with no (or limited) relief. It can be common for people dealing with prolonged health issues or disabilities, or those who are caring for someone with prolonged health issues or disabilities.1
Chronic stress can also occur for people who are dealing with the following:1
- Abuse or witnessing the abuse of others
- Long-term divorce or a child custody battle
- High-stress or high-danger jobs (e.g., emergency medical service workers, firefighters, police officers, armed forces and navy, crisis response workers)
- Ongoing housing and financial difficulties
- Living in a dangerous or crime-ridden neighborhood
- Discriminiation based on gender, sexual orientation, race, age, disability, religion, cultural background, etc.
- Low self-esteem5
Chronic stress also affects people who:5
- Deal with multiple, persistent stressors at the same time
- Have a limited social support network of family and friends
- Are prone to mood swings
- Have challenges coping with the unknown
- Have a natural tendency to exhibit negative or catastrophic thinking
How Chronic Stress Affects Your Mental & Physical Health
Chronic stress can be quite harmful for your mental and physical health. The stress hormones that are released to help the mind and body prepare for a difficult situation continue to be released due to ongoing stress. As a result, the constant flood of hormones builds up over time to cause significant deterioration.1
Signs & Symptoms of Chronic Stress
Signs and symptoms of chronic stress include:1
- High blood pressure
- Higher risk of stroke and heart attack
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Headaches
- Insomnia and fatigue
- Weakened immune system, increasing risk for the flu, infections, and viruses
- Nausea and digestive problems, including vomiting
- Weight gain (possibly due to stress eating)
- Fertility and reproductive issues, as well as low sex drive
- Memory problems and difficulties concentrating, paying attention, focusing, and decision-making
- Difficulty handling daily responsibilities at work, home, and in your personal life
- Anxiety (even if you can still function)
- Negative thinking, feeling agitated, helpless and hopeless
- Depression, irritability, emotional lability, and low self-confidence
- Substance use and abuse
Best Ways to Relieve Chronic Stress
In the case of chronic stress, it’s important to identify the source in order to reduce or eliminate its effects. For example, if you have a chronic illness or disability, it may reduce stress to have a team of professionals that can support your needs (e.g., family doctor, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, social worker, psychologist, personal support worker). If you’re unhappy at work, you may want to expand your skill set, update your cover letter and resume, and pursue other ventures.1
If systemic, environmental, or social factors are causing your chronic stress, explore whether there are regional or federal public resources available to give you some relief. For example, apply for housing that better suits your income status or explore a market rent unit that is more affordable. It may also be beneficial to apply for social assistance or a charity program, get support from local food banks, and explore government community services in your area.3 However, when it’s difficult to avoid stress, the key to relief is learning how to cope.
Methods of coping with chronic stress include:1
- Deep breathing
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Mindfulness
- Journaling
- Gratitude and positive affirmations
- A simple exercise routine
- Healthy diet
- Adequate sleep
- Reducing or eliminating substance use
- Connect with friends and family
- Ask for help
- Set boundaries and clear limits
- Learn to say no
- Avoid the stressor
- Repeat a positive phrase or mantra
- Seek out a therapist6
When to Get Professional Help For Stress
Call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest emergency room if you have thoughts of harming yourself or intentions or thoughts of suicide. For non-emergency urgent emotional support, call or text a crisis phone line. If you find your ability to cope with stress waning and/or you are having concerning symptoms, it may be beneficial to obtain assistance from a counselor.
As a supportive listener, a counselor can help you identify your challenges and strengths, explore coping strategies, problem-solve, and find solutions that work for you. Contact your doctor if you would like a referral to a mental health professional like a psychologist or psychiatrist. Managing stress is possible, and seeking professional help is one of the best ways to do so.
How to Find a Therapist
In addition to getting a referral from a family doctor or primary care physician (PCP), you might consider the Choosing Therapy directory to find a therapist, counselor, or virtual counselor who serves your region. You can watch introduction videos and when you’re ready, select a time and book your appointment. If you’d like additional help finding a therapist, you can request a free consultation with a Client Navigator.
Remember, many people experience some form of stress or anxiety in their lifetime, but everyone’s experience is unique. It’s important to determine the specific coping strategies, forms of therapy, and in some cases, medication that work for you.
For Further Reading
Here are additional resources regarding stress and coping strategies:
