At the end of the 19th century, a somewhat strange fashion arose in the United States. New Yorkers began regularly attending “Don’t Worry Clubs,” places where they encouraged each other to see the good side of life. Its founder, Theodore Seward, thought Americans had become “Slaves to the habit of worry” and considered worry the “Greatest enemy of happiness.” Therefore, it was necessary to attack them decisively to achieve “Spiritual emancipation.”
Later, at the beginning of the 20th century, psychologist William James noticed that people had developed a kind of “Religion of healthy mentality” with the aim of warding off all negative thoughts and feelings. They wanted to exorcise negativity and discomfort at all costs, often closing their eyes to the unwanted. However, this kind of motivated ignorance inevitably led to deliberate self-deception, which was not exactly the best way to solve the problems.
Today, in the 21st century, it seems as if much of the world has been immersed in a gigantic “Don’t Worry Club.” Books, magazines, TV shows, social media, and gurus frequently describe the dangers of stress and the importance of staying positive. They all start from a common denominator: they assume that worry and stress are inherently bad and harmful.
However, that is not the case – or at least not always.
One reaction, two interpretations
Imagine for a second that you have to go to a job interview or defend an important project. Under pressure, almost all of us react in the same way: our pulse quickens and our breathing becomes shallower.
However, if we think of stress as negative, we are likely to worry about those reactions. We will take note that we are nervous. We will start to feel stressed about being stressed. We will fall into that loop and our performance will probably suffer.
Instead, we could understand these “symptoms” in a mere “physiological arousal” that helps us better face the challenge ahead. Ultimately, the accelerated pulse is only a sign that circulation has been activated so that our body can respond better and faster breathing oxygenates the lungs, preparing us for the challenge.
In that case, instead of worrying about what we are experiencing, we accept it knowing that it is a perfectly natural response of our body and our brain. A response that, used well, could improve our performance.
It all depends on the lens you look through
We do not react only to reality, our reaction also depends on the interpretation of events. Therefore, it should not surprise us that more and more research indicates that our beliefs about what we experience – rather than the reaction itself – determine its effects on our mind and body. In other words, we are not only affected by what happens to us or how we react to it, but also by the preconceived ideas we have about what is happening to us.
Psychologists at the University of Rochester found that when they encouraged people to interpret stress signals in terms of functional benefits, not only did their level of tension and anxiety decrease, but their mood also improved and their neuroendocrine system calmed and increased performance, obtaining better results on tasks. This means that the way we perceive, label and analyze what happens to us influences how we react and manage the situation.
Another study carried out at Stanford University found that, when we are faced with a potentially unpleasant situation, if we believe that the situation is beneficial, we will be more likely to notice the positive things in our environment and more proactive when looking for solutions.
On the other hand, if we consider stress to be harmful, our alarm system will activate and we will look for signs of threat and hostility everywhere, which will further increase that level of distress. Our ability to seek constructive solutions will also decrease since emotional hijacking is more likely to occur and we are more likely to activate basic fight or flight reactions.
Negative beliefs about stress and the worries they generate immerse us in a kind of vicious circle that pushes us deeper and deeper, generating a loop of catastrophic thoughts. As a result, the body and brain begin to react as if they were facing real danger and push us to see enemies and risks where there are none.
Our beliefs about stress can even modify physiological responses to stressful situations. When researchers at Yale University showed people that stress could improve their performance and contribute to personal growth, their cortisol level decreased enough to keep them alert, but without triggering a state of panic.
Break the loop
Science shows us that if we start to see those reactions as a potential source of energy and motivation, we can break that loop. Of course, stress is not always positive. The effects of anxiety on the brain and our well-being can be devastating, but only when it is a sustained situation over time.
Changing our beliefs about stress is not easy. Western culture and the popularization of Positive Psychology teaches us to worry about being stressed, a habit that has become deeply ingrained in many people. However, change is possible.
In fact, the idea is not to “resist” at any cost. It’s not about enduring grueling workloads with a positive mindset or putting yourself through a toxic relationship trying to find the good side. Struggling to cope with an unsustainable situation can be the direct path to disaster.
In reality, it is about learning to differentiate between distress and eustress. It is about not interpreting what happens to us in a negative way a priori because even the most unpleasant emotions or the most uncomfortable sensations have an important message and are useful. It is, therefore, about stopping worrying so much about being stressed to avoid making things even worse. Ultimately, it is about learning to flow more and worry less. Our mental balance will thank us.
References:
Jamieson, J. P. (2022) Reappraising stress arousal improves affective, neuroendocrine, and academic performance outcomes in community college classrooms. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 151(1): 197–212.
Robson, D. (2022) The big idea: is it time to stop worrying about stress? In: The Guardian.
Jamieson, J. P. et. Al. (2018) Optimizing stress responses with reappraisal and mindset interventions: an integrated model. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping; 31(3): 245-261.
Crum, A. J. et. Al. (2013) Rethinking stress: The role of mindsets in determining the stress response. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology; 104(4): 716–733.
Pawelski, J. O. (2002) William James, Positive Psychology, and Healthy-Mindedness. The Journal of Speculative Philosophy; 17(1): 53-67.
(1898) The don’t worry movement: Its Father, Theodore Frelinghuysen Seward, Speaks of Its Principles. In: The New York Times.
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