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Coping During Coronavirus: 5 Ways Stress Can Be A Good Thing

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The coronavirus pandemic has caused stress, anxiety and mental health challenges that are far-reaching—with up to 75% of people reporting issues, according to some studies. But stress may not be all bad. It may contain the seeds of positive outcomes you can leverage for great benefits.

Too much stress can, of course, have negative effects. It can lead to poor physical health and everything from muscle and respiratory problems to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal issues. According to research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, stress specific to your job—especially too much pressure and not enough control over circumstances—is correlated with greater incidence of peripheral artery disease. In addition, a study at the UCL Institute of Education in the United Kingdom found worrying about job security has negative effects on mental and physical health.

But some stress can actually be a good thing. Research by Richard Dienstbier found “mental toughness” is enhanced when people had multiple experiences of stress over time. Instead of having a negative cumulative effect, people could build positive results. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology also found some stress could be helpful. Situations of extreme stress or a complete lack of stress were each found to have negative consequences, but a moderate amount of stress built up resilience, learning and constructive outcomes.

As counterintuitive as it seems, tense situations and the stress they produce can be productive. Here are the benefits you can harness:

Stress can reinforce your connections with others. Sometimes, stress is based on your concerns for yourself but often these are intertwined with concerns for others. You don’t want to get sick because it’s personally painful, but in addition, you worry if you’re sick, you’ll transmit germs or won’t be able to care for others. You are concerned about keeping your job because it contributes to your own fulfillment, but it also matters to your ability to provide for your family. Concern for others is what makes us human, and stress can be a reminder of how much you care and the importance of your broader community.

Stress can enhance your resilience. Like a muscle, each time you adapt, you become better at it in the future. Stress keeps you tuned in and tuned up. It can motivate you to be intentional about coping and working through problems—which will help you survive (and thrive) as you learn to improvise and improve over time.

Stress can help you keep things in perspective. My friend Charlie is in military training. He and his platoon have had to weather some extreme conditions. From downpours and cold temperatures to extraordinary fatigue and spider bites, the conditions have enhanced his ability to deal with future problems. For example, after sleeping outside in torrential rain without shelter, getting caught in a shower on the way to pick up dinner seems small in comparison. Surviving extreme conditions broadens your perspective. After enduring a global pandemic, working through smaller challenges in the future will be easier.

Stress can inspire creativity and the growth of new skills. Stress can cause you to find new ways to do things. Innovation is inspired through the most significant barriers because it causes you to think beyond what you’re used to. In fact, one study by Duke University found when people engaged in more complex cognitive processes—problem solving for example—they were able to reduce their levels of anxiety. If you must figure out how to keep your children entertained for hours, get a garden to thrive on your tiny fire escape or even cut your partner’s hair, you’ll be forced to think creatively, solve problems and build new skills.

Stress can motivate you to try new experiences. Once you’ve survived a tough period, your openness to new situations and fresh opportunities may expand. An adventure like skydiving that seemed out of reach before may become more plausible, or the career change that was previously unrealistic may seem more reasonable. The brain isn’t elastic. Once stretched, it doesn’t go back to how it was before. Instead, it is plastic. Once stretched, it remains in an expanded state. This expansion can benefit you in the long term and open new frontiers that may have been previously closed.

The pandemic and the quarantine are stressful, and stress can have negative effects. But you can also embrace its positive outcomes. Stress can reinforce your humanity and your connections as well as your adaptability. It can give you new perspectives and greater creativity, as well as opening you up to new possibilities. Stress isn’t all good, but it can be very good when you can harness the benefits it provides.

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