How many types of stress are there?
Whenever people talk about stress, they are really referring to the volume of stress hormones in the body, which is described in the ‘Nature of stress’ section. The amount of these hormones and the period of time they are maintained for impacts our body and brain to different degrees – this is why there are different types of stress, even though they fundamentally all link back to the same stress hormones.
Other sections to follow will go into the types of stress in more detail. However, below is a list of the most common types of stress, followed by a brief description of each.
- Acute stress
- Post-traumatic stress
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Vicarious trauma
- Chronic stress
- Burnout
- Eustress
Acute stress
This is an intense, fast and normal stress response to a specific event/situation where there is perceived threat to self or others. It is a normal reaction to an abnormal event. Acute stress is used to describe the stress-response experiences within the first 4 weeks after a traumatic event. People will generally recover naturally from acute stress; however, recovery can be aided by using effective wellbeing strategies.
Post-Traumatic Stress
This is an alternative way of describing acute stress.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a mental health condition that occurs at least 4 weeks after a trigger event/situation; where the reduction in acute stress symptoms has not occurred. As well as the trigger event, PTSD is characterised by ongoing intense reactions that can be categorised into 4 specific groups of symptoms.
Vicarious trauma
This is the impact of being exposed to the trauma stories of others. It is change you experience that is a result empathetically engaging with, and relating to, other people. The person experiencing vicarious trauma is actually experiencing signs and symptoms of trauma-related stress, as a direct result of being exposed to the experiences of others
Chronic stress
A sustained and prolonged stress response; which can cause wear and tear on the body and mind. Chronic stress could occur from an acute-stress response that does not reduce with time, or, more frequently, from ongoing, cumulative, moderate-level persistent stress or duress.
Burnout
A state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged duress.
It includes feelings of overwhelm, being emotionally drained and being unable to meet constant demands. It often results in loss of interest and motivation in things you once enjoyed.
Eustress
A positive form of stress that has a beneficial effect on health, motivations, performance and emotional wellbeing. Signs of eustress include increased motivation and focused energy, feeling excited, sense of self-efficacy (mastery) to handle a situation, improved performance and an increased number of positive thoughts (cognitions) about self and life.
Acute, post-traumatic, vicarious, chronic stress and burnout have a wide range of signs and symptoms; these usually negatively impact our physical wellbeing, cognitions, emotional state and behaviours.