Second Hand Stress

Everyone seemed off. Her husband seemed irritated, her daughter was rebellious, her little one was restless, her team was unsupportive, complaining and the list went on. There was a sense of negativity filling the air. It felt like everyone was going through the same silent storm that she was going through which she had not even spoken about. Sarah was sure that she was going through a bad phase in her life and people around her were not supportive and rather complaining about their own issues. 

It started with a phone call and eventually everyone around her seemed stressed. Did Sarah rub off some of the negativity from her stress onto the people around her? 

Is stress contagious?

Yes, stress spreads but not necessarily at the same intensity. A recent study conducted by the Centre of Advanced Studies at the University of Konstanz in Germany found that observing stress in others leads to higher levels of stress hormones like cortisol. As stated by DR. William A. Haseltine who led the study, Stress Contagion is a phenomenon where stress experienced by one person can impact the stress levels of those around them even without direct interaction. The studies concluded that stress experienced by one person can impact the physiology, behavior, and stress levels of those around them.

We mirror the emotions of those around us, often without even realizing it. When left unchecked, this can turn our homes and workplaces into powerhouses of negativity. Instead of being spaces of peace and comfort, they become environments we dread.

Knowing this only highlights the importance of managing stress and transforming it into something productive to save ourselves and our loved ones from the ripple effect that stress can create.

Spread Calm, Not Chaos.  

Managing stress can be a struggle and there are countless materials on managing stress. However , in my training as a gender intelligence coach and reading up on the subject there were a few that stood out and helped me manage stress and stop the chain reaction.

3 Key Tips to Managing Second-Hand Stress:

1.⁠ ⁠Self-Awareness: The first step is recognizing that you are not just empathizing with someone who is stressed but you are starting to mirror the emotions of the stressed person around you. Become aware of your emotional state. Acknowledge your feelings, don’t ignore them.

2.⁠ ⁠Set Boundaries: If someone’s stress is affecting you, take a step back. Create healthy boundaries. Step away from certain conversations or give yourself space.

3.⁠ ⁠Open Communication: Letting it out can make you feel a lot better. It will bring clarity, avoid any misunderstanding, and set expectations right. 

3 Key tips for turning stress into something Productive:

1.⁠ ⁠Reframe Stress: Change your mindset. Treat stress as a motivator rather than as a threat. Use it as an opportunity for self-improvement. Come out as a VICTOR, not a VICTIM.

2.⁠ ⁠Channel Energy: Stress hormones like adrenaline give our body energy. Use that energy to focus on tasks such as exercise, writing, or creative work. Channel this energy to bring out something productive.

3.⁠ ⁠Prioritize and Organize: Break the task that is overwhelming you into smaller, manageable steps to regain control.

By acknowledging stress and consciously redirecting it, you can change your life and also the lives of the people you love.

The world today runs on stress from a little child to a fully grown individual. Let’s take a little step together to make a big change in and around us. Our families deserve a better version of ourselves and so does the WORLD.

Life is full of mistakes made and lessons learned, every setback is an opportunity for growth.