Would You Rate Your Stress Level as Positive, Tolerable, or, Toxic? by Sandra Bravo LPC
Receiving a cancer diagnosis will definitely increase your stress level.
And, this is an appropriate response to a life-threatening health condition. Your brain wants you to focus on taking action and making decisions about your body. If you didn’t feel threaten by the cancer diagnosis, then you wouldn’t take any action.
Undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and/or a combination of these treatments will put your body under a tremendous amount of physiological stress. Even if you fully understand the benefits of treatment, your body is reacting to the physical demands of cancer treatment. Your body may hurts in ways indescribable.
After long periods of stress, your body, brain, and spirit may become biologically, psychologically, and/or spiritually exhausted.
Can this exhaustion be avoided or reversed?
Yes!
Recently, I read a Harvard University article that classifies stress into three different levels. The first level is called Positive Stress which is defined as : “Brief increase in heart rate, mild elevations in stress hormone levels.” Stress can be positive if it moves you to make choices. The second level is called Tolerable Stress which is defined as: “Serious, temporary stress response, buffered by supportive relationships.” If there are circumstance beyond your control, then you can surround yourself with a variety of support to buffer the impact. And, the third level is called Toxic Stress which is defined as: “Prolonged activation of stress response systems in the absence of protective relationships.” Without buffers in your life, your brain, body, and spirit will experience exhaustion.
What stood out for me in the above article was how relationships are a buffer to allowing positive stress to turn into toxic stress. Stress is a part of life. And, increased stress due to a cancer diagnosis is understandable. But, the good news is that healthy relationships with family, friends, pets, support groups, case workers, community organizations, spiritual faith, medical professionals, and therapists can prevent toxic stress. You may have noticed the word healthy in the last sentence, and it was intentionally placed to distinguish unhealthy relationships from supportive relationships.
As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I help individuals explore relationships, identify areas for growth, and discover strategies to improve the health of their relationships. The healthier your relationships are the healthier your outlook will be on life. You might be wondering how I define a healthy relationship. Here are some characteristics of healthy relationship:
1. Respect - appreciating differences as much as similarities
2. Trust - lack of jealousy and fear (emotional or physical)
3. Communication - honest and for growth
4. Fairness - take turns being supportive
5. Patience - allow one another to move at their own individual pace
6. Growing - allowing time for relationships and activities outside the relationship
If you are experiencing tolerable or toxic stress, then you might find it helpful to make a list of all your support systems. Stress effects memory function and the list can be a great reminder of who to reach out to when you need body, brain, and/or spiritual support.
https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/toxic-stress/
Author’s Bio: Sandra views the therapy relationship as an opportunity to create a safe space for individuals to explore their current situation. Through the use of mindfulness, breath work, painting, and an exploration of the relationship between thoughts, behaviors, and feelings, she guides clients to discover the best approach to make changes in their life.
Sandra studied psychology and early childhood education as an undergraduate at the University of Central Texas which became affiliated with Tarleton State University. She continued her studies as a graduate student at Tarleton, which merged with Texas A&M University, studying psychology from a research-based perspective for the goal of entering into clinical practice. After graduating with a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Texas A&M University Central Texas, she earned an additional graduate degree from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest studying spirituality and ethics. Her research culminated into a thesis paper titled Human Love: Enriching the Concept of Intimacy.
When not in the office, Sandra enjoys reading books, being outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
Bravo Counseling Center, PLLC
3305 Northland Drive, Austin, TX, 78731
737.881.9695