10 preconceived ideas about stress

Consequences on health, remedies and misdeeds: an anthology of received ideas on stress.

Myth 1: Stress is bad for your health

Stress is a completely normal reaction, a survival mechanism that pushes our body to mobilize in the face of danger. The body reacts by secreting specific hormones, such as adrenaline or cortisol, which will push the body into action. What is problematic is what is called chronic stress, which leads to its share of more or less long-term symptoms: migraines, eczema, fatigue, digestive disorders, palpitations, hyperventilation, etc.

Myth 2: the consequences of stress are essentially psychological

While stress can cause mental disorders and/or addictive behaviors, it can also be the cause of physiological disorders, such as musculoskeletal disorders, the first occupational disease, but also cardiovascular disorders or high blood pressure. .

Myth 3: Stress is motivating

Many people find that their productivity increases as the deadline for a task or project approaches. But is it really stress that motivates? In reality, it is the fact of being stimulated and setting goals that motivates us and not the stress.

Myth 4: Successful people are stressed

In our society, stress is often associated with better productivity. A person stressed by their work is often seen as involved, while a phlegmatic person gives the opposite impression. However, Andrew Bernstein, the author of the book  The Myth of Stress , interviewed by  Psychology Today magazine  explains that there is no positive relationship between stress and success: “If you are successful and you are stressed, you succeed in spite of your stress, not because of it”.