Accidentals: Sudden Stress

Photo by Meor Mohamad on Unsplash

       Stress, sometimes, is not so much the event as it is the abrupt end of the event preceding it. Stressful situations are doubly so when they are unexpected. On some level, humans like to be in control.

      When we are in control, we feel at ease. Control gives us a false sense of being able to predict the future. If the result of an action matches the expected result of an action, we are in control. We foresaw the outcome effectively, and thus feel at ease. If the result of an action does not match our expectations, or our ability to partake in the action disappears altogether, we feel any slew of negative emotions upon the realization that we were not in control then.

      It is stability that humans seek, and why control is so alluring. If every day was the same, our livelihood would be safe. It may not be pleasant, but at least we'd be alive... every day. Stability gives us a sense of security in our lives. Unexpected events, by definition, are the exact opposite of stability. By extension, the unexpected feels like a threat to our lives.

      Not being able to see around a corner defines stress. At least when you are at work, you know to expect a possible trajectory of events, say for example countless numbers of unplanned calls. But when a new event that you didn't divinate finds its way to your doorstep, it feels like your whole world shook. That sense of stability is out the door, and you don't know what might happen next.

      A sense of adventure may settle in eventually. The unpredictability of physiological reactions to a roller coaster can be fun, so can be experiencing a haunted house, allegedly, so why not the unpredictability of life itself!? Surprise can birth stress, but as you all know, it can bring joy too...