The Four Types of Causes of Stress

Stressful situations come in all shapes and sizes. Whether balancing your checkbook or planning a move, stress can throw off the balance of work and life. The trick is learning what the four main triggers for stress are so that if and when they pop up they can be dealt with immediately.

Threat

• Perception of what is viewed as a threat causes the most stress. When something is made significant, whether it truly is or not, it is seen as a threat. The three main triggers of threat, according to WorkLifeBalance.com, are physical, financial and social. Changing how stress is managed when these threats arise helps with creating a more balanced life.

Cognitive Dissonance

• According to Changing Minds, cognitive dissonance is "the feeling of uncomfortable tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time." Smokers are a prime example, as they know smoking can cause lung cancer but continue to smoke anyway. When there is a need for new ideas or change, cognitive dissonance can occur.

Fear

• The Erie County, New York, Department of Mental Health states that "fear has a legitimate function because it alerts us to something that could possibly be harmful." However, our fears can make mountains out of molehills and interfere with day-to-day activities. Most of the time, fear is not based in reality and can be handled by talking to someone such as a trusted friend or therapist.

Uncertainty

• One of the six basic human needs is certainty. Without it, there is a lack of comfort and when someone is uncomfortable with a situation, there is stress. For example, when being diagnosed for an illness, not knowing what's going on causes more stress than when the outcome is revealed. "Once people have a diagnosis, they gain understanding and control," says Dr. Elvira V. Lang of Harvard Medical School.