Is stress viral?

Is it possible for someone to start developing stress from the stress of another individual? Research has proven that it is actually possible. Secondhand stress is the type of stress an individual develops which is caused by being exposed to other people’s stress. Yes, stress can actually become viral when you pay much attention to another person’s concerns and seem completely drawn into such concerns.

Notice how you feel when someone is snapping at you, toe-tapping, acting impatiently, glancing about rapidly, or pacing about. It might take longer for you to start reacting and feel uneasy. But in some individuals, it doesn’t take long at all. That is how stress can transfer from one person to another.

Research has shown that depression in a spouse can gradually lead to depression in the partner. This is also applicable to roommates or other people who are emotionally attached or stay closely together. In the same vein, children who were raised by stressed parents are more likely to develop some kind of stress themselves.   In reality, a chronic stress suffered by one family member can actually cause the entire family to develop stress.  Apart from family members, stress can actually be contagious among friends and colleagues. Common emotions of stress that can be contagious include fear, anxiety, and depression.
 
According to researchers, Rapson, Cacioppo, and Hatfield, some people are more likely to develop secondhand stress than others. They pointed out that these people tend to be sensitive, attentive, and value interrelatedness over uniqueness.  Those who are extroverts tend to be more influenced by other people’s negative emotional expressions. On the other hand, introverts are prone to be affected by other people’s positive emotions. 

What to do to prevent viral stress

You need to be very conscious and alert to recognize this source of stress whenever it is coming your way. If you have not created strong personal boundaries to identify the sources of an external stress, it will be very easy to let someone’s sense of urgency or anxiety increase your own inner feelings of stress.
Another very effective way of dealing with this type of stress is by trying to change the atmosphere. If you recognize that the mood around you is changing due to someone else’s complaints or nagging, try and help the person out of the situation by offering helpful tips or saying things that will relief his/her stress. If you succeed in calming the person down, you have succeeded in preventing the transfer of the stress to you.
If you find out that the person isn’t buoyed up or reassured in your attempt to create a positive atmosphere, the most sensible thing to do is to take a break and encourage both of you to do something else. This will ensure you don’t hang around the negative atmosphere and keep soaking more of it.