What Is ‘Secondhand Stress’? Here’s What It Means, Plus 5 Ways to Manage

A leading doctor says we may be able to quiet our stress by understanding this one timely concept.

Stress has reached all-time highs. According to the American Psychological Association, in 2022, 27% of adults in the United States said they’re too stressed to function, and 34% said that stress is overwhelming most of the time. If you feel stress, but you’re not sure why—or you feel more pessimistic, tired or irritable than usual—you may be experiencing secondhand stress.

Stress is often defined as a worry or concern about a specific issue, but Scott Lyons, Ph.D., DO, a doctor of osteopathy, licensed holistic psychologist, educator and author of the May 2023 book, Addicted to Drama, says: “Everything we’ve been told about stress is wrong.”

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