Stress

Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. Surveys show that many Americans experience challenges with stress at some point during each year.

Not all stress is bad. All animals have a stress response, and it can be life-saving. But chronic stress can cause both physical and mental harm.

When your brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones to fuel your capacity for a response. This has been labeled the "fight-or-flight" response. Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal relaxed state. Unfortunately, the non-stop stress of modern life means that your alarm system rarely shuts off. Over time, high levels of stress lead to serious health problems.

Stress management is important to learn how to handle stress effectively and to prevent the physical and mental harm that can occur.

There are at least three different types of stress:

• routine stress related to the pressures of work, family, and other daily responsibilities
• stress brought about by a sudden negative change, such as losing a job, divorce, or illness
• traumatic stress, which happens when you are in danger of being seriously hurt or killed. Examples include a major accident, war, assault, or a natural disaster. This type of stress can cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Some people cope with stress more effectively than others. It is important to know your limits when it comes to stress and learn effective coping strategies, so you can avoid more serious health effects.

Stress is your body's reaction to the demands of the world. Stressors are events or conditions in your surroundings that may trigger stress. Your body responds to stressors differently depending on whether the stressor is new — acute stress — or whether the stressor has been around for a longer time — chronic stress.

Acute stress is also known as the fight-or-flight response and it is your body's immediate reaction to a perceived threat, challenge, or scare. The acute-stress response is immediate and intense, and in certain circumstances it can be thrilling. Examples of acute stressors include having a job interview or getting a speeding ticket. A single episode of acute stress generally does not cause problems for healthy people. However, severe acute stress can cause mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and even physical difficulties such as a heart attack.

Mild acute stress can actually be beneficial — it can spur you into action, motivate, and energize you. Problems occur when stressors are persistent. This chronic stress can lead to health problems, such as headaches and insomnia. The chronic-stress response is more subtle than is the acute-stress response, but the effects may be longer lasting and more problematic.

Talk with your doctor if stress is constant, affecting your sleep, mood, or health, or leading to unhealthy coping. Call or text 988 if you feel overwhelmed or have thoughts of harming yourself.