Stress is the psychological, emotional, or physical strain that we experience when faced with an external obstacle. It’s your body’s reaction to certain events. The discomfort we experience is often related to our perceptions of our own capacity to deal with the event as well as how we actually respond to the event.
Stress can be a brief, short-term experience or a long-term problem. Short-term stress is normal and can actually be helpful. Stress causes our brains to release adrenaline, which actually aids us in accomplishing tasks, being motivated, and solving problems. Chronic stress, however, can lead to psychological and physiological problems. Research indicates that the consequences are serious; chronic stress contributes to anxiety, depression, obesity, high blood pressure, poor immune functioning, and heart disease.
Chronic stress and anxiety can actually be hard to differentiate. Both are emotional responses, their symptoms are nearly identical, and they respond to similar coping mechanisms. Stress, as opposed to anxiety, is typically caused by an external trigger. Job stress, holidays, discrimination, relationship problems, and chronic illness are common catalysts for stress. Anxiety, specifically Generalized Anxiety Disorder, is defined by persistent and excessive worries that don’t go away even when the stressor is removed.
All too often, our society normalizes chronic stress and we don’t address it. The good news - chronic stress can be treated!
