For many people, stress is so common that it becomes a way of life. The hassles and frustrations of life can lead to a stress overload. Stress isn’t always a bad thing. In small amounts, it can help you. Stress helps with concentration and motivation for one to do their best, especially while under pressure. Stress is a normal, physical response to circumstances that upset your balance or make you feel vulnerable or threatened. When you sense any degree of danger, the body kicks itself into the fight-or-flight response, which is also known as the stress response. The stress response is also a way for the body to protect itself. Sometimes, it can save your life during an emergency by giving you a sudden burst of extra strength to defend yourself. When stress reaches a certain point, it stops being helpful and becomes rather harmful. In many cases, people do not know how much stress is affecting them. Because the body does not distinguish between physical and psychological threats, it will react just as powerfully as if it were in a life-or-death situation. Stress has many strong effects on the body. Stress overload can be dangerous, and it is important to know the signs and symptoms. Stress affects many aspects of health. It can exacerbate many diseases and bring about new challenges. Some diseases affected by stress are heart disease, and sometimes cancer. Stress can also change many physical aspects of the body. It can heighten obesity, pain of any kind, and skin conditions such as eczema. Stress can also cause hair to become gray, acne to sprout or worsen hair to fall out, cramps, headaches, muscle tension, chest pain, and fatigue. Along with physical health, stress can also affect one’s mental health. Stress is a very common cause for behavioral issues. It can cause children to act out in school, grades to drop, and can also decrease concentration. Stress can cause anxiety, panic attacks, restlessness,
Cited: "The Effects of Stress on Your Body." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. . Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Stress Symptoms: Effects on Your Body, Feelings and Behavior." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 19 Feb. 2011. Web. 29 May 2013. . "Stress Symptoms, Signs and Causes." Stress Symptoms, Signs & Causes: Effects of Stress Overload. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. .