In plain English, stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment.
But not all stress is bad -- some stress is good. In fact, everyone needs stress in their lives; without it, life would be dull and unexciting. Stress adds flavor, challenge and opportunity to life. Stress can pump you up, give you energy, supply that zest for living.
Stress is an unavoidable part of life. The challenges caused by stress help to develop new skills and behavior patterns. The problems occur, however, when stress becomes excessive. It can become destructive and can turn into distress. Too much stress on your mind and body can make you feel miserable, worried, sad and ill.
Contrary to popular belief, stress is not the pressure from the outside--the divorce, the death, the burned supper, the vacation, the isolation. Those are stressors. Your response to those situations constitutes stress.
Common external causes of stress
Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated:
* Major life changes * Work * Relationship difficulties * Financial problems * Being too busy * Children and family
Stress management techniques
Stress management can help you to either remove or change the source of stress, alter the way you view a stressful event, lower the impact that stress might have on your body, and teach you alternative ways of coping. Stress management therapy will have the objective of pursuing one or more of these approaches.
Stress management techniques can be gained if you read self-help books, or attend a stress management course. You can also seek the help of a counselor or psychotherapist for personal development or therapy