"The body's response to a demand for change" (Langen,2015)
Stress affects every part of your body, mind and behavior. Stress is considered to be many things. It can be from home, school, work and family. Sometimes people have stressors and are not truly aware of them. There are good and bad stressors. The good stress is what we need in life so that we keep our minds sharp for survival and it can also motivate you to perform certain tasks. Throughout a persons life stressors find a way to affect the mind, body and behavior.
Changes in life that may cause stress
- Leaving home
- Going to college
- Getting married
- Having children
- Starting a new job
Acute Stress
This type of stress is where it is not with you long. It shows up abruptly and affects the body and mind as if you are under immanent threat. Most people have this type of stress in their life. There is not one person that can say they have a stress free life. This type of stress is automatic. For example: If a barking dog comes rushing at you, your brain alarms the rest of your body that the dog may attack, then you react to the possible danger. Your brain stimulates the hormones that you are in danger. You may experience sweating, increased heart rate, negative thoughts of what the dog may do and possible crying. After this event your mind and body will start to go back to normal and then have to determine if this is something that will affect you for a long time or move on. When completely over the danger then you can go on with what you were doing before the dog came charging at you.
Chronic Stress
This type of stress is something that sneaks up on you and lingers around. This type of stress could be the hardest to notice at first. There is still quite a few people that have this type of stress. When there has been traumatic events usually the stress is still there and the person is on alert to watch out for the dangers. The stress hormone is throughout the bloodstream and your bodies muscles are heightened to react if anything that may cause harm. Also, the body and mind does not relax much and sleep is minimal. This type of stress is more damaging to the body, mind and behavior of a person. You can lead a normal life but the chronic stress is on alert at all times.
