Stress Basics
Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever
increasing demands of life. Surveys show that most Americans experience
challenges with stress at some point during the year. In looking at the
causes of stress, remember that your brain comes hard-wired with an
alarm system for your protection.
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 nonstop stress of modern life means
that your alarm system rarely shuts off.
