When Stress is Good and When Stress is Bad Articles | Stress

By: Intense Focus

Stress came about as a result of the need to help the human body cope with the problems of life. When danger is felt then the body experiences a natural “fight or flight” response. This is way in which we prepare for battle. The adrenal glands kick off and flood the body with high doses of adrenaline in order to provide energy.

The heart rate increases as well as the blood flow and this gives the major organs of the body and the muscles a whole lot more oxygen. Endorphins may be released as well so that they can perform as natural pain killers. Breathing also increases and digestion slows down. All of this occurs in order to help you cope with the struggles that you face in front of you. This is natures way of handling something bad that is coming your way and it is great when you are trying to deal with a serious problem or emergency.

Where the problem comes in is when the stress levels are continually on the increase meaning that these fight or flight responses remain throughout the day. A battle with your spouse, an illness or problematic coworkers may all be reasons that these fight or flight responses stay unnaturally. The nervous system can sense prolonged tension as well as danger and may continue to pump hormone and chemicals into the body which may deplete the natural reserves of an individual making them feel sick and tired most of the time.

Some small stress can be great but too much is a bad thing for anybody. Good stress allows us to get a job competed or allows us handle difficult situations on our won. Bad stress on the other hand strips us of the confidence and the powers to handle our daily problems.

Too Much Stress Is Bad.

Excessive bad stress or stress overload may cause great problems with the immune system of a body. This makes the body more susceptible to simple illnesses such as colds and flu’s or other more serious problems such as infection, diabetes, high blood problems and gastrointestinal issues. Stress is also linked to a higher rate or things such as cancer, heart disease and stroke in a number of patients. Excessive stress in other people may lead to serious mental and physical problems as well.

What Causes Bad Stress? People react to stress in different ways, what may bother one person can easily be avoided by another. Some typical causes of stress include:

• Divorce
• Death
• Illness
• Moving
• New job
• Pregnancy
• Legal issues
• Retirement
• Financial problems
• Marriage

  Recognizing the Symptoms of Too Much Bad Stress.
  

  The first way of overcoming bad stress is to recognize that you are feeling it and knowing that they are ways that you can cope. Symptoms of stress overload may be:
  

  • Emotional Changes. Mood swings, anxiety, insomnia, trouble concentrating, anger and even feelings of agitation and tenseness may all be symptoms that your stress levels are reaching critical levels.
    
  • Feeling Unwell. Physical symptoms of stress can often be very hidden and not pronounced such as an upset tummy, or trouble eating. Sometimes they can be more sever such as extreme fatigue, throbbing headaches, chest pains, recurring diarrhea, or even angina and/or heart palpitations.
    
  • Behavioral Changes are another sign that the level of stress you are experiencing may be reaching critical levels. Overreacting, anger, acting on impulse, withdraws and the feeling of a sudden need to quit or change jobs may all be the result of stress overload.