According to Helpguide.org, we all face different challenges and obstacles, and sometimes the pressure is hard to handle. When we feel overwhelmed, under the gun, or unsure how to meet the demands placed on us, we experience stress. In small doses, stress can be a good thing. It can give you the push you need, motivating you to do your best and to stay focused and alert. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work or drives you to study for your midterm when you'd rather be watching TV. But when the going gets too tough and life's demands exceed your ability to cope, stress becomes a threat to both your physical and emotional well-being.

If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, you may be running on stress a good portion of the time—launching into emergency mode with every traffic jam, phone call from the in-laws, or segment of the evening news. But the problem with the stress response is that the more it’s activated, the harder it is to shut off. Instead of leveling off once the crisis has passed, your stress hormones, heart rate, and blood pressure remain elevated.

Furthermore, extended or repeated activation of the stress response takes a heavy toll on the body. Prolonged exposure to stress increases your risk of everything from heart disease, obesity, and infection to anxiety, depression, and memory problems. Because of the widespread damage it can cause, it’s essential to learn how to deal with stress in a more positive way and reduce its impact on your daily life. (Helpguide.org, 2007)

Keep in mind that the signs and symptoms of stress can also be caused by other psychological and medical problems. If you’re experiencing any of the warning signs of stress, it’s important to see a doctor for a full evaluation. Your doctor can help you determine whether or not your symptoms are stress-related. (Helpguide.org, 2007)

What is Stress?
Stress comes in two forms. Good stress known as eustress and bad stress known as distress. When they think of stress, most people think of distress, however eustress provides a positive reaction or motivation for many people. Our reaction to stress can vary depending upon the degree to which we feel that we are in control. For example, athletes would generally see sporting events in which they take part as exciting or exhilarating. However, a situation that is thrust upon us, such as retrenchment, can be viewed in a negative light and could generate different feelings.
Both eustress and distress begin with a situation known as a stressor.

Any situation can be a stressor. For example, take a person who is asked to perform a task using a new computer software package. If that person has well developed computer skills, they would most likely see this as an exciting learning experience. This would be eustress. On the other hand, someone with little or no computer skills may see this situation as source of distress. In other words, it is our assessment of a situation and of our ability to cope with that situation that creates stress.
Stress also has a physical side. When we become stressed, more adrenalin is released into the body and physiological changes take place that are basically preparing us to fight or flee. This affects such things as blood flow, heart rate, breathing and muscle tension.

Stress is also closely linked to our mood. Stress can cause us to move into certain moods or certain moods can heighten our stress levels. As you can see, stress is multi-faceted and affects us in many ways.