Introduction to Stress

Stress is generally considered to be the psychological and physical response of the body that occurs when the (perceived or actual) demands of an individual do not match the perceived abilities of the individual. 

Stress consists of two parts: the stressor (what is causing the stress) and the stress response. 

Stressors may include part of the daily routine, such as work and daily hassles, or may be part of a larger feeling of being out of control. 

However, not all stress is bad and that's important to remember. Stress is what causes you to revise for your exams because you realise you don't know enough yet, and it's what makes you fight or flight when there's perceived danger. But, too much stress is damaging to both psychological and physical health, and can lead to heart problems, skin problems and psychological disorders such as depression.

Thus it's important that causes of and ways to manage stress are identified.