Understanding Stress

The term Stress refers to the psychological and physiological responses we experience when faced with demands or threats.  These demands or threats, real or imagined, create a heightened emotional or physical tension which can be beneficial when facing a challenge.  Once the challenge is resolved, the state of heightened tension is alleviated.  Stress becomes problematic when heightened responses become chronic, resulting in a constant state of tension which can lead to significant health problems.  Good stress, referred to as eutress, may also lead to distress over time if a person has difficulty adjusting to new changes.  An example of eutress would be a job promotion; however, over time the new job promotion might create negative tension or distress.  Dr. Hans Selye developed his theory of stress in the 1950's, defining stress as the mind and body's total response to an internal or external stimulus, called the stressor.

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