Stress applies to any condition that harm the body or the mind. In simple words, it is the condition that results when person-environment transactions lead the individual to perceive a discrepancy, whether real or not, between the demands of a situation and the resources of the person’s biological, psychological or social systems. Every one can get stress whether he is a student or a worker etc. The main thing is to know what are the causes of stress and how it can effect you in your daily life and the people near you.

So in order to eliminate stress, it is important that you understand the main causes of stress. However, it is not only the day-to-day tasks and routine pressures of work that can lead to stress.

Infact. There are many other causes of stress :

• Sensory : pain might cause you be under the effect of stress.
• Life Events : Life events like a death of some one close to you or some or divorce etc.
• Responsibilities : Responsibilities such as lack of money and unemployment may cause stress. As a matter of fact, Lack of money is the most common cause of stress mainly because the desire for it never finishes and u want to have more money.
• Life Style: Heavy Drinking, Insufficient sleep, smoking
• Lack of control over environmental circumstances, such as food, housing, health, freedom, or mobility

In short, stress may be caused by many external and internal factors. External factors include loud noises, blinding light,extreme heat or cold, X-rays and other forms of radiation, drugs, chemicals, bacterial and various toxic substance, pain, and inadequate nutrition. Internal factors such as hate, envy, fear, or Jealousy.

Now how should a person know that he is experiencing stress? Under Stress, the body produces more of the so-called ‘fight or flight’ chemicals, which prepare your body for an emergency. It causes an increase in the blood pressure, heartbeat and increase the rate at which you perspire. It can even slow the blood flow to skin and reduces stomach activity.

The person may start to experience headaches, nausea, indigestion and may breathe quickly. The person also experiences various pains and aches such as

• chest pain
• constant tiredness
• constipation
• diarrhea
• cramps or muscle spasms
• craving for food
• dizziness
• fainting spells
• lack of appetite
• nail biting
• Feeling sick and crying
• nervous twitches or muscle spasms
• restlessness
• a tendency to sweat

Stress wears you down day by day with no visible escape. Under sustained or severe stress, even the most well-adjusted person loses the ability to adapt. There are many short term and long term effects of stress on your health as stress damage the cardiovascular system and immune system suppression.

Other Short term effects of stress include:

• Diversion of the blood from less vital to more vital organs.
• Increase in the heart rate to supply more blood quickly.
• Increase in the blood pressure to supply blood efficiently.
• Increase in the respiratory rate to get more oxygen from the atmosphere.
• Breakdown of glycogen stores in liver and muscle to get more glucose.
• Formation of more glucose from non carbohydrate substances.

Other long effects of stress are more harmful then the short term and they include:

• Migraines
• Chronic Pain
• Ulcers
• Heartburn
• High Blood Pressure
• Heart Diseases
• Diabetes
• Asthma
• PMS (Premenstrual syndrome)
• Obesity
• Infertility
• Autoimmune diseases
• Skin problems

Apart from the health effects there are some emotional effects of stress as well. It grinds away your mental health causing emotional damage as well such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders etc. and as a result you are more vulnerable to daily routine pressures and are unable to cope with them.

So its better that if you experience such things you should try consulting your doctor so that you can get rid of it on time and without being effected by it in long run.