stress - the way a person responds to changes and difficult
situations - is a common experience that people all over the world share (blonna, 2005) in fact, most people have stressful experiences every day. however, research shows that people experience more stress today than they did in the past. forty-eight percent of people in the united states report that they feel more stressed today than they did five years ago. in addition, most doctor visits in the world (three out of five) happen because of problems related to stress. scientists and health workers are interested in this subject because high stress levels have serious consequences that can affect people's health and daily lives.
researchers at rutgers university suggest that recent change in people's lifestyles have caused more stress. stress causes the body to experience physical changes such as a faster heartbeat and breathing rate. the right level of stress can make a person feel stronger and more energetic. researchers believe that in the past this energy helped people to hunt for animals and to protect themselves from danger (cannon, 1932). they released stress with physical ativity involved in hunting, and then their bodie still experience an increase in energy in response to stress, they do not use energy like the hunter-gatherers did. as a result, it is more difficult for their bodies to let go of stress.
too much stress-or stress that continues for a long time-can cause serious physical and emotional problems. these problems include trouble sleeping, sickness, and pain. heart disease and even cancer probably result from stress. moreover, people under stress are in more danger of having an accident at work or while driving, and they might start bad habits more easily such as smoking or eating too much.
it is important to point out that stress is not always bad, however. actually, today's busy lifestyles cause two kinds of stress--eustress and distress. eustress is the effect of positive events that cause a change in a person's life. eustress provides the amount of stress that is just right for a person to grow, to stay energetic, and to feel happy with life. for instance, getting married is a happy life event for most people. however, getting married is also a big change, so it cause stres. distress, on the other hand, is the effect of bad or difficult experiences. problems with money, school, or relationships are common cause of distress in modern life. according to the holmes and rahe social readjustment rating scale (1967), the death of a husband, wife or child causes the most distress in a person's life. distress can cause serious health and emotional a person's well-being.