Stress is a common condition, and occurs when a person perceives an event as a threat. Thus, the way we interpret situations can cause us stress. How so? Think about it, any time something happens to us, we mentally process the situation. We determine whether or not the situation is threatening to us and consider how to handle it. If we find the situation is beyond our ability to deal with, it becomes stressful.

Of course, a situation that one person finds stressful, may not be stressful for another. For instance, while rush hour may make one feel tension and anxiety because traffic makes them nervous or they are afraid to be late, another may find this same drive to be relaxing because they have more time to themselves.

In addition, not all stress is bad. Your body is placed under stress when adrenalin is released. Adrenaline is meant to help motivate and keep us alert in tense situations such as taking an exam, while driving in bad weather, or helping us cope when facing challenging situations. Stress becomes negative when the body is subjected to prolonged bouts of adrenaline.

Stress can be caused by external and internal factors. Some of the more general causes of stress include:

External factors

• Family
• Work
• Your working or living environment
• Sudden events that are unpredictable
• The condition of your community, country or the world

Internal factors

• Health problems from a poor diet
• Pessimism -negative thoughts and feelings
• Perfectionism
• Behaving irresponsibly
• Having expectations that are not realistic

Additionally, there is more than one form of stress a person can experience. There is acute stress, episodic acute stress and chronic stress. Below is brief information about the causes leading to each stress type.

Acute stress – This is the most common and recognizable stress type, because we know exactly what is causing acute stress. Examples include a car crash, a visit to the doctor, being chased by a vicious dog, or experiencing the thrill of a rollercoaster. Acute stress can also be brought on by noise, crowding or hunger. In most cases, acute stress is short-term and has a low health risk. It usually subsides after the event has finished and you adjust back to your normal life.

Episodic acute stress – Episodic acute stress occurs frequently and is often experienced by people who lead fast-paced, chaotic lifestyles that lack control. Those suffering from episodic acute stress are usually worrywarts, and go-getters. Essentially, they are people who are frequently tense and stimulated. Those who have episodic acute stress usually ignore and become accustomed to the stress they feel. This leads to symptoms that can take a toll on a person's physical and mental health, increasing their risk of headaches, high blood pressure and heart attacks.

Chronic stress – Chronic stress is caused by prolonged and relentless pressures and demands. This may include having financial worries, continuous unemployment, feeling trapped in an unhappy career or relationship, being bullied, living in a high crime community, or caring for a loved one who's chronically ill. Chronic stress is the worst type of stress because it is constant and deteriorates mental and physical health. It dramatically increases the risk of illness, and if not taken care of, can result in eventual death.