Stress

DOUGH GOOD
Oct 12, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Have you ever felt stressed, maybe by a sudden change in your lifestyle or surroundings? Modern society is full of stressors, from small to critical.

What is stress?

Stress can be described as the feeling of being tense or on edge, and is the body’s reaction to a challenging situation, or stressor. It may seem like your heart starts racing, your body tenses, or your mind sharpens when placed in a stressful situation. This is thanks to the hormones released in your body as a defense mechanism in those circumstances.

What are the main types of stress?

Acute Stress

Acute stress is short-term stress, usually caused by a brief event. This type of stress can be both negative and positive, and is typically beneficial to your health, teaching your body and mind how to tackle dangerous situations and daunting obstacles.

Some examples include: having an argument, riding on a steep roller coaster, taking an important exam, speaking in front of a large audience, et cetera.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress is long-term stress and affects a person throughout a long period of their life. Once a stressor has an effect for weeks or even longer, it can be considered chronic stress, which leads to significant health problems.

Some examples include: employment issues, family dysfunction, health conditions, poor living conditions, et cetera.

Symptoms of stress

Short-term and long-term symptoms of stress depend on the person and the situation.

Some common physical conditions include headache, fatigue, weakened immune system, chest pain, upset stomach, and sleep problems.

Internally, stress can make you feel overwhelmed, angry, sad, unfocused, and restless.

Chronic stress usually causes long-term effects, such as a loss of motivation and commitment, deteriorating friendships and relationships, disordered eating and drug habits, and unfamiliar changes in behavior.

Serious health issues can also stem from chronic stress, such as anxiety, acne, diabetes, obesity, depression, and more.

Dealing with stress

There’s no textbook way to deal with stress, as each person responds differently to stress-reducing strategies. Some options for de-stressing include: getting an appropriate amount of sleep and food, meditation, spending time with friends and family, physical activity, journaling, counseling, and therapy. If you ever feel that you need help dealing with excessive stress, do not hesitate to reach out to a healthcare provider, who can assist you in finding a way to manage your situation.