Stress
Stress is a process of when you feel under pressure to do something and think you will fail.
Stress affects us in many ways, including:
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Emotionally – anxiety, depression, tension, anger
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Mentally – poor concentration, forgetfulness, indecisiveness, apathy, hopelessness
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Physically-There is growing evidence that stress may contribute to physical illness such as cardiovascular disease (although this link remains controversial and research is ongoing), high blood pressure, proneness to infection and chronic fatigue.
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Behaviorally – increased drinking and smoking, insomnia, accident proneness, weight problems, obsessive-compulsive behaviour, nervousness, gambling.
When stressed, the body feels that it is under attack and switches to 'fight or flight mode', releasing a complex mix of hormones and chemicals to prepare the body for physical action.
The challenge is when our body goes into a state of stress in inappropriate situations. When blood flow is going only to the most important muscles needed to fight or flee, brain function is minimised. This can lead to an inability to 'think straight'; a state that can be very detrimental to both our work and home lives.