The term "stress" has become so ubiquitous that it may pose a challenge if people are asked to define it. Because stress is so widespread, individuals may also be desensitized to the terminology and not fully comprehend the gravity of its consequences. However, stress is serious, as up to 70 percent of diseases are related to stress.
While stress can be acute (more immediate and shorter-term) or chronic (lasting months to years), it can also be compounded by events that occurred in the past (distant stress). This is where terms like "triggered" can arise, as a current event may mimic a past stressor event or trauma. Stress can also be categorized into encounter stress, anticipatory stress, and situational stress.
Here is an example of encounter stress and some of the body’s physiological responses. Imagine a young college student walking alone to their car late at night. Suddenly, a large person with a dark mask begins to approach. Fearing for their life, their hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) and sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) pathways are immediately activated, secreting heightened amounts of the glucocorticoid cortisol that enacts the fight-or-flight response, allowing them to run or fight for their life. The digestive system is halted so that blood can rush to the limbs to facilitate fighting or........