Frequently Asked Questions

We hope to be of assistance and clarify these common questions.

1. What is stress?

Stress is the body's natural response to the demands made upon it. It may be viewed as a pressure, a threat, or a challenge.

2. What causes teenage stress?

The sources of stress can be derived from, but is not limited to:

• Family (expectations, status, structure, separation, remarriage)
• Friends (identity, acceptance, smoking, drinking, dating, break-ups, communication)
• School (tests, presentations, deadlines, tournaments, projects)
• Work (unemployment, money, bills)
• Environment (disasters, weather, traffic, accidents, adaptation to new culture)
• Daily Hassles (driving, racism, poverty, inequality, optimism)
• Health (illnesses, depression, sudden deaths, injuries, surgery, changing hormones, pregnancy)

3. Are all stresses bad?

No, eutress is type of positive stress. It may be considered as a challenge and yields a momentum, an arousal and energy to boost one's productivity for success.

4. How do I cope with stress?

Each of us will find different methods for dealing with stress effectively. Some suggestions to relax and dissipate tension are:

Breathing deeply, exercising, playing sports, participating in yoga, praying, sleeping, and tensing all muscles from head to toes.

5. How do I know stress is affecting my body?

The stress response is a process. You could...
a. Feel alarmed, heart rate escalates, blood rushes, breath heavily, sweat is produced for the fight or flight scenario.
b. Resist the stressor by producing stress hormones
c. Exhaust potassium ions, vitamins, and phosphorus; if temperature, blood pressure and respiration remain high.
d. Become vulnerable to illnesses because without the nutrients, you inhale less oxygen and glucose, which is essential for survival and life if your stress response occurs too long of a period.

6. What are the common stress-related illnesses?

Asthma and other respiratory diseases, cold sores, colitis, confusion, depression, diabetes, headaches, hypertension, heart diseases, irritability, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, muscle tension, panic and anxiety disorders, skin conditions, ulcers, and even suicide.