Almost everyone in real life has felt the presence of stress at one time or another. However, has stress become a serious health problem? The National Institute of Mental Health defines stress as the body’s response to any one request (i.e., stressor), and it is often described as a feeling of overwhelm, anxiety or frustration. Many things can trigger stress, whether negative or positive, real or imagined. But not all stress is harmful; on the contrary, there are times when it can help us avoid danger by allowing our bodies to react and act quickly. For example, when we see a car coming towards us, our body will make a “fight or flight response” to avoid the danger, which is the stress response. If we fail to manage daily stress, or repeatedly exposed to stressful events, stress levels will remain high, and this may lead to health problems. We refer to this type of stress as chronic stress, which is a more chronic and ongoing stress. The dangers of chronic stress Chronic stress increases the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and digestive problems, and it can be associated with poor immune system function, which can lead to depression, impairment of fertility, and memory problems. How do you know you are suffering from chronic stress? There are a number of physical symptoms that can be indicative, such as headaches, loose stools (diarrhea), sleep problems, and so on. Other symptoms include feeling overwhelmed, not being able to get anything done, or feeling that stress is interfering with your daily life. If these or other emerging symptoms occur, be sure to consult and discuss them with your doctor, as they may be precursor signs for different diseases to occur. Remember, do not abuse substances like nicotine, abuse alcohol, or try other harmful behaviors without medical advice. Some people use smoking, alcohol abuse, overeating and other unhealthy behaviors as instantaneous stress relievers; however, the short and long-term effects of these practices may further jeopardize your physical and mental health.