The Impact of Stress on Health It锟絪 quite unlikely for an individual to go through life without experiencing some kind of stress. 锟絀锟絤 so stressed out!锟?is a common phrase voiced in today锟絪 rapidly paced society [url=http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com/bobby-portis-bulls-jersey/]http://www.nbabu... , resulting in a wide array of studies related to the topic. Health psychologists have conducted numerous studies into the direct and indirect effects of stress on physical health. Research findings are consistent in proving the existence of a correlation between stress and health. This paper serves to identify causes of stress, the physiological and psychological responses to stress as well as coping mechanisms which can be implemented to help alleviate it. Although the author is supporting the claim that high levels of stress contribute to the onset of physical and mental illnesses, it is recognized that causes of stress and stress reactions vary from individual to individual. Stress is defined as a state that occurs when people encounter events that they perceive as endangering their physical and psychological well-being (Atkinson, Atkinson, Smith, Bem & Nolen-Hoeksema, 1996). When under stress, the body undergoes physiological changes in response to a perceived threat. This complex sequence of responses is known as the 锟絝ight or flight锟?response. Researchers believe that it is this ancient response that has allowed human beings to survive since prehistoric times. David Stang, PsyD of the V.A. Hudson Valley Health Care System says, 锟絎e know that the human brain responds to stress (both real and imagined) by sending signals to the part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus in turn activates the stress response by stimulating the nervous system. Finally, the nervous system creates changes in the body that gets us 锟絧umped up锟?to either stand and fight, or run away锟?(as cited in Healthology, Inc., 2006). Short or infrequent episodes of stress pose little risk to the body [url=http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com/hats/]http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com/hats/... , however, prolonged bouts of stress keep the body in a constant state of activation, increasing the rate of wear and tear to our biological systems. The continuous release of stress-induced hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol eventually inhibit digestion, growth, and tissue repair, as well as compromise the effectiveness of our immune and inflammatory systems. 锟絊ome illnesses particularly affected by stress are; cancer, diabetes, arthritis, coronary heart disease, stomach ulcers, tension headaches, asthma, hypertension, and AIDS锟?(Stang [url=http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com/t-shirts/]http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com/t... , 2006). Chronic stress is considered a known factor influencing the onset of cardiovascular disease. The activation of the fight or flight mechanism increases the heart rate, and can increase the possibility of heart attacks.Stressful situations also produce psychological reactions such as anger, anxiety, depression and burnout. A 2004 APA survey on job stress reported the following findings:1. Two thirds of Americans say they are likely to seek help for stress.2. 54% of workers are concerned about health problems caused by stress.3. 54% of Americans are concerned about the levels of stress in their everyday lives.4. 73% of Americans name money as the number one factor that affects their stress level.5. One in four have taken a mental health day off from work to cope with stress. Job stress continues to rank high on the list of stressors for many Americans today. According to a study by Princeton Survey Research Associates, n.d., three-fourths of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. The 1995 Workers Compensation Yearbook reported that 锟絙y 1995, nearly one-half of the States allowed worker compensation claims for emotional disorders and disability due to stress on the job锟?(cited in NIOSH Publication No. 99-101). There are numerous other factors that cause stress, such as, illness of a family member, financial problems, loss of a job, bankruptcy, planning a wedding, moving [url=http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com/hoodie/]http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com/hoo... , raising a family, and many other similar events. It has also been observed that stress responses differ from culture to culture. Being equipped with coping skills and support systems significantly impact the manner in which one responds to a stressful situation, such as, test taking, or a job interview. According to the World Health Organization, health is a multidimensional phenomenon which includes social, emotional and physical states of ill-being and well-being. Ill-being can be displayed as anxiety, depression, andor somatic illness symptoms, but may also include social dysfunction. The concept of well-being is generally more diverse, reflecting life satisfaction, positive affect, andor the absence of psychopathology and physical symptoms. In the article titled, 锟絊elf and Identity锟?published in the Psychology Press (2005) [url=http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com/customized/]http://www.nbabullsteamshop.com... , the authors posit a relationship between high stress levels and poor health, particularly in persons lacking the necessary coping mechanisms: "Categorizing sources of stress and uplifts into theoreticallymeaningful domains could facilitate the systematic investigation of their impact on health. Although some authors have distinguished between areas such as work stress and home stress (e.g., Nelson, Quick, Hitt, & Moesel, 1990) these categories do not take into account levels of inclusiveness.1 We contend that sources of stress and uplifts can be separated into individual, relational and collective domains reflecting three levels of inclusiveness: individual sources involve the person alone; relational sources involve a dyad comprised of the person and a significant other; and collective sources involve a social group to which the person belongs. Further, we propose that these three domains of stressful demands and pleasant uplifts can differ in importance to a person, resulting in differential impacts on health". (Self and Identity, Psychology Press, 2005, p. . In the article entitled 锟紻oes Stress Hinder Conception?锟? biomedical causes account for most fertility problems