Stress can be defined as any type of imbalance
in one’s life or daily routine. It is normal to have stress in life; however, how an individual responds to that stress
can have a direct impact on their mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
According to the American Institute of Stress,
between 75-90% of visits to primary care physicians result from stress-related disorders including anxiety disorders, panic
attacks, depression, insomnia, cardiovascular disorders, obesity, chronic pain, hypertension, temporomandibular joint disorder
(TMJ), migraine and tension headaches, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Stress can also impact how one is able to
learn and may be a culprit of attention deficit disorder.
 When an individual feels stressed, both the central nervous system and the autonomic nervous system of the body are activated
resulting in physical, mental, and emotional responses. These responses, known as the ‘fight or flight’ reaction,
occur as a natural defense mechanism to help the stressed individual remove themselves more rapidly from a potentially dangerous
situation. Due to emotional memory, humans continue to function in this fight or flight mode even without a danger physically
present. This means they may be unintentionally responding to stress on a physiological level and unaware of their continuous
reaction. This often results in chronic stress which may lead to various emotional conditions, cardiovascular disorders, gastrointestinal
aliments, autoimmune deficiencies, and degenerative neurological disorders. Stress may be the cause of most conditions, and
if present, will exacerbate all symptoms.
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