I’m Stressed, But I’m Still Here — Stress Awareness Month

I can almost guarantee that every person reading this has heard someone say or has said, “I feel so stressed.” Most people will admit to having faced extremely stressful times at some point in their lives. Stress has been around forever and affects people very differently. In 1992, more than 30 years ago, the Health Resource Network (HRN), a non-profit education organization, initiated National Stress Awareness Month. The purpose of this initiative is to raise awareness about the physical and mental impact that stress has on a person and how to manage their stress and improve their lives.

The American Institute of Stress states that stress is the body’s nonspecific response to any demand – pleasant or unpleasant. People can experience four different types of stress:

Eustress – Good stress in life, such as marriage, a new baby, or promotion.
Distress – Bad stress in life, such as family death, divorce, or injury.
Acute Stress – Known as fight or flight.
Chronic Stress – Daily cost of living, such as bills, jobs, and family.