Stress is a physical and psychological response to perceived environmental demands.  Stress can be acute, episodic, or chronic.  The longer stress lasts or the more sudden and severe it is, the more strain it puts on the mind and body. Fifty-percent of American adults suffer adverse health effects due to chronic stress.  Researchers estimate that up to 90% of illness and disease is stress related. 

Stress has been linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.  Stress can present through emotional (e.g., irritability, anger, anxiety, depression, fatigue) and/or physical (e.g., headache, stomachache, hypertension) symptoms.  Stress, however, isn't detrimental in every situation, and in performance situations can actually be helpful.  At best, stress is something we can learn to manage with appropriate coping skills.

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Wylie Goodman, Psy.D.  .  900 Broadway, Suite 403  .  New York, NY  .  10003  .  917.601.5010  .  consult@east-westpsychotherapy.com

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