What Causes Stress ...

Why Do You Become Stressed and What Causes Stress?

Identifying the causes of stress can be difficult as the primary causes can be nearly anything and they can differ from person to person.

Virtually any major event can cause stress ... losing a job, ending a close relationship, moving home, discovering a health problem. In our modern world there is no shortage of possible causes of stress. In addition, some people react to stress factors very differently from others in the same situation.

While some will be anxious, others will be stoic. Some people will thrive on the challenge of finding a new home, others may feel overwhelmed, anxious and despair at the odds of fulfilling their dream.

What causes stress is neither entirely external nor internal, but generally involves both.

Losing your job can be a cause of stress ... You may see your income plummet and wonder where the next paycheck is going to come from. Where someone else, even in the same job market, may see the change as an opportunity to move away from a less than ideal situation to one that will provide more challenge and better rewards in the future.

Ending a close relationship can cause stress - whether with a friend, a romantic partner or a valued family member. But very quickly, at least in some cases, some people will come to view the situation as positive and full of opportunities involving less of a loss and more of a chance to find a new lover or expand a circle of friends. Reactions to stress vary because individuals are unique and they interpret their experiences differently.

But, though different, individuals within a culture often share many similar views and a common outlook. Because individuals are individual humans, they also share common physical risks.

Nearly everyone will become stressed if they are confronted by a dangerous criminal.

Severe health problems such as radical cancer, debilitating arthritis or even 'just' a major operation will rarely be met with calm acceptance, at least initially.

Many non-threatening circumstances will be met with similar feelings as well. Unjust treatment at work by an unreasonable supervisor, disrespect by neighbors or just simple indifference to justice will cause stress for nearly anyone.

What causes stress has more to do with the underlying causes of stress and often has less to do with your external circumstances than your individual expectations for the future coupled with your belief in your own capacity to meet those challenges

If someone discovers they need to have a cancerous tumor removed, they may feel some stress. But, it can be less than someone else will feel, providing you believe your general health is good and that you will come through it stronger and well.

Losing your job can be what causes stress, but your confidence in your ability to obtain another job quickly and easily can ensure this results in only minor stress.