Stress can be both positive and negative. Good stress can inspire you to work harder and accomplish great thinks. It can spark your creativity and make you a better person. On the other hand too much negative stress in your life can cause illnesses, various forms of serious medical conditions, and have a serious impact on your overall health and wellness (http://www.wilddivine.com/wellnesslibrary/wellnesslibraryDetail/202.html).

The factors that cause stress are called stressors. They can be very minor in nature, such as an upcoming exam or meeting a person for the first time. Some people think of it as feeling anxious or worried, but it is much more than this. It does affect both the mind and the body and when they are affected by stress on a long term basis, it will bring about changes in the way you feel and behave in certain situations.

The typical causes of stress are change and loss. Upcoming changes in your life can be a major source of stress, such as taking on a new job, moving, or having to make changes in the way in which you normally go about life.

You are concerned about how you can cope under different circumstances and you may even imagine situations that will cause you to worry excessively. In most cases, when you are actually in the midst of the situation, you realize that your fears were unfounded and the symptoms of stress (http://www.wilddivine.com/wellnesslibrary/45.html) dissipate.

The loss of a family member through death or divorce is another situation that causes stress. It may take a long time for your body and mind to heal from the effects of this loss. Grieving takes a toll on the body as you are consumed with thoughts of how you are going to be able to cope without this person by your side, especially if this person was someone in whom you confided and gained comfort from.

In today's economy there is no doubt that there are many people who are coping with stress (http://www.wilddivine.com) due to an uncertain future. Worrying about whether or not your job will last through the recession and worrying about your finances is very common.

These types of situations can cause people to become overly stressed; leading to depression or even working to the point of becoming very fatigued. It can cause people to be in a constant state of worry, which affects their emotions, moods, and how they interact with others; family members, friends, and strangers.

There are early warning signs that you may be stressed. These include:

• a feeling of unhappiness

• a feeling of constant irritability

• frequent outbursts of anger for no apparent reason or over very little things

• difficulty in being able to concentrate on important things

• starting to use alcohol or drugs

• a feeling that you don't want to be alone or the feeling of wanting to be alone all the time

• preoccupation with thoughts about whatever is causing you stress

• withdrawal from friends and social situations

If you do not recognize what is causing you stress and you allow it to continue over time, it can lead to situations where you may require counseling or medication.