People face stress every day in their lives. Temporary, moderate stress can help remind people of the severity of certain situations and push them to work hard. This stress is also very rewarding due to the relief that follows when the important task is completed. On the other hand, constant and excessive stress can have many negative effects on a person's physical and mental health. For starters, stress is how the brain reacts to any situation that requires action. Small amounts of stress work to help a person or animal survive. “All vertebrates respond to stressful situations by releasing hormones, such as adrenaline and glucocorticoids, which instantly increase the animal's heart rate and energy level” (Shwartz). Stress makes changes to the body to speed up reaction times and awareness. Stress can easily be caused by traumatic events or major changes in your life. However, it can also occur due to an accumulation of routine demands. Dealing with daily burdens can overwhelm a person's mind and limit their ability to cope with and meet daily demands. This in turn leads to a weakened immune system and health problems that can differ greatly from person to person. (Stress Fact Sheet) Very often, the biggest difference between helpful and harmful stress is where the stressor originates from. Physical stressors usually require immediate attention and disappear once the task or threat is absent. In contrast, psychological stressors trigger the release of the hormone over a long period of time without the brain having a clear time to recognize that the threat is no longer present. Furthermore, stress can affect the entire body and can create multiple symptoms. For example, stress can severely strain the muscles of the body... middle of the paper... have a lower position. Overall, stress can have many effects on the health of the body and mind and can have many causes. Also. Stress can cause behavioral and internal changes that help or hinder how a person reacts to a situation. Anyone can be susceptible to stress, however people from the lower classes tend to be more susceptible to stress. Works Cited Clay, Rebecca A. “Wealth Protects Health.” http://www.apa.org. American Psychological Association, October 2001. Web. 01 April 2014. “Stress Fact Sheet.” NIMH RSS. NIMH Publications and Web. March 28, 2014.HeartMath. How stress affects the body. Digital image. HeartMath LLC, 2010. Web. March 22, 2014. .Shwartz, Marco. "News." Robert Sapolsky discusses the physiological effects of stress. Stanford University, March 7, 2007. Web. March 30. 2014.