Who Gets Stress?

Everyone gets stressed at some point in their lives but not everyone reacts the same way. What may be overwhelming stress to one person might not even faze another.

Stress comes in different forms and affects people of all ages, in all occupations and in various stages of their lives.

Stress can be affected by such things as your physical health, the quality of your personal relationships, the amount and extent of your responsibilities and commitments, how much help or support you receive from others and if you have gone through a traumatic event such as death of a spouse, a serious illness or loss of a job.

Generally, those who have a strong support network – whether it’s family or friends – are better equipped to handle stress than those who do not. Individuals who don’t eat well, get insufficient sleep, or have other types of health problems are less able to handle the pressures of everyday life and are more likely to respond poorly to stress. Those who are going through transitions in life – teenagers, working parents and older adults – often are stressed because of the changes associated with that stage of their lives.