I have three projects due on the 21st. Two of these make up a third of my grade for their respective classes.
Stress is looming.
But stress has a lot more to do with life than making one cranky. Stress can kill.
There are several physical systems involved with stress and stress management. For example, under prolonged (not fight-or-flight, AKA quick response) stress, several specific vital systems shut down in a slow process.
First, is the ability to sleep, due to large amounts of adrenaline in the system. Next comes the digestive system–peptic ulcers are no fun. Then comes failure or shutdown of the reproductive system. Then, an inability to retain cognizant thought… and the strain on your heart causes it to stop (cardiac arrest).
All of this over a friggen’ midterm paper, honestly. The human body is really weak.
But in the short term, er, fight-or-flight? Well, this one is pretty easy. We get scared, so we A.) Run like hell, or B) Fight a bit then run like hell screaming. Mom’s have lifted parts of cars off their babies before.
And that is why stress can kill you–if one’s body is in that state for too long, it breaks down, like a car.
