"I'm so stressed out!" You have probably said those words before, probably even said it a hundred times, but do you really know the implications of that phrase? Typically, when you hear the word stress, you picture someone looking around with zombie eyes and pulling his or her hair out. Stress is a combination of responses in the body. There are three distinct categories of stress. The first category is acute stress, the second category is chronic stress, and the third category is psychological stress.
             The first category is acute stress and when we hear the word "acute", we are not talking about "a cute" little toddler with dimples and a heart-melting grin. We are, instead, referring to the intense surge of chemicals that rush through the body when that cute little child starts to toddle out to the road into oncoming traffic. Acute stress occurs when our bodies focus immediate energy into the resolution of a crisis situation. Acute stress is what saves people from burning buildings and focuses them on immediate needs. Keep in mind that people would not live long if it was not for the instant action that our body takes when faced with acute stress. This kind of stress is also known as fight or flight response, which is helpful to us.
             On the other hand, stress becomes dangerous to humans when it enters the second category of chronic stress. There are an indefinite number of situations that can cause chronic stress, such as family and relationship problems, high expectations on the job, lack of rest and so on. Usually, people do not know what is happening to them when chronic stress surfaces. Your brain is programmed to direct your body on how to react to stress, but it cannot differentiate between whether the stress is something to run from or sit still for. Chronic stress affects many organs in the body negatively. Along with the brain,
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