What exactly is stress?

While the meaning of the word stress varies from person to person, the most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.

Is stress always bad?

No. A certain amount of ‘stress’ motivates us to achieve our goals and ambitions. It is only when stress begins to affect us, that it turns bad!

So  does that mean stress ranges from good to bad?

Yes indeed. A certain amount of pressure or stress is in fact essential to bring out your best performance. Beyond a point, pressure causes excessive stress, anxiety and finally unhappiness.

Is stress inevitable?

No. it is not an inevitable consequence of an event: It depends a lot on people's perceptions of a situation and their real ability to cope with it.