Dealing with stress and strong emotions Stress is an extreme response to pressures, demands or threats, either real or imagined. It can be physical, emotional or psychological. When you are in danger, your breathing and pulse quicken in order to give you a better chance of either running away or defending yourself against the threat. When the threat ends, your body returns to its pre-stress state. However, these same physical reactions can also occur when there is no real danger. Psychological stress can be triggered by our thoughts alone. Just thinking about an unpleasant event is enough to make some people anxious, even when the event is days away. For example, have you ever felt nervous about going to the dentist long before your appointment? Experience plays a large role in determining what you perceive as stressful. For instance, if you were once bitten by a dog, you may feel stressed when dogs are around. In contrast, if you have had only positive experiences with dogs, you may feel happy and calm when surrounded by them.
Question:
Write a short paragraph that explains the central idea of the article. Use at least two details from the article to support your response.