Stress

It's a weird feeling isn't it stress? You're heart is pounding that little bit faster, you find it hard to unwind, you may feel a little nauseous or have trouble eating. All because of pressure you're under from external factors, or because of something that is occupying your brain that you can't stop thinking about.

For me at this moment it's my car. I NEED my car to get to work. If I can't get to work I can't earn money so I need a car. At the moment, because of my income (which isn't very much for a 29 year old male, and nothing compared to all my friends really) I can't afford to buy a new car so I'm stuck with the one I've got which is a Proton Wira. To give the car its due, it's done me well over the past 4 years. My Proton now has 111,000 miles on it and is now starting to show it. The drivers side window will come down but struggle at getting up. From my research I think it's to do with the buttons rather than the motor or anything but still, I don't want to leave my car with the window down, I might as well say "Steal me, steal me!"

Combine that with it's new problem, a leak in the hose which carries the power steering fluid. I REALLY don't want to break down again but can't get the car to the garage before Tuesday. So now I'm stuck, with one more day of work before two and a half days off, worrying if my car will get me to work and back tomorrow. I'm hoping so but I won't relax until Monday night when I'm back here and preparing to take it to the garage.

SO I'm feeling stressed. It's combined with the fact that I'm tired too. And skint. So stressed. Grumpy. Butterflies in the stomach, tense muscles, feeling fed-up. It's a rotten feeling really and I can't actually see much point for it from a human body point of view. What does stress actually achieve? Most people (I would guess) don't work well when they are stressed, they actually produce lower-quality work, so it doesn't help in that regard. Since it stops you from relaxing properly, it reduces the quality of sleep and rest you receive which can also have a negative effect on your day-to-day life, which again, doesn't help you. So what purpose does stress serve? Answers in the comments below please!

I am aware, by the way, that stress, as I've described it above, isn't just one thing. It's a collection of a bunch of different changes or events in the human body which we've gathered together and given a label. But I believe, even taking this into account, my point still stands. Stress doesn't seem to produce a positive out-come in any way. So what is the purpose of it?

By way of comparison, the fear response, which can have similar 'symptoms' to those described above, actually has a purpose. Fear keeps you away from something that could harm you, there-by protecting you and, theoretically, extending your life. Also, adrenalin produced whilst feeling a strong fear response, can assist you with running away from whatever it is that is scaring you. There-by assisting your safety and quality of life. Stress does not do this as far as I can tell so I ask, for the third and final time, what is the purpose of 'Stress' other than to make you feel rotten?

Answers on a post-card please? Or, alternatively, in the comments. :)