Stress is defined not by the cause of the distress;but by the way in which we react to it .The most elementary definition of stress refers to the condition or state of becoming under strain or pressure .Griffin(1996) state that stress is an individual`s response to a strong stimulus cor stress has two basic component :-
a- The stress agent or factor ;which are the actual circumstances producing stress ;otherwise called stressor. b. Stress response ;which are the individual`s reaction to the stressor.
THE STAGES OF STRESS
Human beings have an internal mechanism which is capable of detecting 'danger signal' .stress necessarily passes through three stages from it appearance to it acute phase. 1 :-The alarm stage: in this stage there is a clear warning of the presence of a stressor and physical reaction and the first to appear, warning an individual of the need to be careful. The moral here is that once an individual is aware of a potentially stressful situation such as too many tasks, or the need to complete many complex tasks, he can take measures to tackle the problems and solve it in which case, the result of stress simply fizzle out. It could become overwhelming and the victim realize that he can not cope, there is an acute awareness of the stress and this is classified as being in the alarm stage.
