Worry,\u00a0uncertainty<\/strong>, fear, frustration and anxiety are part of life and\u00a0trying to repress them is a major mistake\u00a0<\/strong>and a highly unhealthy alternative in both the short and medium term. When faced with these\u00a0negative emotions<\/strong>, we tend to look for a specific meaning, a reason behind them. Cinthya Molina, psychologist at SHA, says that \u201dthe truth is that\u00a0reality is neutral.<\/strong>\u00a0That is, it has no intrinsic meaning, nor is it charged with emotions.\u00a0How we interpret<\/strong>\u00a0reality is an individual question, as is how people choose to manage these unpleasant experiences to keep them from becoming an obstacle in their path. That is why learning to\u00a0accept and manage these situations<\/strong>, instead of investing time and energy in fighting them, is so crucial\u201d.<\/p>\n That feeling of being\u00a0overwhelmed by reality<\/strong>\u00a0and of\u00a0not being in control<\/strong>\u00a0of your own life is one of the main causes of\u00a0emotional stress<\/strong>\u00a0which, if prolonged over time, can trigger a vicious circle with a drastically\u00a0negative impact on your general state of health<\/strong>\u00a0and well-being. As Cinthya says, \u201cthere is a\u00a0two-way relationship between the emotional and physical levels<\/strong>, hence chronic stress can lead to cardiovascular and digestive problems, muscle pain, migraines, lack of concentration, memory or sexual desire,\u00a0loss<\/strong>\u00a0of<\/strong>\u00a0both intellectual and\u00a0physical performance<\/strong>\u00a0or poor and intermittent sleep\u201d.<\/p>\n Stress is a natural,<\/strong>\u00a0innate and necessary\u00a0response<\/strong>\u00a0to a particular stimulus that helps us get through difficult times because it puts the body on\u00a0alert<\/strong>. When humans still lived in caves, it was the\u00a0fight-or-flight mechanism<\/strong>\u00a0that allowed us to flee from any threat. And even though we no longer have to defend ourselves against a mammoth attack, it is stress that helps us to\u00a0achieve our goals\u00a0<\/strong>and objectives and to overcome life\u2019s challenges. The problem arises when stress is not correctly managed and it stops being a one-off event and\u00a0becomes chronic<\/strong>. However, this process is not immediate, but\u00a0develops gradually<\/strong>. Cinthya explains the three phases of stress becoming chronic so that we can detect them,\u00a0design a strategy<\/strong>\u00a0and act as soon as possible.<\/p>\n