Without a doubt, much of the distress or bad stress that you experience feels threatening. When you feel threatened, your body responds with a desire to run or put up a fight, commonly called the fight or flight response.  It is this very physical response that accounts for many of the common symptoms of distress. Your heart rate increases, your muscles tense ready to move, and your blood pressure increases as your body gets the muscles and other body systems ready for action. Your energy builds,breathing increases, muscles tense, and you become hyper alert. 

While the fear of being attacked in a dark alley, attacked by a vicious dog, or hit by a speeding car will activate your flight response, there are many times when you are ready to flee without any danger of bodily harm.  The anxiety of an exam and the disappointment of not doing well in a competition can also make you want torun.  The fear disappointment, shame of embarrassment,or the failure to reach an important goal can trigger the rapid breathing,sweaty palms, and other physical symptoms of the flight response.

When any stress requires you to step up or step out, you may find that you have a headache, raised heart rate, or sharpened thinking.  Your heart beats faster, your blood pressure increases, your senses sharpen, and your kidneys and adrenals glands go to work, releasing and regulating chemicals that allow your brain and body to react quickly.