The Mechanism When something happens to trigger feelings of stress in us, our body is programmed to make certain adjustments to our normal state. Indeed, our body chemistry changes quite fundamentally every time we react to stress. These adjustments probably have their origin in our distant ancestors, whose lifestyle was quite different from our own.

Imagine you are a caveman or cavewoman, going about your business of collecting wood for a fire. Suddenly you are confronted by a sabre-toothed tiger, or some other horror. What are you to do? You have three options:

1. Stay and fight.

2. Run away.

3. Give up and allow yourself to be eaten.

At this stage, because stress is quite literally