It's the reason you can't fall asleep, your hands get ice cold, and you eat too much. It's unavoidable, on the rise and ongoing, coming at you from the outside world and from inside your head. It is stress, which on overload becomes distress. In comfortable doses, stress adds color and excitement to life. How we respond to the stresses in our lives is a pretty accurate indicator of how well we will do in school, sports,and in our friendships.