General stress, stress eating, acute stress, chronic stress, etc etc. It affects all differently and makes us feel different emotions. Some people deal with stress really well.

They may never show a change in mood or pace, even though there's a nagging feeling constantly in the back of their brain saying, "You have 348290438 things to do and only 5 minutes to do them." Then there's the people who stress quietly, where they just become silent, trying to do task after task. Then, there's the people who lose it (guilty). This is one of the most common reactions to stress.

You are constantly moving, angry, feeling like you'll explode if anyone dares to talk to you and ruin your rhythm or thought process.

No matter how hard you try, you've probably experienced some kind of stress one way or the other. For some, stress can build up slowly over time. All the small little things that bother you or are nagging at you, suddenly become bigger issues later in life. What starts as small, acute stress, turns into chronic stress, which can come as early as your 20s, or even later in life (what some may call a mid-life crisis).

This article is speaking to those younger ones: the college students.It's near the end of the semester, which can mean midterms, finals prep/finals, and for some, graduation. If you clicked on this article, you probably are already feeling this stress or wondering what you can do to handle it better. So, here are 5 things that happen to your body when you're under extreme stress:

1. Low Levels of Energy

Being stressed out can result in loss of sleep, and loss of sleep can result in you being very tired throughout the day. Fatigue is actually a very serious matter that can cause you to lose lack of focus and take away any energy that you might have stored up. You also may think that coffee is the best "medicine" for this issue, but caffeine is not the solution! It can actually tire you out more from you trying to stay awake, to a sugar high, back to a bigger downfall.

2.Loss of Appetite

You've heard of stress eating, which a lot of people do with acute occurrence of stress. However, this can start to take a toll on you when the stress become more chronic. Most people think that when stressed you go to food for comfort, which in some cases is true. However, extreme stress can lead you to losing your appetite, which can also make you tired/lose energy.

3.Weakening Immune System

Most people can be known to get sick when they're stressed, but this can go even farther than just a cold or a sinus infection. When you're stressed, it affects you on the outside AND the inside, meaning your immune system and neurologically. You may experience breakouts, colds, infections, headaches, stomach aches,and according to research, people who deal with chronic stress have lower white blood cell counts!!!

4.Substance Abuse

This is an extreme measure, but it happens. Stress can lead to alcohol or drug use, which can also lead to lifetime addiction. What starts as what you think is a simple coping mechanism can turn into a lifetime issue/problem, which can also lead to other health issues. Be aware of how you choose to handle stress and stop it before it starts!

5.Depression, Anxiety, Loneliness, etc.

Anxiety and depression are usually caused by symptoms in the brain, but can also happen situationally too. This happens when you don't know your stressed and all of the sudden everything comes crashing down on you and you feel like you're in a whirlpool of sadness. This can lead to any type of anxiety and eventually lead to loneliness (like the silent stress type I mentioned). If you are able to identify what is making you stressed sooner than later, these issues can be avoided.

 Stress is unavoidable. It's not something you can just get rid of with a magical pill or a doctors visit. It takes a strong sense of mind and also a healthy mental state. Mental health is one of the most important things in life and stress can damage that.

A lot of people forget about their mental health when they're trying so hard to finish a task while also trying to balance everything else in their life. Remember this: you, yourself, ALWAYS come first. I know stress is hard to deal with, trust me. I didn't even figure out how to semi-deal with it until I moved out of my house and was placed all on my own. So, here are 5 tips from me to help you deal with this extreme stress and hopefully put your mind a little more at ease.

1.Don't Forget to Smile and Laugh!

2.Take a Nap (get those z's)

3.Call your parents or talk with friends or someone you trust

4.Listen to your favorite music

5.Take a bubble bath

(this last one is my personal preference!)

"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection," -The Buddha