When the Body Says No

by Gabor Maté

For those habituated to high levels of internal stress since early childhood, it is the absence of stress that creates unease, evoking boredom and a sense of meaninglessness. People may become addicted to their own stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, Hans Selye observed. To such persons stress feels desirable, while the absence of it feels like something to be avoided. When people describe themselves as being stressed, they usually mean the nervous agitation they experience under excessive demands—most commonly in the areas of work, family, relationships, finances or health. But sensations of nervous tension do not define stress—nor, strictly speaking, are they always perceived when people are stressed.