Stress to the Extreme

So, I've been learning a lot about stress lately and how it affects our bodies and our minds and I can't say I'm the least bit happy about it. Stress is such a negative aspect of life that pretty much affects every single person on this planet. (And I used to be the one saying I never stressed, so I can empathize with those who think they don't either.)
But, I'm around people day in and day out who literaly make themselves sick because of all the stress surrounding their lives. This can be referred to as psychophysiological illness. Because people who are 'sick' as a result of stress are indeed, sick. And many a time, a person will just get through one level of stress and then enter into a whole new domain of another, being unaware of the toll it's taking on their mind and body.
Something that may come as news to some and just plain hindsight to others is the fact that we're deteriorating every time we really stress over our issues. And I don't say this to persuade you to 'take it easy' or 'be carefree' or 'don't worry, be happy'... This kind of outlook doesn't get us too far either. It's just the mere mention of destroying our bodies for the sake of stress.
If every week to every month is just one stressful situation after another, I would advise you to take a step back and evaluate your life. Because every step you take your becoming closer to bigger issues such as viral infections, common viruses, or to the extent of coronary heart disease or the progression of cancer. As scary and as unbelievable as this may seem to many of us, but 10% of most countries leading deaths is due to our rate of behaviors (a.k.a. stress).
Stress isn't fun and no one wants to deal with it but don't get in over your head and just take the time to really plan certain details before worse comes to worst. Also, exercise. Its scientifically proven to reduce stress and provide your immune system and muscles with the equipment they need to fully function. Try aerobics or cardiovascular methods and even meditation. It helps!
Here's some more information on stress and how to help reduce it in the long run:
-http://www.stressdirections.com/personal/about_stress/stress_statistics.html
-http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

Standard and Comprehensive Assessment Tests

My fellow classmates and I just got done with our yearly test-taking requirements... The dreaded FCAT. Every year we're expected to take this test that supposedly decides whether we go onto the next grade or not and man kids stress so much they can't think of anything else. Once in 11th grade, you're supposed to get a break from these FCATs, but that wasn't the case this year either. Eleventh graders were expected to take the Science FCAT.
Another issue that sometimes comes up in middle or elementary school, is the issue over whether or not certain hispanic or foreigners should take the FCAT or not. And if they do whether they should have some sort of assistance.
I looked up a website on varied statistics of the FCAT and this is what I found:

Emotional Reactivity and Cognition

There has been a neverending debate on whether or not we feel and label an emotion before or after we actually experience it. There are three theories that are based on emotion: The James-Lange Theory, The Cannon-Bard Theory, and the Two-factor Theory.
The James Lange Theory states that we first experience the external or internal arousal that accompanies emotion. And then the emotion and our ability to label it comes next. The Cannon-bard Theory states that the emotion is first and then our experience of it. Schacter's Two-Factor Theory states that we experience both the cognitive emotion and the physiological arousal simultaneously.
I honestly think that we experience them at the same time. Because what if our heart does pound? Our heart pounding could signal fear, love, surprise, anger, or rage and many more emotions. So how does our brain know exactly what emotion it is if we dont label it at the same time?
I think emotion is just as much physiological as it is psychological.