Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Most people view stress as a harbinger of mental breakdowns, health problems and overall intolerance for social functioning. Stress is a normal occurrence and can help you get motivated and draw out the energy to pull off the things you thought you couldn't manage. On the other hand, if stressful situations persist, the negative effects of stress can become apparent really fast.

In family situations, a stressed out family member can easily transfer the stress they are experiencing to other family members and create a hectic environment in which nobody feels at ease. I'm going to break down families into two major categories - the adults and the children, and point out the most common stress causes for these two groups.

Kids

Children are very susceptible to stress. They are far more emphatic than adults and their fragile minds need to be protected from intensive, stressful situations. I'm not saying that you should raise your children to see the World from rose-colored glasses, but exposing your child to stressful situations can cause traumas and have a tremendously bad effect on their mental and physical development (as a byproduct of stress, of course). Here are the most common sources of stress for kids:

• School

These days, schools can be very stressful, especially for kids that don't have a competitive spirit and are not motivated by beating somebody at something. Having too much on their plate and not enough time to relax and enjoy themselves can become a major source of stress. Also, bullying in schools is a common occurrence and you need to pay attention to any possible symptoms in order to protect your child.

• Parents

Every parent wants what's best for their child but regardless of this, sometimes you need to give your child space so he/she can find his/her own way. Planning your child's education is one thing but forcing your child into something that you believe is the best thing for him/her, contrary to their wishes and aspirations is a bad thing indeed. Also, if you are having marital problems, try to keep them away from the kids.

Adults

Fully functioning adults can take a beating when it comes to stress but they are not immune to it. Most people these days will tell you that they feel stressed out but they will also tell you that they learned to control and handle it. Nevertheless, there are some stress sources that are known to persist and affect the mental stability of adults as well as their health.

• Relationship problems

Regardless if you are having problems with your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend, the outcome is more or less the same. Fighting, resentment, fear and other undeniably unpleasant situations cause a great deal of stress. Most people will tell you that when relationship problems start becoming serious, it is better to resolve them as quickly as possible and not to sweep it under the carpet and let it boil. This way, the culmination of the event comes to pass much earlier and you avoid prolonged stress due to passive aggressive behavior.

• Financial issues

Most of us have financial issues but a lot of people are far from financially stable. There are a few tips I can give you on how to handle you finances properly but advice from a professional financial expert can help you a lot.

• Work

The most prominent cause of stress for adults is work. Unrealistic work expectations, too many responsibilities, dangerous working environments, unsupportive colleagues, long working hours can completely drain a person of energy and cause them to be overwhelmed by their work. Not taking your work home with you becomes impossible in these kinds of situations and it only makes sense that your productivity will go down as well.

Tragedy/Death/Illness

These situations are hard and nobody is left unaffected by tragic events. It is an unavoidable part of every person's life but instead of letting the stress, fear and sorrow take control of you, try relying on your family for support and you can get through these hard times by sticking together. As sad as it might sound, tragic events are things that can bring a family even closer together and make it stronger.

Stress is everywhere and the key point is not letting it take hold of you and making an effort to resolve the issues that are bothering you. People have a tendency to get trapped by stress and get the feeling that they are the only ones that are in this kind of situation. Realizing that everyone experiences stress on a daily basis and opening up to your loved ones can help you overcome it and make you more resilient for future situations.