What is stress?
Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure.
Stress is a normal part of life. You can experience stress from your environment, your body and your thoughts.
We often feel pressure to achieve and to be successful in several areas of our lives, and this pressure turns into stress when we
feel unable to cope. Different people have different ways of reacting to stress, so a situation that feels stressful to one person may
motivate someone else.
The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping you alert and ready to avoid
danger, but becomes negative when you are faced with continuous tasks without relief or relaxation between them. As a result,
you become overworked, and stress-related tension builds.
This leads to a condition called distress, a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead to headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood
pressure, chest pain and problems with sleeping. Research suggests that stress can also bring on or worsen certain symptoms or
diseases.
Stress is not an illness in itself, but it can cause serious illness if it isn't addressed. It's important to recognise the signs and
symptoms of stress early, as this can help you find ways of managing it and save you from adopting unhealthy coping methods,
such as drinking or smoking.
Spotting the early signs will also help prevent it getting worse and potentially causing serious complications, such as high blood
pressure.
There is little you can do to prevent stress, but there are many things you can do to manage it more effectively, such as learning
how to relax, taking regular exercise and adopting good time-management techniques.
What causes stress?
Everyone has different stress triggers. Work stress tops the list, according to surveys.
Causes of work stress include:
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Being unhappy in your job
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Having a heavy workload or too much responsibility
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Working long hours
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Having poor management, unclear expectations of your work, or no say in the decision-making process
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Working under dangerous conditions
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Being insecure about your chance for advancement or risk of termination
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Having to give speeches in front of colleagues
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Facing discrimination or harassment at work, especially if your company isn't supportive
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Meeting deadlines
Life stresses can also have a big impact. Examples of life stresses are:
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The death of a loved one
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Divorce
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Loss of a job
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Increase in financial obligations
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Getting married
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Moving to a new home
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Chronic illness or injury
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Mental illness (depression, anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, low self-esteem)
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Taking care of an elderly or sick family member
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A traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, theft, rape, or violence against you or a loved one
Sometimes the stress comes from inside, rather than outside. You can experience a great deal of stress just by worrying
about things:
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Fear and uncertainty. When you regularly hear about serious and troubling events on the News, it can cause you to be
stressed, especially because you feel like you have no control over those events. You can also experience stress about
matters closer to home, such as not having enough money to pay our bills, or relationship difficulties.
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Attitudes and perceptions. Your view of the world, or particular situations, can determine whether it causes stress. A
person who has a tendency to catastrophize will find some situations more stressful than someone who tends to take things
in their stride.
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Unrealistic expectations. No one is perfect. If you expect to do everything right all the time, you're destined to feel stressed
when things don't go as expected.
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Change. Any major life event can be stressful - even a happy event. More unpleasant events, such as a divorce, major
financial setback, or the death of someone close can be major sources of stress.
Your stress levels will differ based on your personality and how you respond to situations. Some people take things in their stride.
To them, work stresses and life stresses are just minor bumps in the road. Others literally worry themselves sick.
Physiological symptoms
Stress causes a surge of hormones in your body. These stress hormones are released to enable you to deal with pressures or
threats – the so-called "fight or flight" response.
Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with
physical, mental and emotional responses.
Once the pressure or threat has passed, your stress hormone levels will usually return to normal. However, if you're constantly
under stress, these hormones will remain in your body, leading to the symptoms of stress.
Physical symptoms
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Low energy/fatigue
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Headaches
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Upset stomach, including diarrhoea, constipation and nausea
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Aches, pains, and tense muscles
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Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
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Insomnia
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Frequent colds and infections
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Loss of sexual desire and/or ability
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Nervousness and shaking
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Ringing in the ear
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Cold or sweaty hands and feet
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Excess sweating
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Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing
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Difficulty concentrating
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Clenched jaw and grinding teeth.
Emotional symptoms
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Becoming easily agitated, irritated, frustrated and moody
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Feeling overwhelmed, like you are losing control or need to take control
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Having difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind
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Feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), lonely, worthless and depressed
How does stress affect health?
The constant rush of stress hormones can put a lot of wear and tear on your body, causing it to age more quickly and making it
more prone to illness. When stress becomes long-term and is not properly addressed, it can lead to a number of more serious
health conditions, including:
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Depression
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High blood pressure
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Abnormal heartbeat
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Hardening of the arteries
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Heart attack
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Heartburn
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Ulcers
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Irritable bowel syndrome
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Weight gain or loss
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Fertility problems
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Flare-ups of asthma or arthritis
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Skin problems such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis
Statistics
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According to The Health and Safety Executive, around 10.4 million working days are lost each year to stress, depression or
anxiety.
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Occupations with the highest rates of work-related stress are social work, teaching and public administration.
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The NHS says psychological problems, including stress, anxiety and depression, are behind one in five visits to a GP.
Managing stress in daily life (taken from NHS online)
Managing your stress can make a real difference to your health. One study showed that women with heart disease lived longer if
they underwent a stress management programme.
Studies have also found that mindfulness courses, where participants are taught simple meditations across a series of weeks, can
also help to reduce stress and improve mood.
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