Stress

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Stress is the wear and tear experienced as individuals adapt to a continually changing environment. Stress can be both positive and negative; as a positive influence, stress forces people into action and can boost energy and production, however as a negative influence, stress can lead to adverse physical symptoms and be detrimental to good health. Stress is caused by the body's innate reaction to defend itself, thus in an emergency stress will force us to exert maximum effort to protect ourselves. However when negative stress occurs, it's as if the body is prepared to face an emergency but no emergency happens; all the extra energy has nowhere to go, and the body is working overtime which leads to feelings of anxiety and worry. Negative stress can also lead to feelings of anger, depression, distrust and rejection, which may ultimately lead to headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure and an upset stomach.

Stressors at both work and in personal lives may lead to stress, and each individual will cope differently with these levels of stress. What is extremely stressful to one individual may be thrilling to another. Different occupations will also have higher stress levels than others, and stress is recognised to be one of the main causes of sick absence from work. Problems occur when individuals perceive themselves as unable to cope with the level of stress they face, and feel they are not capable to combat their stress. Research has shown that about half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress that they believe is making them ill. Changes in personal lives, such as the death of a loved one, a job promotion, a new relationship or the birth of a child will also cause stress as adjustments in our lives are needed to be able to cope. In these cases, stress may either hinder or help changes depending on how the individual reacts.

Thus the aim should never be to eliminate stress, but to learn how to manage it and how it can be used to help us. Stress can cause problems or make problems worse if ways of coping with it are not found.

Symptoms:

Early warning signs of stress include tension in the shoulders and neck, or clenching hands into fists. Stress can then lead to emotional, physical and metal symptoms:

Emotional symptoms:

Depressed

Irritable

Hostile

Moody

Anxious

Nervous

Physical symptoms:

Headaches

Pounding heart

Sweaty palms

Indigestion

Fatigue

Nausea

Constipation or Diarrhoea

Upset stomach

Weight gain or loss

Mental symptoms:

Lack of interest

Loss of concentration

Confusion

Poor judgement

Forgetfulness

Disorganised

Negative thinking

Causes:

Since each individual finds different situations stressful, identifying the exact cause of stress is difficult. What one person may regard as stressful may only be seen as mildly stressful to another, and not stressful at all to someone else. The brain does not distinguish between real or imagined stress and stress is only created by what we think rather than what has really happened. However, common causes of stress may be change, loss, an uncertain future, life cycle transitions or conflicts with your belief system. The list is endless though.

Treatment:

Cognitive behavioural therapy will help an individual to understand why they think the way they do and how thoughts can be modified to manage stress. Some helpful tips for managing stress are listed below:

Tips for managing stress:

Try not to worry about things you have no control over

Try to look at change as a positive thing, not as a threat

Ask for help from family, friends and professionals

Exercise

Meditate

Eat a well-balanced diet

Try to get about 8 hours sleep per night

Set realistic goals

Prepare to the best of your ability for stressful events

Further Info & Advice

Stress

Stress Management

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