Stress Feelings
- Worry
- Tense
- Tired
- Frightened
- Depressed
- Anxious
- Anger
What is Stress?
Stress is the reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed upon them. It arises when they worry that they can’t cope.
Stress is the “wear and tear” our minds and bodies experience as we attempt to cope with our continually changing environment.
Types of Stressors
External Stressors
Physical Environment
Noise
Bright Lights
Heat
Confined Spaces
Social Interaction
Rudeness
Bossiness
Aggressiveness by others
Bullying
Organizational
Rules
Regulations
“Red - Tape”
Deadlines
Major Life Events
Birth
Death
Lost job
Promotion
Marital status change
Daily Hassles
Commuting
Misplaced keys
Mechanical breakdowns
Internal Stressors
Lifestyle choices
Caffeine
Lack of sleep
Overloaded schedule
Negative Self Talk
Pessimistic thinking
Self criticism
Over analysing
Mind Traps
Unrealistic expectations
Taking things personally
All or nothing thinking
Exaggeration
Rigid thinking
Personality traits
Perfectionists
Workaholics
Types of Stress
Negative Stress
It is a contributory factor in minor conditions, such as headaches, digestive problems, skin complaints, insomnia and ulcers.
Excessive, prolonged and unrelieved stress can have a harmful effect on mental, physical and spiritual health.
Positive Stress
Stress can also have a positive effect, spurring motivation and awareness, providing the stimulation to cope with challenging situations.
Stress also provides the sense of urgency and alertness needed for survival when confronting threatening situations.
The Individual
Everyone is different, with unique perceptions of, and reactions to, events. There is no single level of stress that is optimal for all people. Some are more sensitive owing to experiences in childhood, the influence of teachers, parents and religion etc. Most of the stress we experience is self-generated. How we perceive life - whether an event makes us feel threatened or stimulated, encouraged or discouraged, happy or sad - depends to a large extent on how we perceive ourselves. Self-generated stress is something of a paradox, because so many people think of external causes when they are upset. Recognising that we create most of our own upsets is an important first step towards coping with them.
Alarm Response
This is the “ Fight or Flight” response that prepares the body for immediate action.
Exhaustion
In chronic stress situations, sufferers enter the exhaustion phase: emotional, physical and mental resources suffer heavily, the body experiences ‘ adrenal exhaustion’ leading to decreased stress tolerance, progressive mental and physical exhaustion, illness and collapse.
Symptoms of Stress
Physical
Sleep pattern changes
Fatigue
Digestion changes
Loss of sexual drive
Headaches
Aches and pains
Infections
Indigestion
Dizziness
Fainting
Sweating & trembling
Tingling hands & feet
Breathlessness
Palpitations
Missed heartbeats
Mental
Lack of concentration
Memory lapses
Difficulty in making decisions
Confusion
Disorientation
Panic attacks
Emotional
Bouts of depression
Impatience
Fits of rage
Tearfulness
Deterioration of personal hygiene and appearance
Behavioral
Appetite changes - too much or too little
Eating disorders - anorexia, bulimia
Increased intake of alcohol & other drugs
Increased smoking
Restlessness
Fidgeting
Nail biting
Hypochondria
Stress Related Illnesses
Stress is not the same as ill-health, but has been related to such illnesses as:
Cardiovascular disease
Immune system disease
Asthma
Diabetes
Digestive disorders
Ulcers
Skin complaints - psoriasis
Headaches and migraines
Pre-menstrual syndrome
Depression
Costs of Stress
Workplace stress has caused between $125 and $190 billion a year of added expenditures in health care. The biggest factor is high demands at work, which result in about $48 billion in spending (Forbes 2015).
Why Do We Work?
Work provides an income and fulfils a variety of other needs: mental and physical exercise, social contact, a feeling of self-worth and competence.
Factors Influencing Work Stress
Drive for Success
Western society is driven by ‘work’, personal adequacy equates with professional success, we crave status and abhor failure. Our culture demands monetary success / professional status.
Changing Work Patterns
Many people feel lucky to have a job. Unemployment, redundancy, shorter working weeks, new technology affect emotional and physical security. No more jobs for life, more short - term contracts. Financial and emotional burnout is increasing among all levels.
Working Conditions
Physical and mental health is adversely affected by unpleasant working conditions, such as high noise levels, lighting, temperature and unsocial or excessive hours.
Overwork
Stress may occur through an inability to cope with the technical or intellectual demands of a particular task.
Circumstances such as long hours, unrealistic deadlines and frequent interruptions will compound this.
Underwork
This may arise from boredom because there is not enough to do, or because a job is dull and repetitive.
Uncertainty
About the individuals work role - objectives, responsibilities, and expectations, and a lack of communication and feedback can result in confusion, helplessness, and stress.
Conflict
Stress can arise from work the individual does not want to do or that conflicts with their personal, social and family values.
Responsibility
The greater the level of responsibility the greater the potential level of stress.
Relationships at Work
Good relationships with colleagues are crucial. Open discussion is essential to encourage positive relationships.
Changes at Work
Changes that alter psychological, physiological and behavioural routines such as promotion, retirement and redundancy are particularly stressful.
Self-Help
Not all the stress we experience is generated at work!!
Major Life Events
Death of a loved one
Divorce / separation
Imprisonment
Injury/illness ( self / family )
Marriage/ engagement
Loss of job
Retirement
Pregnancy
Sexual Problems
Change in financial status
Change of job / work
Mortgage or loan
Foreclosure of mortgage/loan
Change in responsibilities
Moving house
Holidays
Christmas
Minor violations of the law
Organizational
Company take over
Reductions / layoffs
Major reorganization
Company sale / relocation
Employee benefit cuts
Mandatory overtime required
Little input into decisions
Mistake consequences severe
Workloads vary
Fast paced work
React to changes
Advancement difficult
Red tape delays jobs
Insufficient resources
Pay below going rate
Technology changes
Employee benefits poor
Workplace conditions
Consistent poor performance
Recognize the Problem
The most important point is to recognize the source of the negative stress. This is not an admission of weakness or inability to cope! It is a way to identify the problem and plan measures to overcome it.
Stress Control: A-B-C- Strategy
A - Awareness
What causes you stress? How do you react?
B - Balance
There is a fine line between positive/negative stress. How much can you cope with before it becomes negative?
C - Control
What can you do to help yourself combat the negative effects of stress?
Stress Management Techniques
Change Your Thinking
Re-framing
Re-framing is a technique to change the way you look at things in order to feel better about them. There are many ways to interpret the same situation so pick the one you like. Re-framing does not change the external reality, but helps you view things in a different light and less stressfully.
Positive Thinking
Forget powerlessness, dejection, despair, failure
Stress leaves us vulnerable to negative suggestion so focus on positives:
- Focus on your strengths
- Learn from the stress you are under
- Look for opportunities
- Seek out the positive - make a change.
Change Your Behavior
Be Assertive
Assertiveness helps to manage stressful situations, and will , in time, help to reduce their frequency. Lack of assertiveness often shows low self - esteem and low self - confidence. The key to assertiveness is verbal and non - verbal communication. Extending our range of communication skills will improve our assertiveness.
Being assertive involves standing up for your personal rights and expressing your thoughts, feelings and beliefs directly, honestly and spontaneously in ways that don’t infringe the rights of others.
Equality and Basic Rights
- The right to express my feelings
- The right to express opinions / beliefs
- The right to say ‘Yes/No’ for yourself
- Right to change your mind
- Right to say ‘I don’t understand’
- Right to be yourself, not acting for the benefit of others
- The right to decline responsibility for other people’s problems
- The right to make reasonable requests of others
- The right to set my own priorities
- The right to be listened to, and taken seriously
Assertive People:
- Respect themselves and others
- Take responsibility for actions and choices
- Ask openly for what they want
- Disappointed if ‘want’ denied
- Self - confidence remains intact
- Not reliant on the approval of others
Assertive Skills:
- Establish good eye contact / don’t stare
- Stand or sit comfortably - don’t fidget
- Talk in a firm, steady voice
- Use body language
- 'I think' / 'I feel'
- ‘What do you think?’ ‘How do you feel?’
- Concise and to the point
Get Organized
Poor organization is one of the most common causes of stress. Structured approaches offer security against ‘out of the blue’ problems. Prioritizing objectives, duties and activities makes them manageable and achievable. Don’t overload your mind. Organization will help avoid personal and professional chaos.
Benefits
- Higher self-esteem
- Less self-conscious
- Less anxious
- Manage stress more successfully
- Appreciate yourself and others more easily
- Feeling of self-control
Time Management
- Make a list
-- What MUST be done
-- What SHOULD be done
-- What would you LIKE to do - Cut out time wasting
- Learn to drop unimportant activities
- Say no or delegate
- Plan your day
- Set achievable goals
- Don’t waste time making excuses for not doing something
Ventilation
‘A problem shared is a problem halved’
Develop a support network through friends or colleagues to talk with. It’s not always events that are stressful but how we perceive them. Writing a diary or notes may help release feelings but do not re-read what has been written.
Humor
- Good stress - reducer
- Applies at home and work
- Relieves muscular tension
- Improves breathing
- Pumps endorphins into the bloodstream - the body’s natural painkillers
Diversion & Distraction
- Take time out
- Get away from things that bother you
- Doesn’t solve the problem
- Reduce stress level
- Calm down
- Think logically
Change Your Lifestyle
Diet
- Healthy Eating Habits
- Caffeine (Stimulant)
- Salt
Smoking & Alcohol
Moderate your consumption
Benefits of Exercise
- Uses up excess energy released by the ‘Fight or Flight’ reaction.
- Improves blood circulation
- Lowers blood pressure
- Clears the mind of worrying thoughts
- Improves self image
- Makes you feel better about yourself
- Increases social contact
Sleep
- Good stress reducer
- Difficult to cope when tired
- Wake refreshed after night’s sleep
- Plenty of daytime energy
Leisure
- Interest
- Gives you a ‘break’ from stresses
- Provides outlet for relief
- Provides social contact
Benefits of Relaxation
- Lowers blood pressure
- Combats fatigue
- Promotes sleep
- Reduces pain
- Eases muscle tension
- Decreases mental worries
- Increases concentration
- Increases productivity
- Increases clear thinking
Alternatives
Conventional Medicine
Counselling & Psychotherapy
Relaxation
Meditation
Massage
Yoga
Acupuncture
Aromatherapy
Floatation
Herbalism
Biofeedback
Homeopathy
Hypnotherapy
Osteopathy
Pet Therapy
Reflexology