What is it?
Stress is a normal reaction that happens to everyone. It is a physical or mental response that is produced by your body due to changes, challenges or perceived threat or pressure. It’s caused by chemicals and hormones surging throughout your body.
Symptoms
Here are some symptoms of stress:
- Headache
- Muscle tension or pain
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Change in sex drive
- Stomach upset
- Sleep problems
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Lack of motivation or focus
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Irritability or anger
Causes
Stress is usually caused by the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure. Common stressors are everyday factors such as work-related pressures, financial worries, relationship problems, health issues, and major life changes like moving or starting a new job. Stress can be triggered by different life experiences, and everyone is stressed by different things.
Interventions
Interventions for stress include seeking help and comfort from others, acknowledging you are in the stress process, focusing on solving immediate problems, expressing your feelings out loud or in a journal, learning to recognize emotional triggers, and stress counselling therapy techniques such as role-play, preparing for loss with positive thought processes, and stress and yoga. Relaxation tools such as progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, guided imagery, clinical hypnosis, and biofeedback are all useful for managing stress.
Workplace Stress
What is it?
Workplace stress, also known as work-related stress, refers to the harmful responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the employee. It can occur when deadlines are constant and immovable or when a worker receives limited support from co-workers or managers. You may feel stressed if there’s a mismatch between what’s expected of you at work and what you’re able to do.
Symptoms
Symptoms of workplace stress may include:
- Feeling tense and edgy
- Difficulty sleeping or eating
- Getting upset or angry easily
- Headaches
- Feeling tired
- Panic attacks
- Drinking or smoking more than usual
Causes
Workplace stress can be caused by a variety of factors. Long hours or a heavy workload can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed. Inflexible deadlines can add to this pressure, making tasks seem insurmountable. Conflict, bullying, or sexual harassment in the workplace can create a hostile environment, leading to increased stress. A lack of support from co-workers or managers can make an employee feel isolated and unsupported in their role. Additionally, a lack of appreciation for efforts can lead to feelings of frustration and dissatisfaction. Lastly, an uncomfortable physical environment that is too noisy, hot, cold, dusty, or otherwise uncomfortable can also contribute to workplace stress.
Interventions
Interventions for workplace stress typically fall into three categories. Primary interventions aim to prevent stress by proactively removing stressors from the environment, such as through work redesign. Secondary interventions focus on improving how workers respond to stress by providing skills to enhance resilience and coping. Tertiary interventions involve treating workers affected by mental health issues and supporting effective return to work. Other interventions include cognitive-behavioural interventions, which aim to change cognitions and reinforce active coping skills, and relaxation techniques, which involve physical and mental relaxation techniques to help cope with the consequences of stress.
