Work Stress vs being in Control

Everyone experiences stress reactions to some degree. It's just a part of being alive. Human beings are designed to handle a vast array of incoming information, and have the intelligence to sort this out and make effective decisions about it. When we are young and physically active our systems usually work with great efficiency, dealing with all sorts of pressures while still remaining completely stable, functioning well both physically and psychologically.

As well as this our bodies have evolved ways to deal with certain extreme kinds of threats and pressures by changing the balance of physical arousal. Chemicals are released by the adrenal glands which alert various bodily processes. For example, our respiration and heart rate increase and our muscles gain an extra blood supply ready for vigorous action. This physical arousal, allows our bodies to fight harder or work longer or run away faster so that we can survive dangerous situations. Athletes learn to control this arousal process so that they perform at optimum efficiency when they need to.

The trouble is that this arousal response can occur in the face of pressures that are not life threatening or even of much significance at all. Increasingly, when we get older, our bodies react this way in the face of less serious problems. This is caused as much by changes in lifestyle as by physical ageing. When this arousal happens time and time again, our bodies stay in a chronic state of imbalance and there can be serious physical and psychological effects.

The physical effects can include high blood pressure, upset stomach, a frightening tightness in the chest, difficulty in swallowing, repeated headaches, disturbances of normal sleeping patterns. Psychological effects include feelings of being "on edge", increased irritability, forgetfulness, loss of interest in sex, loss of concentration, inability to concentrate, disinterest in work, and feelings of being out of control of what is happening to oneself. An acute anxiety attack can lead to a total physical collapse.

At one time it was thought that stress was something experienced by people like business executives who had to make frequent difficult decisions. Certainly this kind of work places many demands on people. However, it is not so much the pressures which people face that lead to a stress effect but the degree to which they remain in control of what is happening to them. The highest suicide rates in our community are not amongst business executives, but amongst unemployed people.

For some people a constantly changing situation which requires frequent decision making is the spice of life. It provides excitement and challenge. This explains the fascination of video games. Individuals differ so that a situation that is stressful for one person will be exciting for another. Things can go wrong when there is no way of coping with constant demands that are made.

Changes in our understanding of reactions to work stressors and consequent law suits have convinced some employers to take steps to protect the emotional health of their employees. Many give more attention to managing stressors in the workplace perhaps by designing a work situation that allows individuals to feel that they remain in control of the pressures facing them and which has built in arrangements to let them get their systems (their minds and bodies) back into balance again. Employers are often people who thrive on high pressure, thus they may not realise the different reactions of others.

The economic importance of stress becomes more obvious when you consider some of its consequences. For instance, international research shows that work places with many stressors have lower productivity and more absenteeism than others. There are more days lost from all kinds of illnesses, not simply complaints of stress. There is also a higher rate of accidents in these workplaces. One way or another this costs the employer money.

Here are a few examples of occupations where stress might occur.

* A computer operator in charge of thousands of accounts also has to answer up to 90 phone calls each day. He experiences blinding headaches that force him to give up work for weeks at a time.

* A Headmistress of a High School whose work day is hectic from start to finish with constant interruptions and who needs to take work home at the end of the day, finds that her usually reliable memory is failing her completely, she is losing sleep and generally she feels that she is not as competent in her job as she was before.

* A food caterer with tight deadlines to meet every day finds that his blood pressure has soared to dangerous levels and that he has a constant feeling of vague anxiety, frequent headaches, and poor sleeping patterns.

* A civil engineer at the top of his profession, doing work that he really enjoys, and responsible for very expensive construction work finds that he cannot bring himself to go back to work, he cannot sleep at all, he has completely lost his interest in sex, and he is constantly screaming at his wife and children.

One thing in common with all of these people is that they have lost control over the moment to moment pressures that they face at work and sometimes this loss of control is caused by their own organisation of their work experience, not directly by the employer. Sometimes the excitement of hard and difficult work actually leads people to destroy their own physical and mental health.

Successful management of stress reactions and the development of feelings of control can be achieved when the work situation is reorganised such that there are opportunities to get back into physical and psychological balance again and when physical activity and deep relaxation are used to achieve this balance. Younger people often do these things spontaneously. Many people in their 30s or 40s need to be taught.

More readings will be added to my blog from time to time. Have a quick look now to see the first posting on my blog PSYC1PLUS