STRESS

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ABOUT STRESS Help with essay on STRESS

What is stress?

What does 'stress' mean? You are about to write an exam? You're stressed. Awaiting for your results? You're stressed. Relationship lousy ? You're stressed . Problem at work ? Health worries? Too much pressure all around ? OK, so you're stressed. Isn't everyone.

Life without stimulation or challenge would be intolerably boring and reasonable amounts of pressure heighten our arousal and performance.

Like job satisfaction, stress is not a precise term and it is used in slightly different ways by different authors. Approaches to the study of stress have taken different forms, as shown below

· as an organism's response to a demand or to events that challenge it (Seyle, 176);

· as an event external to the individual that places demands upon him/her (Kahn, 164);

· as a characteristic or the environment that poses a threat to the individual (Caplan et al.,175);

· as a state that results from a misfit between a person's skills and the demands placed upon him/her (McGrath, 176).

Stress is seen either as something external to the individual, or as an internal state or as an interaction between the two.

Why the Concern about "stress"

· Stress can be DANGEROUS- lack of concentration can cause accidents.

· Stress can be COSTLY- key people may have to leave because of ill health.

· Stress can be DAMAGING- irritability , let alone poor commitment to the employer, may give an organisation a poor public image.

The Costs of Stress.

The total annual cost to the country of work related accidents and ill-health is estimated by the health and safety Executive to be between 11 billion pounds and 16 billion pounds (Davies and Teasdale 14). 7 billion of this total is accounted for by workforce stress (Rochez 14).

Between 50 and 60 million working days are lost through stress.(Institute of Management 16).

Almost 1 in employees suffer from occupational STRESS ( European Commission 1).

STAGES OF STRESS

What is stress

Stage 1

· speeding up

· talking quickly

· eating and drinking faster

· working at high speed and for long periods of time, without tiring ( at the time).

Stage

· irritability

· dyspepsia and gastric symptoms, e.g. heartburn

· tension headache

· migraine

· insomnia, loss of energy

· comfort tricks alcohol, smoking

· increased intake of food, etc

Stage

· cotton wool head

· gastric ulceration

· palpitations, chest pain, cardiac incident

· depression and anxiety

· tiredness, lack of energy

· physical or mental breakdown.

How the Body Responds to Stress

· The body stimulates hormonal changes, including the production of the 'STRESS HORMONES' adrenaline and noradrenaline

· Muscles tense ready for action

· The pupils of the eye dilate

· The heart beats faster to get extra blood to the tense muscles and this raises blood pressure

· The extra blood for our muscles means that we need more oxygen and so we breathe more quickly

· The liver releases glucose to provide extra energy for our muscles

· Our digestive systems shut down so our mouths go dry and our sphincters close

· We sweat in anticipation of expending extra energy

· Our immune system slows

Causes of Stress

1.INTRINSIC TO JOB

· too much work

· too little work

· time pressure / deadlines

· poor physical conditions

· mistakes

· too many decisions

.ROLE ORGANISATION

· role ambiguity

· role conflict

· too little responsibility

· no participation in decision-making

· responsibility for people

· responsibility for things

· lack of managerial support

· increasing standards of acceptable perfomance

· organisational boundaries (internal and external)

.RELATIONS WITHIN ORGANISATION

· poor relations with boss

· poor relations with colleagues and subordinates

· difficulties in delegating responsibility

· personality conflicts

4.CAREER DEVELOPMENT

· over-promotion

· under-promotion

· lack of job security

· fear of redundancy / retirement

· fear of obsolescence

· thwarted ambition

· sense of being trapped

5.ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND CLIMATE

· restrictions on behaviour

· lack of effective consultation and communication

· uncertainty about what is happening

· no sense of belonging

· loss of identity

· office politics

6.ORGANISATION INTERFACE WITH OUTSIDE

· divided loyalties

· conflicts with family demands

7.INTRINSIC TO INDIVIDUAL

· personality

· ill-equipped to deal with interpersonal problems

· inability to cope with change

· declining abilities

· lack of insight into own motivation and stress

· fear of moving out of area of expertise

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS WHICH YOU MUST TAKE SERIOUSLY.

· recurrent headaches

· ringing in the ears or frequent head noises

· frequent use of self-prescribed drugs

· palpitations and chest pain

· frequent heartburn, stomach cramps, diarrhoea, being full of gas

· feeling that you may pass out

· getting any illness that is around

· loss of former concentration or loss of reliable memory

· a new difficulty in thinking around problems

· a new inability to reach satisfactory decisions

· a feeling of being very low or dulled

· a shut-down in all emotions except anger and irritation

· all joy, laughter and pleasure have dried up

· active love and caring have lessened or disappeared

· tears seem very near frequently for no reason

UNDERSTANDING STRESS

The release of adrenaline and steroids associated with stress causes various physiological changes, such as

· increased blood pressure;

· increased muscle tension;

· increased sweating;

· release of glucose and fats into the blood;

· dry mouth.

These physiological changes can be directly related to the observed outcomes of stress in individuals.

However, studies have suggested as association between stress and the following illnesses

· long-term depression;

· ulcers;

· allergies;

· headaches;

· coronary heart disease;

· cancer;

· asthma.

TACKLING THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

When you have confronted the cause, you can deal with the effects. There are two ways; you can prevent stress build-up by increasing your energy levels.

At the same time, you should treat the symptoms. For plenty of energy you need a good night's sleep. Cut back on coffee, tea and cola (it's the caffeine in them), especially late at night. Watch your alcohol intake and the cigarettes.

Eat a balanced diet- take extra vitamins B an C for your energy levels, and try natural herbal remedies. Get a good night's sleep every night and you're half way there.

It is important to eat regular meals- do not skip meals. Try and keep the consumption of convenience foods to the minimum, as many of them contain large amounts of sugar and salt.

Try and drink at least a pint of water a day to offset dehydration.

Consuming large amounts of alcohol will neither solve your problems or improve your health. REMEMBER the recommended maximum levels of alcohol PER WEK are

MALE 8 units

FEMALE 1 units

INCLUDE RELAXATION IN YOUR DAILY SCHEDULE

It is VITAL to include a period of relaxation each day. Not only it will help increase your coping resources, it will make the remainder of your time more productive.

Some people do this by doing something they have already discovered to be relaxing. For example

· Listening to music

· reading

· having a bath- with perhaps the addition of essential oils

· just sitting for a few minutes and daydreaming

EXERCISE

It takes as little as only three thirty minute sessions to increase your level of physical fitness. Although the exercise may make you tired it will also stimulate you and help you to combat the negative effects of stress.

Exercise will

· release the tension

· make our bodies stronger and better able to cope with the debilitating effects of stress

· make us feel better about ourselves

· increase our energy and stamina

CHOOSE AN EXERCISE THAT YOU ENJOY!!!!!

TAKING REGULAR BREAKS

Taking regular breaks is important.

It helps you work efficiently and to be less tired at the end of the day.

1. If you are going to be working on one task all day, take a walk at lunch time.

. Take a couple of minutes break, every so often throughout the day, to change your position.

. Allow yourself 10 minutes to yourself a day. Pencil in an appointment with yourself.

DO TAKE YOUR ANNUAL LEAVE- IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR HEALTH……

To tackle the actual symptoms, relaxation techniques really do help, so try massage, meditation, exercise and yoga. NONE OF THESE WILL MAKE THE CAUSE OF YOUR STRESS GO AWAY- ONLY YOU CAN DO THAT -BUT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT IS THE BEST WAY TO START..

If any of these symptoms of stress sound familiar or if you are experiencing two or more of these symptoms, it very likely you are not facing up to something that's bothering you and causing you stress. It's important you acknowledge this problem and tackle it as soon as possible.

INDIVIDUAL METHODS FOR MANAGING WORK AND PERSONAL DEMANDS..

INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL PREVENTIVE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES.

Primary prevention Stressor-directed.

Managing personal perceptions of stress

· Constructive self-talk

· psychological withdrawal

· recognising the inevitable

· disputing cognitive distortion

· changing in behaviour pattern

Managing the personal work environment

· Planning

· Time management

· Overload avoidance

· Other methods( social support, task variation, leave job)

Lifestyle management

· Maintaining a balance

· leisure time use

· Sabbaticals

Secondary prevention Response-directed

Relaxation training

· Progressive relaxation

· The relaxation response

· Meditation

· Medical Hypnosis and autogenic training

· Biofeedback training

· Momentary relaxation

· Traditional methods

Physical outlets

· Aerobic exercise

· Recreational sports

· Flexibility and muscular relaxation activities

· Muscle strength and endurance building

Emotional Outlets

· Talking it out

· Writing it out

· Acting it out

Tertiary prevention Symptom-Directed

Counselling and psychotherapy

· Symptom-specific programs

· Individual psychotherapy

· Group therapy Career counselling

Medical Care

· Medications

· Surgery

· Physical therapy

.

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