By: Steven Diamond
The Founder of AttackAnxiety.com
You better believe it does. The subject of stress has become a favorite subject of everyday conversation among the many people I speak with across the country. In the course of my travels I speak to tens of thousands of everyday people and I have noticed something very important. Stress affects all of us pretty much the same. The difference among us, is in how we choose to deal with it.
It is not unusual to hear ourselves talk with friends, coworkers, and family members about the difficulty we have with managing the stress of everyday living. We talk about being burned out, overwhelmed and "losing it." We also hear and talk about our efforts to control the events that cause stress, and most of us understand the results of not controlling our reactions to stress.
Yes, we know that stress may cause heart disease. However, most of us are unaware of the many other emotional, cognitive and physical consequences of unmanaged stress. But, did you know this?
- Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
- 75 to 90 percent of all physician office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
- Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death--heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has declared stress a hazard of the workplace.
Stress is expensive. We all pay a stress tax whether we know it or not. It's a very high price to pay as well. Currently, health care costs account for approximately 8% or $6.2 million of total health care bills, according to HERO's Modifiable Health Risky Study (October 2000). This is an ever-increasing amount. And one in four people in a 2004 poll say they've taken a "mental health day" as a result of work stress. Right there is further dollars lost in office productivity. So the toll is a very high price to pay for everyone.
Job Stress
Jobs and careers are an important part of our lives. We all have one. Most of us have to have one. That's just reality. Along with providing a source of income, they help us fulfill our personal aims, build social networks, and serve our professions or communities.
They are also a major source of emotional stress and anxiety in our lives.
Stress at work
Even "dream jobs" have stressful deadlines, performance expectations, and other responsibilities. For some, stress is the motivator that ensures things get done. That's the good kind of stress. However, workplace stress can easily overwhelm your life. You may continually worry about a particular project, feel unfairly treated by a supervisor or co-workers, or knowingly accept more than you can handle in hopes of earning a
promotion. Putting your job ahead of everything else can also affect your personal relationships, compounding the work-related pressures.
Layoffs, restructuring, or management changes can heighten anxiety about your job security. In fact, a Norwegian study showed that the mere rumor of a factory's closure caused rapid increases in workers' pulse and blood pressure. Research in the U.S. has found that workplace injuries and accidents tend to increase in organizations that are being downsized.
The body will react
Along with its emotional toll, prolonged job-related stress can drastically affect your physical health. Constant preoccupation with job responsibilities often leads to erratic eating habits and not enough exercise, resulting in weight problems, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol levels.
Common job stressors such as perceived low rewards, a hostile work environment, and long hours can also accelerate the onset of heart disease, including the likelihood of heart attacks. This is particularly true for blue-collar and manual workers. Studies suggest that because these employees tend to have little control over their work environments, they are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those in traditional "white collar" jobs.
Your age is also a factor. A University of Utah study found that as stressed workers get older, their blood pressure increases above normal levels. Interestingly, many of the study's over-60 workers reported that they did not feel upset or unduly pressured by their jobs, even though their blood pressure levels were significantly higher.
A loss of mental energy
Job stress also frequently causes burnout, a condition marked by emotional exhaustion and negative or cynical attitudes toward others and yourself.
Burnout can lead to depression, which, in turn, has been linked to a variety of other health concerns such as heart disease and stroke, obesity and eating disorders, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Chronic depression also reduces your immunity to other types of illnesses, and can even contribute to premature death.
What you can do
Fortunately, there are many ways to help manage job-related stress. Some programs blend relaxation techniques with nutrition and
exercise. Others focus on specific issues such as time management, assertiveness training, and improving social skills.
A qualified psychologist can help you pinpoint the causes of your
stress, and develop appropriate coping strategies.
Here are some other tips for dealing with stress on the job:
Make the most of workday breaks.
Even 10 minutes of "personal time" will refresh your mental outlook. Take a brief walk, chat with a co-worker about a non-job topic, or simply sit quietly with your eyes closed and breathe.
If you feel angry, walk away. Mentally regroup by counting to 10, then look at the situation again. Walking and other physical activities will also help you work off steam.
Set reasonable standards for yourself and others. Don't expect perfection. Talk to your employer about your job description. Your responsibilities and performance criteria may not accurately reflect what you are doing. Working together to make needed changes will not only benefit your emotional and physical health, but also improve the organization's overall productivity.
While stress plays havoc with our health, productivity, pocketbooks, and lives, stress is necessary, even desirable. Exciting or challenging events such as the birth of a child, completion of a major project at work, or moving to a new city generate as much stress as does tragedy or disaster. And without it, life would be pretty dull. So maybe some stress isn't so bad after all. The key is in learning how to control it and manage it in ways that is best for your own personal body, mind and spirit. Take control today.
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Steven Diamond has developed a critically acclaimed stress
management course for everyday people available at
http://www.attackanxiety.com He's a noted
author and TV anxiety expert having been seen on Top rated
programs like NBC's "The Jane Pauley Show, CNN, and
many others. His new top rated weekly PodCast –
"The Lighter Side of Anxiety" is a humorous look at stress.
Contact Email: Steven@attackanxiety.com
*He reads all his mail and responds personally*
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