Stress is our body’s response to pressure. Many different situations or life event causes stress. What is more stressful for one person may not be stressful for others. Stress varies from person to person depending upon personality, perception, and response.
Stress response
– High level of stress can result in physical symptoms like headache, loss of appetite, lump in the throat, Heavy chest, tight muscles, back pain, upset stomach, neck and shoulder pain, etc.
– Tiredness, Inability to focus, easily getting angry, difficulty in sleeping, change in eating habits, sadness or guilt, not being able to sit still, worry are some of the Behavior and Emotional responses to stress.Causes of stress at home
– Poor relationship with in-laws, husband
– Family dispute
– House loans
– Spouse staying abroad
– Family Income
– Difficulty in handling children
– Abuse
Stress in Organization
People in organizations become under stress due to various reasons. Different people experience and handle work-related stress differently. Some people are more distressed by a particular situation than others.
Causes of Work-Related Stress
– Work culture and practices
– Poor relationship with superiors, subordinates, and peers
– Poor work-life balance
– Organizational structure
– Managerial confusions
– Tight deadlines
– Resource constraintsStress is not normal if:
– You cannot keep yourself calm mostly
– You are sad most of the time
– If we lose our drive to move on
– If it hampers your day-to-day activities
– Too much stress can lead to multiple mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, etc.
Stress management
Stress management refers to reducing negative stress and providing positive feelings of being in control of one’s life and promoting general well-being. One should engage in self-care activities to manage stress.
It can be managed by adopting a healthy lifestyle, diet, exercise, deep breathing, relaxation techniques, yoga, adequate sleep, rest. Making time for yourself and your family, recreation, having some hobbies like singing, cooking, gardening, etc, keeping yourself busy in creative activities like painting, craft, etc is also important. Playing with pets, celebrating milestones, spending time with children, sharing feelings with family can also help.
Besides this, One can manage stress by dealing with problems or difficulties, believing that it is okay to be feeling these things. Apart from this, Family and friends should listen, pay attention to what they are being told, acknowledge, validate and empathize with their feelings.
When someone is distressed despite adequate self–care, has sleep & appetite disturbances, uncontrolled use of alcohol/drugs, persistently sad, unusual behaviors like talking or smiling to self, significant deterioration in socio-occupational functioning, has suicidal ideas and self-harming behaviors, violent or aggressive behavior, or is diagnosed with depression or anxiety, it’s better to seek medical help.
