Stress Causes&Effects&Solution

7/28/2019 Stress Causes&Effects&Solution

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Executive summary

Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continuallychanging environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive

or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it canresult in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it canresult in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead tohealth problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high bloodpressure, heart disease, and stroke. With the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, ajob promotion, or a new relationship, we experience stress as we readjust our lives. In soadjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending on how wereact to it.

As we have seen, positive stress adds anticipation and excitement to life, and we allthrive under a certain amount of stress. Deadlines, competitions, confrontations, and even

our frustrations and sorrows add depth and enrichment to our lives. Our goal is not toeliminate stress but to learn how to manage it and how to use it to help us. Insufficientstress acts as a depressant and may leave us feeling bored or dejected; on the other hand,excessive stress may leave us feeling "tied up in knots." What we need to do is find theoptimal level of stress which will individually motivate but not overwhelm each of us.

There is no single level of stress that is optimal for all people. We are all individualcreatures with unique requirements. As such, what is distressing to one may be a joy toanother. And even when we agree that a particular event is distressing, we are likely todiffer in our physiological and psychological responses to it.

The person who loves to arbitrate disputes and moves from job site to job site would bestressed in a job which was stable and routine, whereas the person who thrives understable conditions would very likely be stressed on a job where duties were highly varied.Also, our personal stress requirements and the amount which we can tolerate before webecome distressed changes with our ages.

It has been found that most illness is related to unrelieved stress. If you are experiencingstress symptoms, you have gone beyond your optimal stress level; you need to reduce thestress in your life and/or improve your ability to manage it.

Identifying unrelieved stress and being aware of its effect on our lives is not sufficient for

reducing its harmful effects. Just as there are many sources of stress, there are manypossibilities for its management. However, all require work toward change: changing thesource of stress and/or changing your reaction to it. How do you proceed?

There are some stress busters which can act wonders to your body and mind and whichcan make your life stress free. These can be done individually or it can be organized bythe company for the betterment of the employees


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Table of contents:

STRESS QUIZ

RESEARCH ON STRESS

JOB STRESS AND RESEARCH WORK

CAUSES OF STRESS

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

EFFECTS OF STRESS

STRESS BUSTERS:

INDIVIDUAL METHIDS

ORGANISATIONAL METHODS

BIBLIOGRAPHY


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A SELF TEST FOR STRESS IDENTIFICATION:

Richard Earle, Ph.D., is Managing Director of the Canadian Institute of Stress and the

Hans Selye Foundation.

Three top stress complaints seen almost daily at our Institute Clinic are family or maritalproblems, fatigue and I cant get no satisfaction. Often theyre closely related. There

just isnt enough time and energy to make ends meet. Short of having yourself cloned,

somethings bound to get short shrift. And its usually personal or family life. Work is the

easy winner.

Fortunately, radical lifestyle surgery typically isnt required. The answer is to stand back

and see the big picture, and then to make one or two small, personally strategic changes.

Take the little quiz Ive prepared for you. Youll likely be amazed at how big a

difference five or 10 minutes taking your needs seriously will make.

Youll find below a list of some of the activities that make up work and personal life

These are the balls that todays working adult is juggling. Rate each of the activities

based on how much time or energy they receive in your situation.

Step #1, think about how much time or energy you would like to give each activity of the

following activities:

a)Family recreation activities

b) Personal recreation activities

c) Doing my core job at work

d) Housekeeping chores

e) Professional development/courses

f) Easy time with spouse

g) Taking on extras at work

h) Easy time with children

i) Doing office work at home

j) Meal preparation

k) Taking children to sports / activities

l) Relaxing / socializing with friends


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Rate each activity on the following scale from 0-4 as follows:

It should get no time or energy = 0

It should get very little time or energy = 1

It should get medium time or energy = 2

It should get quite a bit of time or energy = 3

It should get a lot of time or energy = 4

Step #2, think about how things actually workin your life. Rate each activity again on

the following scale from 0-4 as follows:

At present it really gets no time or energy = 0

At present it really gets very little time or energy = 1

At present it really gets medium time or energy = 2

At present it really gets quite a bit of time or energy = 3

At present it really gets a lot of time or energy = 4

Step 3, write down the number that shows the difference between your two ratings.

Simply subtract whichever number is smaller from the larger one. Add up these numbers

- this is your juggling stress number.

(Interpreting your score IF you have no children or no spouse: If you have no children ,

multiply your score by 1.2 if no spouse, multiply it by 1.1 to interpret your score

correctly.)

Stress is the gap between your real situation and your ideal situation. To see how

successfully you are juggling the demands of work and personal life, check your total

against our stress thermometer.

Hot Zone (score = 11+)

If your score is in the hot zone, some changes may be necessary to reduce the level of

stress in your juggling situation.


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Make some adjustments to close the larger gaps between the real and the ideal in your

situation. And build on the satisfactions you get from those areas where the gaps are

smaller.

Warm Zone (score = 7-10)

If your score is in the warm zone, you are juggling time and priorities just about as well

as most working adults. Build on your strengths to bring your real situation and goals

closer together.

Cool Zone (score = 0-6)

If your score is in the cool zone, then you are managing the demands of work and

personal life better than most people. By keeping your real achievements in line with

your ideal situation, you can maintain a balance of activities and keep the juggling stress

down.

Assess overall pattern of energy investment: Take a look at where you spend most of

your time and energy. You may want to readjust this to better suit your goals.

Find creative new options: Maybe some of the old traditional ways of being close to

your spouse, or of developing yourself in your career really just dont fit your situation

very well. Invent a new way!

Make some adjustments to close the larger gaps between the real and the ideal in your

situation. And build on the satisfactions you get from those areas where the gaps are

smaller.


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INTRODUCTION TO STRESS

Weatherford Enterras stock dropped more than 10% when the company revealed that the

Chief Executive was going to take time off for stress related health reasons

30 year old Rukmini works in a firm where she files papers and has to deal with the

education department on and off everyday .she has been working for 10 years now and

she realizes that work is getting tougher and tougher but she is a strong willed women

and has always been career oriented and she thinks that it must be normal as every body

is feeling the job pressure, not only she! But after completion of 11 years she notices a

change in her; .she notices that she comes home very depressed everyday and that she has

undergone some physical and mental changes. She has also become very cranky and getsirritated easily; it is after consultation from a doctor that she comes to know the reason

STRESS!

So after all what is stress?

The Pali term Dukkha, which is traditionally translated in the commentaries as, "that

which is hard to bear", is notorious for having no truly adequate equivalent in English,

but stress - in its basic sense as a strain on body or mind Dukkha applies both to physical

and to mental phenomena, ranging from the intense stress of acute anguish or pain to the

innate burdensomeness of even the most subtle mental or physical fabrications.(1a)Stress

is mental or physical tension that results from physical, emotional, or chemical causes.(1b) stress is found in all men women or even fetuses. No body is spared The word stress

is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "a state of affair involving demand on physical or

mental energy". A condition or circumstance (not always adverse), which can disturb the

normal physical and mental health of an individual. In medical parlance 'stress' is defined

as a perturbation of the body's homeostasis. This demand on mind-body occurs when it


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tries to cope with incessant changes in life. A 'stress' condition seems 'relative' in nature.

Extreme stress conditions, psychologists say, are detrimental to human health but in

moderation stress is normal and, in many cases, proves useful. Stress, nonetheless, is

synonymous with negative conditions.

Stress is a consequence of a general response to an action or situation that places special

physical or psychological demands or both on a person. The physical or psychological

demands from the environment are known as stressors.

Here are what some working women had to say about stress:

Stress is a state of mental tension or emotional strain caused by the need to finish more

than one job within a limited time schedule-M Zachanah (assistant general manager-

IDBI)

Boss fear-N M Shinde(assistant to officer- Reliance energy)

Stress is an condition when you are feeling your body is being pressed by two large

heavy objects and when things start going haywire, when you find everything out of

control - O Meachair(Canadian citizen and a retired woman)

Stress means mental and physical pressure on a person to adapt and adjust to things

which is not suitable or which is not preferred by themShriya (ABN AMRO Bank-

officer)

In my experience (in my role as a student) stress comes during peak stages which

normally occur when exams or tests or evaluation time comes near basically when a

student is being judged and those judgments are being noted down to be verified .there

are events showing high level of stress like flunking or death of a parent and there are

periods when there are low levels of stress in a childs life like change in eating or

sleeping habits, illness, arguments with friends family etc.


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RESEARCH WORK CONDUCTED ON STRESS ALL OVER THE WORLD :

STRESS AND WOMENS HEALTH:

Doctors in the Netherlands recently reviewed the medical literature from 1966 through

2002 to examine all studies on the relationship of breast cancer and life stress.

In their review published in the December 2003 issue of the International Journal of

Cancer, the Netherlands team concluded that an overall association between stress and

breast cancer risk could not be substantiated, but a moderate increase in cancer risk with

severe stress (e.g. death of a spouse) was observed.

Some individual studies have shown an increase in breast cancer risk following stressful

life events. An example of these comes from a Finnish study published in 2003.

In this investigation, over 10,000 women from the Finnish Twin Study, a populationcomposed of same-sex twins born in Finland, were followed for 15 years from 1982-

1996. The women completed baseline health questionnaires in 1975 and follow-up

questionnaires in 1981 and 1990. The questionnaires were designed to assess known

breast cancer risk factors along with individual life events and stressors.

During the 15-year study period, 180 cases of breast cancer occurred in the study

population. Examination of the relationship between cancer development and self-

reported life events and psychological stressors revealed that accumulated life stressors in

the five years before the baseline assessment was associated with an increased risk of

developing breast cancer during the 15 year follow-up period. Likewise, the occurrence

of severe life stresses (divorce/separation, death of a spouse, or death of a close friend or

relative) were all associated with a small (1.36 to 2.26 times normal rate) but significant

increase in breast cancer incidence.

The researchers confirmed these findings in studies of twin pairs in which one twin

developed breast cancer and the other did not. Again, severe life stresses were associated

with the incidence of breast cancer in the affected twin. Data analysis was repeated to

exclude potential confounding factors such as changes in body weight, smoking, or

alcohol use that often accompany stressful life events. Independent of these factors, stress

alone appeared to increase the risk for development of breast cancer. Results were also


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adjusted to eliminate the influence of known breast cancer risk factors such as nulliparity

or late age at the first term pregnancy.

This study, published in the March 2003 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology,

supports the hypothesis that psychological stress may in some way predispose the body to

a greater risk of breast cancer development.

The exact way in which stress may act to increase cancer risk is not clear. Possible

explanations for the increased cancer incidence include:

Stress is known to affect hormone secretion in the body, for example, with

increases in the hormone cortisol seen in response to any type of stress. It might

be postulated that the hormonal changes induced by the body during the stress

response may increase the risk of cancer development.

The known affects of stress on inhibition of the immune response could play a

role in tumor causation.

Stress may lead to other lifestyle alterations including dietary changes, medication

use, or other practices which theoretically could explain the increased incidence

of cancer.

Individual styles of coping with stress may have also led to behaviors or hormonal

changes that increase cancer risk.

In summary, medical experts still do not agree whether psychological stress alone can

increase our risk of cancer development. Some studies support the notion of some role for

stress in the cancer development process, although the precise nature of this effect has not

been confirmed. Other research indicates a negligible, or minimal, effect of stress in

cancer development. Further studies are needed before the relationship of stress and other

psychological factors to cancer can be established.

KARACHI: Eighteen percent women and more than 10 percent men in Pakistan are

suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), according to psychiatrist Dr Ali

Wasif.

Talking to the Daily Times here on Wednesday, he said 33-90 percent people who had


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passed through trauma had chances of developing PTSD. PTSD can be associated with

depression, rather they are at the risk of developing depression, panic disorder,

generalized anxiety and substance abuse. He said such people were more vulnerable to

PTSD who had adversities in their childhood and development years.

Recent advances in studies of the neurobiology of PTSD have underscored that, from a

biological perspective, PTSD develops from an inadequate termination of a stress

response. The failure to contain the biological alterations initiated by stress may have

long-term adverse consequences. In particular, a prolonged continuance of biological

responses following stress may lead to an inappropriate pairing of the traumatic memory

with distress, and may then initiate a cascade of secondary biological alterations, says

the clinical manual of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Those who suffer from traumatic events during childhood, and those who are exposed to

chronic or repeated traumatic stress, are also at risk of developing physical illnesses such

as hypertension, asthma and psychosomatic illnesses.

The type of events that are thought to give rise to PTSD could be defined in two broad

categories: (a) those involving interpersonal violence; and (b) those involving potentially

life-threatening accidents and disasters, either man-made or naturally occurring hazards,

that occur in the absence of a conscious attempt of one person to harm another.

In addition to single-episode traumatic events that are truly outside the range of an

individuals experience, many individuals experience chronic or repeated trauma

exposure. Soldiers engaged in prolonged combat, hostages or prisoners in the

concentration camp, or victims of repeated domestic violence may come to expect

violence as part of their daily life.

The prevalence of a history of childhood sexual and physical abuse is disproportionately

high among persons with a history of substance abuse, male prisoners, and psychiatric in-

patients.An entirely new phenomenon noticed in the nineties was not only state torture


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or extra-judicial killings but private torture and brutal killings among the political and/or

ethnic divide in Sindh, according to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Acute Stress

Reaction, a study conducted in 1996 by a team of doctors, including Dr Haroon Ahmed,

Dr Syed Ali Wasif, Dr Rafey Ahmed, Dr Waqar Siddiqui and Dr Yasir Maqsood. The

survey in the four districts of Karachi has now been compiled and the preliminary report

indicates that during 1996 there was definite change in the behaviour of the people of

Karachi,

ORLANDO -- A study by Duke University Medical Center researchers suggests that the

cumulative effect of the daily mental and emotional stresses of life reduces the heart'sability to respond appropriately to the outside world.

This insight, the researchers said, could help explain the mechanism behind the known

links between mental stress and heart disease. The researchers also said their findings

emphasize the importance of stress reduction techniques and exercise in maintaining a

healthy environment for the heart.

By continually monitoring the electrical activity of the hearts of 135 patients withcoronary artery disease during a 48-hour period, the researchers found that higher levels

of negative emotions were strongly associated with a reduction in the ability of the heart

to respond to stress and negative emotions.

Duke researcher Simon Bacon, Ph.D., presented the results of the Duke analysis today

(March 4, 2004) at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. The

research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"While we have known that emotional stresses have been linked to the development and

progression of coronary artery disease, it has not been clear why this is so," Bacon said.

"Past laboratory studies in humans and animals have demonstrated that mental stress can

negatively affect the autonomic control over the heart." Autonomic control is the

reflexive control of heart action over which people have no conscious control. "What we


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have shown for the first time, using detailed cardiac measurements during everyday life,

is that such negative emotions as anger, stress or sadness were associated with a

reduction in autonomic control of the heart,"

For the study, the researchers attached portable electrocardiogram (ECG) machines to

135 heart patients, who wore them continually for two days. While the monitors recorded

the heart's electrical activity minute-by-minute during this period, a tone would sound

every 20 minutes during waking hours. This signal prompted patients to record in a

portable diary their activities and emotions at that moment.

"In this way, we were able to correlate what each patient was experiencing during

everyday life with what was happening with their hearts," Bacon explained. "The

monitors showed that during periods of mental stress and negative emotions, the hearts

showed a reduced capacity to respond."

The monitors measured each patient's heart rate variability -- a phenomenon by which the

brain controls the rate at which our heart beats. For example, when humans encounter

danger, the brain triggers the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn makes the heart

beat faster. Once the danger has passed, the brain initiates the parasympathetic nervous

system, which then slows the heart rate down. In normal daily life these two systems, thesympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, help maintain the heart rate at an

equilibrium guarding against sudden cardiac events.

"Sick hearts show very little heart rate variability, so they are not as responsive, leaving

them vulnerable," Bacon said. "Healthy hearts have a better ability to respond to anything

that occurs. The bottom line is that stress we experience throughout the course of the day

can be bad for our hearts. Our study showed that even small fluctuations can have a

cumulative impact."

Such techniques as stress and anger management, or behavioral modification techniques,

may be effective in reducing the body's unhealthy reactions to stress. Exercise may also

be an effective method of stress reduction, Bacon said.


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According to Bacon, future research should be directed at intervention strategies for

minimizing the effects of mental stress. At Duke, the NIH-funded SMART HEART trial

is currently evaluating the potential benefits of exercise training and stress management

programs for patients with coronary artery disease.

Other colleagues on the study included Lana Watkins, Ph.D., Michael Babyak, Ph.D.,

Andrew Sherwood, Ph.D., Robert Waugh, M.D., and James Blumenthal, Ph.D. Other

members of the team were Alan Hinderliter, M.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel

Hill and Junichiro Hayano, M.D., Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical

Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.

Vital Stats

The 1998 National Study of the Changing Workforce shows that Americans feel they are

working longer, harder and faster.

Work! work! work!: 88 percent reported having to work very hard, and 68 percent have

to work very fast, yet 60 percent still do not have time to get it all done -- much higher

percentages than 20 years ago. Hours worked at all jobs for employees average 46 per

week -- up from 43.6 hours in the 1997 survey.

Tired or burned out: 71 percent feel used up at the end of the day; 57 percent reported

being burned out or stressed by work; 53 percent reported feeling nervous or stressed in

the past three months.

Health problems: 38 percent said stress has caused minor health problems.

The commute: Commute time now averages nearly 50 minutes a day. One in three of

those surveyed brings home work at least once a week.

Supportive bosses: More than 90 percent said their supervisor and co-workers are

supportive; only 70 percent said their employer is supportive.

Looking for new jobs: 37 percent are "somewhat" or "very likely" to make a genuine

effort to find a new job with another employer in the next year.

Sources: The Orange County Register/KRT; Families and Work Institute, Ceridian

Performance Partners, 1998


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SOME TRIVIA:

With the advent of MNC work culture in India, increased work pressure and increasing

need for performance in the workplace, it has led to increased stress in the executive

lifestyles. This type of a lifestyle increases the risk of developing heart disease by 10-15

times.

Nearly half of all American workers suffer from symptoms of burnout, a disabling

reaction to stress on the job.

1 in 5 people suffer stress in the workplace at any one time.

That is equivalent to 5 million workers.

Around 500,000 workers have reported experiencing stress at a level they believe made

them ill.

Each year approximately 6.7 million working days are lost due to stress or stress related

illness.

The cost of workplace stress on society is between 3.7 and 3.8 billion each year.

Stress is second only to back problems as being the most common type of work related ill

health reported.

An estimated 1 million workers are absent on an average workday because of stress

related complaints. Stress is said to be responsible for more than half of the 550,000,000

workdays lost annually because of absenteeism.

A three-year study conducted by a large corporation showed that 60% of employee

absences were due to psychological problems such as stress.

The proportion of workers who reported "feeling highly stressed" more than doubled

from 1985 to 1990.


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Job stress is estimated to cost U.S. Industry $300 billion annually, as assessed by

absenteeism, diminished productivity, employee turnover, direct medical, legal and

insurance fees, etc. 60-80% of industrial accidents are due to stress.

Workers' compensation awards for job stress, rare two decades ago, have skyrocketed and

threaten to bankrupt the system in some states. California employers shelled out almost

$1 billion for medical and legal fees alone. Nine out of ten job stress suits are successful,

with an average payout more than four times that for regular injury claims.

The market for stress management programs, products, and services was $9.4 billion in

1995, and is projected to be $11.31 billion for 1999.

40% of worker turnover is due to job stress. The Xerox Corporation estimates that it costs

approximately $1-$1.5 million to replace a top executive, and average employee turnover

costs between $2,000 to $13,000 per individual.

Workplace violence is rampant. There are 2 million reported cases of homicide,

aggravated assault, rape or sexual assaults causing stress.

75% of the general population experiences at least "some stress" every two weeks

Half of those experience moderate or high levels of stress during the same two-week

period.

Tranquilizers, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications account for one fourth of all

prescriptions written in the U.S. each year.


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Job stress

Job stress is a chronic disease caused by conditions in the workplace that negatively

affect an individual's performance and/or overall well-being of his body and mind. One

or more of a host of physical and mental illnesses manifests job stress. In some cases, job

stress can be disabling. In chronic cases a psychiatric consultation is usually required to

validate the reason and degree of work related stress.

In my project I will be dealing only with stress related activities at work and stress related

effects; causes symptoms and effective stress busters. And because stress is a vast topic

and it has many effects on various people I will be studying only one section of people

i.e. WOMEN who are more likely to be affected by this syndrome.

This poll was conducted by the About .com team which is a site specifically for topics

related to stress and how to manage with the daily pressure and they took this poll to

prove to the people that women are the ones who have to face more stress in life

Among people you know, are the women or the men more "stressed

out?"

women (179) 60%

men (76) 25%

about the same (39) 13%

Total Votes: 294

But interestingly , Researchers at the University of Duesseldorf in Germany have


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evidence that young women are better able to cope with stress than young men, according

to a study published in the October 2001 issue ofPsychoneuroendocrinology.

Womens role is increasing day by day because of which it is important to know how to

use this resource productively and also to see that a balance is maintained .hence stress

management is required and important for women

Women, in these days, have a lot of balancing to do between home and workplace,

including balancing between social and personal requirements. The issues of maternity,

menopause, parenthood, gender roles, conditions at home and workplace, familial and

social support et al, often blight women's lives in the long run.

I have conducted a study on how stress has effected women working in each and every

sectors of the industry (here in India and abroad in places like Canada) and my research

has divided women in:

Higher level positions like managers

Middle level positions like officers

Lower level positions like stenographers

The sectors that I have covered are:

Banks private and government like SBI,ABN AMRO Bank,

Financial institutions like SICOM,IDBI, LIC

Education centers-government and private like Sydenham College of commerce and

economics ,Mulund camp municipal school

Medical centers and hospitals. like Peoples mobile hospital


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Private sectors like Reliance energy limited

I interviewed 27 women in from 5 fields and I have asked them questions related to :

Effects of stress

Causes of stress

Symptoms

Stress busters

The data is on a comparative basis; where a comparison is done with the women working

in the various hierarchical positions within different sectors in Mumbai and also with

women working in a developed country (Canada) (wherever possible). This study can

also show the awareness of women about their stress factors and if they take some

remedial actions to solve it.

This study has been used in each and every section (and wherever necessary) to support

my ideas on stress and its management and which are the popular modes of stress

management.

It also points to us one factor which states that not many organizations take up stress

programmes for their workers and why is it necessary to take up such programmes as it

can be beneficial to the organizations.

(references and data has been used to support my point of view)


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What is the meaning of stress according to you?

..What are the most common reasons for stress? (rank them between 1 :the mostimportant reason and 5: the least important reason)

Work Family and children Other people like relatives; neighbours; not related people like Politicians Peer pressure Finances School Driving /traffic

What are the most common symptoms found in a stressed person? (rank them 1 beingthe most important reason and 5 being the least important reason) Insomnia,(lack of sleep)

Loss of mental concentration, Anxiety, Absenteeism, Depression, Substance abuse, (excessive use of alcohol drugs) Extreme anger and frustration, Family conflict Physical illnesses such as heart disease, migraine, headaches, stomach problems, and

back problems. Any other

reasons.

How has stress affected our body? (Tick the apt reasons)

Tension Frustration Migraine Loss of Confidence and Concentration Fear Aging Indigestion Insomnia

Irregular periods Any otherreasons.

What are the most common causes for stress at the workplace? ( rank them 1 being themost important reason and 5 being the least important reason)

Job Insecurity


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High Demand for Performance Technology Workplace Culture Peer pressureWhat are your reasons for stress at the workplace? ( rank them 1 being the most

important reason and 5 being the least important reason)

Job Insecurity High Demand for Performance Technology Workplace Culture Peer pressure Any other

reasons

Do you take steps to recover from stress?

Yes No

Can the following Stress busters help you?

Praying Biofeedback Yoga Exercising Time management

Anger management Music Laughter Positive self talk Meditation

Which is the most effective stress buster for you ?( Tick only one!)

Praying Yoga Exercising Time management

Anger management Music Laughter


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Positive self talk Meditation If any

others..

Have you undergone any stress management /consultation?

Yes No

If yes, then was it arranged by your company?

What exercises were included in that stress management session?

.

Do you recognize stress in your body ?

Yes No

What are the immediate after effects of stress that you feel in your body?

Did stress take a toll on family life?

Yes No

Any other comments on stress?..


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CAUSES OF STRESS:

In the USA nationwide surveys show that above 25% of all employees suffer from a

variety of stress-induced problems. A survey of 400000 employees conducted by

International Survey Research of Chicago reported that about 40% of these people say

that their workload are excessive and that they have too much pressure at work

According to the studies that I had taken the results in the higher level category of women

workers showed that they are more stressed out because of work.

CAUSES OF STRESS

WORK

FAMILY

FINANCES

SCHOOL

TRAFFIC

WORK 50FAMILY 15FINANCES 15SCHOOL 10TRAFFIC 10


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The middle level results showed that most women faced stress from work and then family

took a major portion along with other factors like traffic and money

And the lower level showed these results said that family was the main reason why they

were s stressed out and which affected work too.

CAUSES OF STRESS

WORK

FAMILY

FINANCES

SCHOOL

TRAFFIC

WORK 30FAMILY 35FINANCES 25SCHOOL 5TRAFFIC 5

A poll was also conducted by me with women working abroad in Canada and the results

are as follows. Around 7 women voted in this poll and a major chunk of their worries

were caused by stress:

CAUSES FOR STRESSWORK

FAMILY

OTHER PEOPLE

LIKE POLITIANS

HEALTH

ANY OTHER

REASON

WORK 60FAMILY 10


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OTHER PEOPLE LIKE

POLITIANS 10HEALTH 10ANY OTHER REASON 10

When asked about other reasons they said that included finances and traffic and so on .

But the above causes are not from the perspective of work stress .They are basically

personal views or opinions.

Following are the reasons or causes related to stress at work :

Job Insecurity

Organized workplaces are going through metamorphic changes under intense economic

transformations and consequent pressures. Reorganizations, takeovers, mergers,

downsizing and other changes have become major stressors for employees, as companies

try to live up to the competition to survive. These reformations have put demand on

everyone, from a CEO to a mere executive.

High Demand for Performance

Unrealistic expectations, especially in the time of corporate reorganizations, which,

sometimes, puts unhealthy and unreasonable pressures on the employee, can be a

tremendous source of stress and suffering. Increased workload, extremely long work

hours and intense pressure to perform at peak levels all the time for the same pay, can

actually leave an employees physically and emotionally drained. Excessive travel and too

much time away from family also contribute to an employee's stressors.

Technology

The expansion of technologycomputers, pagers, cell phones, fax machines and the

Internethas resulted in heightened expectations for productivity, speed and efficiency,

increasing pressure on the individual worker to constantly operate at peak performance

levels. Workers working with heavy machinery are under constant stress to remain alert.

In this case both the worker and their family members live under constant mental stress.

There is also the constant pressure to keep up with technological breakthroughs and


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improvisations, forcing employees to learn new software all the times.

Workplace Culture

Adjusting to the workplace culture, whether in a new company or not, can be intensely

stressful. Making oneself adapt to the various aspects of workplace culture such as

communication patterns, hierarchy, dress code if any, workspace and most importantly

working and behavioral patterns of the boss as well as the co-workers, can be a lesson of

life. Maladjustment to workplace cultures may lead to subtle conflicts with colleagues or

even with superiors. In many cases office politics or gossips can be major stress inducers.

Personal or Family Problems

Employees going through personal or family problems tend to carry their worries and

anxieties to the workplace. When one is in a depressed mood, his unfocused attention or

lack of motivation affects his ability to carry out job responsibilities.

Job Stress and Women

Women may suffer from mental and physical harassment at workplaces, apart from the

common job stress. Sexual harassment in workplace has been a major source of worry for

women, since long. Women may suffer from tremendous stress such as 'hostile work

environment harassment', which is defined in legal terms as 'offensive or intimidating

behavior in the workplace'. This can consist of unwelcome verbal or physical conduct.

These can be a constant source of tension for women in job sectors. Also, subtle

discriminations at workplaces, family pressure and societal demands add to these stress

factors.

According to my studies the causes of stress which they face at work amongst the women

in the higher positions were work culture:


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CAUSES OF STRESS AT WORKJOB INSECURITY

HIGH DEMAND

FOR

PERFORMANCE

TECHNOLOGY

WORK CULTURE

JOB INSECURITY 10HIGH DEMAND FOR

PERFORMANCE 30TECHNOLOGY 10

WORK CULTURE 50

And the lower level revealed insecurity of job as the major stress :

CAUSES OF STRESS AT WORKJOB INSECURITY

HIGH DEMAND

FOR

PERFORMANCE

TECHNOLOGY

WORK CULTURE

JOB INSECURITY 50HIGH DEMAND FOR

PERFORMANCE 25TECHNOLOGY 20WORK CULTURE 5

But basically work seems to be a dominating cause to cause stress in many people and

amongst work stressors high demand for performance seems to be creating havoc in

womens life. Because of this we push ourselves too hard When we take on the

responsibility of becoming a worker, we take on a lot more than we really realize.

Sometimes we "Spread ourselves too thin." We commit ourselves to do more than our


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bodies will allow; keeping up with our social lives, as well as our work , can lead to

damage of our bodies and emotional well being.

Fear of failure also causes enough stress for us to worry on .

Other causes:

Peer Pressure supposedly a very demanding factor in the lives of young workers..

Along with peer pressure comes decisions about drinking, smoking, drugs, and sexual

activity. For example, The pressures to drink can be quite compelling at times. In fact,

peer pressure is the reason most people give for why they started drinking and continue to

drink

Poor Nutrition Some times women do not eat healthy foods, instead they rely on fast

food restaurants, microwaveable meals, and quick foods/snacks. Poor nutritional habits

depletes or bodies immune system and energy levels.

Sleeping Habits The human body in order to function properly needs on average

between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each day.

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS:

Sughandita has been noticing for the past several months that she is facing lots of

disturbance in her sleep .her sleep is incomplete because of which she gets bouts of

acidity and that disturbs her whole schedule as she gets up very late in the morning and

her whole routine fails .she has been noticing this from the past 4 months, basically since

the time she was promoted to the post of a manager. She thinks that it must be the food at

first but then slowly it comes to her head that it must be the work pressure she find out

about the Symptoms of Stress


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This symptom list is based on a compilation of information relating to stress and anxiety

found in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

(DSM-IV), copyright 1994, American Psychiatric Association.

Symptoms of Stress or Anxiety

Physical:

heart pounding

headaches

sweaty palms

indigestion

skin breaks out

shortness of breath

holding breath

cold hands

sleeplessness

sleep too much

fatigue

nausea diarrhea

tight stomach

tight muscles

pain

Emotional:

moody

irritability

depressed anxious

lack of sense of

humor

abrasive

hostile

nervous

emotional

Mental:

forgetfullness

loss of

concentration

poor judgment

disorganized

fuzzy perception

confused

lack of interest

math errors

stop thinking

diminished fantasy

life

negative self-talk

How serious are your stress symptoms?

Acute Stress

In determining how to cope with your stress symptoms, it is helpful to know what type

you are dealing with. The most common form, acute stress results from demands and

pressures of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. In


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small doses, acute stress is thrilling and exciting, but too much is exhausting. The same

ski run that feels so great in the morning can be quite taxing at the end of the day. Skiing

beyond your limits can lead to falls and injuries. In the same way, too much short-term

stress can lead to physical or emotional symptoms. Most people recognize the signs of

acute stress. They appear when something major happens like moving, changing jobs,

experiencing losses. You probably feel stressed when something goes wrong, i.e., your

fender is crumpled in a car accident, you lose an important contract, you're racing to meet

a deadline, your child is having problems at school. Daily hassles with a demanding boss,

a nagging spouse, or irritating noise also can make you feel stressed. Normally, as our

ancestors did, our bodies rest when the stressful event is over. Moreover, because it is

short term, acute stress doesn't have enough time to do the extensive damage associated

with long-term stress.

Episodic Acute Stress

If you endure acute stress frequently, you probably are experiencing episodic stress.

Your life feels like a disorderly exercise in chaos and crisis. You are always rushing,

always late. If something can go wrong, it does. Trying to do too much, you can't

organize the tangle of self-inflicted demands clamoring for your attention. You seem to

be constantly in a state of acute stress.

Chronic Stress

The grinding stress that wears people down day after day, year after year is chronic

stress. It destroys bodies, minds, and lives. It's the relentless stress of poverty,

dysfunctional families, and despised jobs. The people of Northern Ireland, Eastern

Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East live with the chronic stress

engendered by their endless troubles. If you are experiencing chronic stress, you can't

figure out how to alleviate a miserable situation that seems to go on for an interminable

period of time. Devoid of hope, you stop searching for solutions.

Some chronic stress stems from traumatic, early childhood experiences that change the

brain and become internalized, remaining forever present and painful. These experiences


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can affect personality profoundly. You create a belief system or view of the world that

causes you constant stress.

The worst aspect of chronic stress is that you get used to it. You forget it's there and learn

to endure it.

The study where I had interviewed women showed that women are not quick to respond

to such symptoms; they took easily around 6 months or so to find out about stress and

that they were undergoing a physical and a mental change. And when asked whether they

recognize stress in their bodies around 65% said yes and the remaining said no.

The symptoms of stress in higher level women showed:

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS LACK OF SLEEP

NIL

CONCENTRATIO

N

ANXIETY

DEPRESSION

ANGER

LACK OF SLEEP 30NIL 25


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CONCENTRATIONANXIETY 25DEPRESSION 10ANGER 10

The middle level women responded in such a manner:

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS LACK OF SLEEP

NIL

CONCENTRATIO

N

ANXIETY

DEPRESSION

ANGER

LACK OF SLEEP 10NIL

CONCENTRATION 20ANXIETY 40DEPRESSION 10ANGER 20

The lower level women ranked stress symptoms and they showed following results:


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SYMPTOMS OF STRESSNIL

CONCENTRATIO

N

DEPRESSION

ANGER

ILLNESS

NIL

CONCENTRATION 50DEPRESSION 20ANGER 20

ILLNESS 10

Once these symptoms start showing up in our day to day life it is an indicator that stress

management techniques should be devised to keep stress in control.

EFFECTS OF STRESS


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Medically, it has been established that chronic symptoms of anxiety and stress can

crumble our body's immune system. Irrespective of the nature of the causes of stress

real or perceivedour subconscious mind reacts with the same body response by

releasing stress hormones equal to the degree of our fear, worry or sense of threat. It

brings about changes in the body's biochemical state with extra epinephrine and other

adrenal steroids such as hydrocortisone in the bloodstream. It also induces increased

palpitation and blood pressure in the body with mental manifestations such as anger, fear,

worry or aggression. In short, stress creates anomalies in our body's homeostasis. When

the extra chemicals in our bloodstream don't get used up or the stress situation persists, it

makes our body prone to mental and physical illnesses.

For example, imagine a secretary in an office. Her boss comes in, angry and furious. He

starts blasting the secretary for no apparent reasons. Now, her activated adrenaline cycle

would tell her to flee or fight. Her senses become acute, muscles tighten, heartbeats and

blood pressure increase and brain activity speeds up. She would probably like to walk out

or alternatively, turn around and punch him in the face. But she does neither, for to do so

might mean losing her job. So what follows? She burns up a lot of her body energy

without achieving anything. At the end of the day she would be left mentally, physically

and emotionally exhaustedclassic symptoms of anxiety and stress. It can happen to

anybody from a high profile businessman to a student, an executive or a homemaker. All

are burning out their energies to defend themselves from their real or perceived causes of

stress.

Stress effect us in many ways like:

PHYSICALLY

Any challenge that overwhelms us a serious illness, the death of a family member,

troubles at school, the loss of a job or a lover can be so stressful to you that it can have

major effects upon your physical well being. Common effects of stress upon the body are

as follows:


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-Headaches -Feelings Of Warmth

-Heart Palpitations -Rapid, Pounding Heartbeat

-Tightness Of Chest -Butterflies In Stomach

-Hyperventilation -Weakness All Over

-Tremors -Dizziness

-Dry Mouth -Sweaty All Over

-Confusion -Speeded Up Thoughts

-Muscle Tension -Fatigue

-Decreases In Immune System Functions -Rashes

-Backaches -Stiffness In Your Joints

-Elevated Blood Pressure

BEHAVIORALLY

High levels of stress does have a direct effect upon the way we interact with the world

around us. Stress levels do have a direct link to the way we behave. The higher the stress

and the longer we are exposed to it the more likely we are to alter our normal behavior

patterns. The most common effects of stress upon our behavioral patterns are as follows:

-Fidgeting -Chain smoking -Forgetfulness -Cry a lot

-Becomes very bossy -Isolate yourself

-Get angry easy -Overeat

-Grind teeth -Lose control

-Trouble concentrating -Cant turn off thoughts

-Moodiness

EMOTIONALLY

Our emotional state just like our behavioral state is directly effected by our stress levels.

The most common effects that high stress levels have upon our emotional state is as

follows:


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-Cannot think clearly/focus easily -Get cold and unfeeling

-Feelings of depression -Low self image

-Feelings of loneliness -Constant worry about the future

-Feelings of helplessness

The above symptoms are by no means comprehensive. Please remember stress can have

numerous effects upon the body it can be just one elements from above or a

combination of them. Stress will effect everyone differently please keep this in mind.

Estimates are such that each employee who suffers from a stress related illness losses an

average of 16 days of work a year.Over three fourths of all industrial accidents are caused

by a workers inability to cope with emotional problems which is worsened by stress.The

American Institute of Stress estimates the cost to the US economy from stress related

medical problems and lost productivity at $300 billion per year. these cost include child

lost productivity ,mistakes and medical treatment


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Job burnout is also a important factor women are more likely to face burnouts more tha

men. A Northwestern life insurance study found out that job burnout rate was 36% for

women versus 28% for men.

STRESS AND PERFORMANCE: The positive and negative effects of

stress are most apparent in the relationships between stress and performance.

At low levels of stress employees may not be sufficiently alert, challenged or involved to

perform their best .As the curve indicates, increasing a low amount of stress may improve

performance but only up to a point. An optimal level of stress probably exists for most

tasks. Beyond that point, performance begins to deteriorate. At excessive levels of stress,

employees are too agitated, aroused, or completely threatened to perform their best.

The downsizing of many organizations yields good examples of the effects of excessive

stress on performance. A survey of 531 large companies indicated that 85% expected

their restructuring to raise profits. Yet, only 46% of these companies actually had

increased earnings after downsizing.


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Studies of stress- performance relationships in companies often show a strong negative

correlation between amount of stress in a team and its over all performance .this is , the

greater the stress that employees are experiencing , the lower will be their productivity.

This negative relationship indicates that these work settings are operating on the right

hand side(excessive stress) of the curve . Managers and employees in these situations

need to find ways to reduce the number and magnitude of stressors

Effects of Stress on the Immune System: research /studies

Implications for Health

Summary of Presentation on December 17, 1996

Science Writers Briefing Sponsored by the OBSSR and the American Psychological

Association

Ronald Glaser, Ph.D. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Behavioral

Medicine Research Institute, Ohio State University Health Sciences Center

Over the last several years, we have been examining the impact of different kinds of

psychological stressors on different aspects of the immune response. These studiesincluded studies on the impact of academic stress on medical students, and also studies

involving spousal caregivers of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients. In general, in our

studies we found that psychological stress can inhibit different aspects of the cellular

immune response.

In order to explore whether these changes were biologically significant, we performed a

study in which 48 medical students were inoculated with a series of three injections of a

Hepatitis-B (Hep-B) vaccine. Each vaccination was administered to coincide with the

third day of a three day examination series. Hep-B specific antibody levels and the Hep-B

specific T-cell response were measured. Twelve of the forty-eight medical students

inoculated with the vaccine had Hep-B antibody after the first injection; these students

were characterized by falling into the lower stressed/lower anxiety group of students.


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Student who reported greater social support and lower anxiety and stress had higher

antibody levels to the vaccine and a more vigorous T-cell response at the end of the third

inoculation.

In a second series of studies with caregivers of AD patients, similar down-regulation of

several aspects of the cellular immune response was observed in caregivers as compared

to well-matched control subjects. Once again, we explored the possibility that these

changes were significant enough to effect how a person responds to a vaccine; we used

the influenza virus vaccine. We measured the antibody and virus-specific T-cell response

to the vaccine. AD caregivers showed a poorer antibody response and virus-specific T-

cell response following vaccination of the flu vaccine as compared to the control subjects.

The differences in antibody and T-cell responses to these two viruses provide a

demonstration of how psychological stress may be able to alter a person's response to a

vaccine and therefore risk for infection. We believe that the data obtained with these two

vaccines provide a clue for how stress can affect how a person would respond to infection

with a live virus.

In the above two studies, we were focusing on the impact of immune changes associated

with stress in regard to risk for infectious disease. We have also found that stress canaffect wound healing. We found that women who were engaged in stressful dementia

caregiving activities took an average of 9 days longer to completely heal a small punch

biopsy wound than well matched control subjects, i.e., 24% longer to heal a small,

standardized wound. We also measured a cytokine (IL-1) produced by blood cells in the

laboratory. IL-1 plays a very important role in wound healing. We found that blood cells

obtained from the AD caregivers produced less IL-1 than cells obtained from matched

control subjects. These stress related alterations in wound repair could have important

clinical implications, particularly for surgical recovery


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PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

More than a manifestation of lifestyle stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a

psychiatric condition that develops in the wake of a catastrophic life experience. While

written acounts of PTSD-like symptoms exist from observations of WWII Holocaust

survivors, interest in and recognition of this condition escalated following the war in Viet

Nam when many returning U.S. veterans developed disturbing symptoms and impaired

functioning.

Symptoms of PTSD may vary among individuals, but almost all who suffer from this

condition will manifest one of the following:

"flashbacks" about the traumatic event

feelings of estrangement or detachment

nightmares

sleep disturbances

impaired functioning

occupational instability

memory disturbances

family discord

parenting or marital difficulties

Symptoms may be mild or severe and often vary in intensity with periods of remission

occurring between symptomatic intervals.

.

Although PTSD has been extensively documented in combat veterans, other tragic and

catastrophic events can lead to the development of PTSD. Examples include - but are not

limited to - assaults, torture, natural disasters such as earthquakes, and terrorism. While

the stresses associated with lifestyle events such as divorce and serious illness can be

devastating, these are different from the catastrophic nature of the events that are

associated with the development from PTSD

Statistics and Risk Populations


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PTSD can develop in persons of any age, including children. Symptoms generally begin

within three months of the tragic event but may develop later. The diagnosis of PTSD is

made when symptoms persist for greater than one month. Since individuals react in

different ways to trauma and stress, it is not possible to predict in advance who will

develop PTSD. PTSD has been observed in all US veteran populations and in veteran

populations from other countries. PTSD is more common than one might expect:

3.6% of U.S. adults have PTSD in a given year

PTSD is observed in up to 30% of those who have been in combat zones

Among U.S. civilians, 5% of men and 10% of women develop PTSD in their

lifetime

Classified among the anxiety disorders, PTSD often occurs in association with otheremotional and psychiatric conditions, most commonly alcohol or substance abuse and

depression.

Experts have identified certain patterns and characteristics of both individuals and events

that have an increased likelihood of leading to PTSD. Persons with prior vulnerability

factors like early age of onset, concurrent lifestyle stress, genetic factors, and inadequate

social support networks are more prone to develop PTSD after a traumatic event than

their counterparts

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Reduced estrogen levels due to stress could put some young

women on a high-risk course for heart disease, reported Jay Kaplan, Ph.D, from Wake

Forest University Baptist Medical Center today at the American Psychosomatic Society

Annual Meeting.

"Observations of female monkeys show that stress during the years before menopause

can lead to the early development of hardened arteries," said Kaplan, professor of

comparative medicine. "Applied to women, this suggests that having an estrogen

deficiency in the pre-menopausal years predicts a higher rate of heart disease after


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menopause."

Kaplan said that women have traditionally been considered "immune" from heart disease

until after menopause, when their estrogen levels dramatically drop. His research showed

that stress can actually reduce estrogen levels much earlier in life and cause the early

development of hardened arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

"This research demonstrates that stress can contribute to blood vessel disease, a long-

standing hypothesis previously supported by little direct evidence," said Kaplan.

In the study, female monkeys were placed in groups so they would naturally establish a

pecking order from dominant to subordinate. Monkeys that were socially stressed -

because they were in subordinate roles in their group - produced reduced amounts of the

hormone estrogen. In women, the estrogen produced before menopause helps protect

against heart disease and osteoporosis.

Kaplan's results showed that the estrogen-deficient monkeys had four times more

atherosclerosis than dominant monkeys that produced normal levels of estrogen. When

the subordinate, or "stressed," monkeys received estrogen treatments either before or after

menopause, their rates of atherosclerosis were cut in half. When they got a "double dose"

of estrogen - both before and after menopause - their rates of atherosclerosis were equal

to the dominant monkeys.

An ongoing study of human autopsy results supports Kaplan's findings. Results released

last year showed that by age 35, one-third of women have substantial atherosclerosis in

the vessels leading to their hearts.

In women, stress, anorexia nervosa and hormone imbalances can all reduce estrogen

levels to the point that menstrual periods stop. But Kaplan and colleagues theorize that

more moderate drops in estrogen - that don't produce symptoms - can also affect health.


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"We know from monkey studies that stress can lower estrogen levels to the point that

health is affected, even though the animals still have menstrual periods," he said.

In a study of 66 women having normal-length menstrual periods, estrogen levels were

low enough in half of the participants to cause the bone loss that can lead to osteoporosis.

Kaplan theorizes that if reduced estrogen levels can cause bone loss in women, they can

also cause atherosclerosis.

In Kaplan's monkey study, estrogen was given in the form of oral contraceptives prior to

menopause. After menopause, it was given as hormone replacement therapy. Monkeys

were selected for the study because they closely resemble humans in behavioral and

reproductive characteristics. The cynomolgus macaques, used in the study, have a 28-day

menstrual cycle and the females (except stressed subordinates) have a natural resistance

to heart disease compared to males. The research was funded by the National Heart, Lung

and Blood Institute.

Researchers at the Hopital L. Heriot in Lyon, France, studied blood pressure in over 300

workers in a chemical company, who were healthy full-time employees without high

blood pressure. The workers, who ranged in age from 18 to 55, underwent medical

examinations and answered questionnaires designed to rate the overall stress level of their

jobs. The workers were also given a computerized mental stress test. Researchers

measured the participants' blood pressure levels in the workplace, both at rest and during

the mental stress test.

In addition, 70 randomly-selected participants wore monitors that provided a 24-hour

assessment of blood pressure.

Twenty percent of the study subjects reported the highest levels of job strain. These

workers showed significantly higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels during the

work day than those of their coworkers. DBP refers to the blood pressure measurement


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obtained when the heart is between beats, and is given as the second number in the blood

pressure reading. A DBP of 90 or greater is generally considered to be elevated.

Interestingly, DBP levels were not elevated in these persons outside of the work

environment. Furthermore, non-job-related stresses such as the mental stress test did not

cause a comparable elevation in blood pressure in the high-stress group. Blood pressure

measurements outside of the working environment were similar in all workers studied.

Factors such as age, gender, diet, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and occupation

were equivalent between the highest-stress and lower-stress groups, and these factors did

not influence the study results.

This research, published in the July 2001 edition ofHypertension: Journal of the

American Heart Association, is unique because it shows that workers' individual feelingsabout their stress levels may in fact lead to elevated blood pressure while at work.

Despite the objective demands of a job, this study suggests that individual perception of

job stress might be an important risk factor for the development of hypertension.

Reference

Fauvel JP, Quelin P, Ducher M, Rakotomalala H, Laville M. Perceived job stress but

not individual cardiovascular reactivity to stress is related to higher blood pressureat work.Hypertension 2001 Jul;38(1)71-5.

According to my studies, women were asked about the various immediate effects of

stress for which the replies were as follows:

Emotional imbalance increase in blood pressure irritability headache stomach ache

palpitation sleepiness lethargy excessive hunger tension loss of appetite and weakness

and so on

Also when asked about the question of whether it took a toll on the family life around

60% women answered positive and around 40 %said that it did not effect family directly

but it some how must have affected


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The effect on stress in women working on a higher position:

EFFECTS OF STRESSTENSION

FRUSTRATION

LOSS OF

CONFIDENCE

FEAR

INDIGESTION

INSOMNIA

TENSION 50FRUSTRATION 20LOSS OF

CONFIDENCE 10FEAR 10INDIGESTION 5INSOMNIA 5

The studies in the middle level working women showed:

EFFECT OF STRESSTENSION

LOSS OF

CONFIDENCE

FEAR

INDIGESTION

INSOMNIA

TENSION 40LOSS OF

CONFIDENCE 20FEAR 10


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INDIGESTION 20INSOMNIA 10

The studies with lower level working women were as follows:

EFFECT OF STRESSTENSION

LOSS OF

CONFIDENCE

FEAR

INDIGESTION

INSOMNIA

TENSION 40LOSS OF

CONFIDENCE 20FEAR 15INDIGESTION 15INSOMNIA 10


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STRESS BUSTERS!

Organizational and individual programs to help managers and employees cope with stress

have become increasingly popular as the toll taken by stress has become widely known.

Methods are available to individuals and organizations for managing stress and reducing

its harmful effects. Stress management refers to any program that reduces stress by

helping people understand the stress response, recognize stress, and use coping

techniques to minimize the negative impact of stress.

INDIVIDUAL METHODS

Stress management by individuals includes activities and behaviors designed to eliminate

stress or control the stressors and to make the individual more resistant to cope to stress.


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The above figure shows how personal goals and values coupled with practical stress

management skills ,can help individuals cope with stressors and reduce negative stress

reactions.

Source: Kindler, H.S. and Ginsburg, M. Stress Training for Life

Some interesting ways to kill stress:

These aspects were mentioned in the book Simple Ways to Manage Stress-guru

mantras by Pramod Batra.

ANGER MANAGEMENT: Add D to anger and it becomes danger! Anger is one of

the emotions experienced by each one of us. Let me give you the famous example of

anger from RAMAYANA. Ravana was the wisest of the wise, with the ten wise heads on

his shoulders. However, his successes had killed his humility and along with it , many of

his virtues too. So, when his sister Sarupnakha, who had her nose chopped off because of

her wrongdoing ,presented her distorted story ,Ravana, who by now had developed the

habit of being short tempered , forgot to ask simple questions like:

Why did you go to meet Rama and laxmana?


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What exactly happened?

Why should not I talk to Rama and find out his side of the story?

The result was nothing but stress for himself because he angered himself too easily!

Strategies To Keep Anger At Bay

Relaxation: Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; breathing from your chest won't

relax you. Picture your breath coming up from your "gut."

Slowly repeat a calm word or phrase such as "relax," "take it easy." Repeat it to

yourself while breathing deeply.

Use imagery; visualize a relaxing experience, from either your memory or yourimagination.

Non strenuous, slow yoga-like exercises can relax your muscles and make you feel

much calmer.

Cognitive Restructuring: Simply put, this means changing the way you think. Angry

people tend to curse, swear, or speak in highly colorful terms that reflect their inner

thoughts. When you're angry, your thinking can get exaggerated and overly dramatic.Try replacing these thoughts with more rational ones. For instance, instead of telling

yourself, "oh, it's awful, it's terrible, everything's ruined," tell yourself, "it's frustrating,

and it's understandable that I'm upset about it, but it's not the end of the world and getting

angry is not going to fix it anyhow." Be careful of words like "never" or "always" when

talking about yourself or someone else.

Problem Solving: Sometimes, our anger and frustration are caused by very real and

inescapable problems in our lives. Not all anger is misplaced, and often it's a healthy,

natural response to these difficulties. There is also a cultural belief that every problem has

a solution, and it adds to our frustration to find out that this isn't always the case. The best

attitude to bring to such a situation, then, is not to focus on finding the solution, but rather

on how you handle and face the problem make a plan, and check your progress along the


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way. Resolve to give it your best, but also not to punish yourself if an answer doesn't

come right away. If you can approach it with your best intentions and efforts and make a

serious attempt to face it head-on, you will be less likely to lose patience and fall into all-

or-nothing thinking, even if the problem does not get solved right away.

Better Communication: Angry people tend to jump to conclusions, and some of those

conclusions can be very inaccurate. The first thing to do if you're in a heated discussion is

slow down and think through your responses. Don't say the first thing that comes into

your head, but slow down and think carefully about what you want to say. At the same

time, listen carefully to what the other person is saying and take your time before

answering. Listen, too, to what is underlying the anger. For instance, you like a certain

amount of freedom and personal space, and your "significant other" wants moreconnection and closeness. If he or she starts complaining about your activities, don't

retaliate by painting your partner as a jailer, a warden, or an albatross around your neck.

Yoga:

Stressed out individuals carry a great deal of physical tension in their bodies. In these

cases the natural unblocking effected by yoga postures are helpful. When one rests

between postures, abdominal tension is released from the body promoting deep breathing.The benefits of yoga postures (asana), breathing (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana)

include increased body awareness, release of muscular tension and increased

coordination between mind-and body. It helps in better management of stress and ensures

an overall feeling of well being. Some custom made yogic techniques include Sudarshan

Kriya by Sri Sri Ravishankar, Sahaja Samadhi by Ma Anandmayee and Kriya Yoga by

Paramashansa Yoganandaare three widely practiced techniques of yoga devised by

three epoch making spiritual gurus.

Yogasanas and Mudras For Some Stress Induced Disorders:

Stress and TensionSavasana, sarvangasana, pranayama, siddhasana (with kumbhaka),

makarasana, trikonasana, padmasana, yogic mudras


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FrustrationDeep breathing (see Methods of Nadi Shodhanam), savasana, padmasana,

yogic mudras.

MigraineSavasana, viparitakarani, sarvangasana, pranayama.

Loss of Confidence and ConcentrationSirsasana (practice under the supervision of a

yoga teacher), bhujangasana, matsyasana, padmasana, Vajroli mudra, utthita

parsvakonasana, trikonasana, sarvangasanas, meditation, yoga-mudra.

FearVirabhadrasana, siddhasana (with kumbhaka) padmasana, sirsasana (practice

under the supervision of a yoga teacher), sarvangasanas, matsyasana, meditation, deep

breathing (see Methods of Nadi Shodhanam), vajroli-mudra.

AgingSavasana, viparitakarani, padmasana, yoga-mudras

IndigestionSavasana, pranayama, vajroli & other mudras, ardh matsyendrasana,

Forward and backward bending asanas (paschimottanasana), virasana, vajrasana

InsomniaArdha matsyendrasana, trikonasana, savasana, deep breathing (see Methods

of Nadi Shodhanam), halasana

An example : Method of Nadi Shodhanam

Hold your right hand up and curl your index and middle fingers towards your palm.

Place your thumb next to your right nostril. Close the left nostril by pressing gently

against it with your ring finger and inhale through the right nostril. The breath should be

slow, steady and full.

Now close the right nostril by pressing gently against it with your thumb, and open your

left nostril by relaxing your ring finger and exhale fully with a slow and steady breath.

Inhale though the left nostril, close it, and then exhale through the right nostril.


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(That's one complete round of Nadi ShodhanaInhale though the right nostril, Exhale

through the left, Inhale through the left, Exhale through the right)

Begin with 5-10 rounds and add more as you feel comfortable. Remember to keep your

breathing slow, easy and full Nadi Shodhana can be practiced just about any time and

anywhere. Nadi Shodhana helps control stress and anxiety. If you start to feel stressed

out, 10 or so rounds will help calm you down. It also helps soothe anxiety caused by

flying and other fearful or stressful situations.

Walking provides you with an excellent opportunity to recharge and invigorate your body

with extra intake of oxygen and release of muscle tensions. Through long walks,

important organs such as heart, lungs, digestive system, and muscles get thoroughly

exercised, facilitating blood circulation.

The act of walking is recognized as a therapy with multifaceted benefits. Walking is also

an effective and handy stress buster.

Biofeedback is a technique in which stress affected persons are taught to improve their

health and physical performance by altering their brain activity, blood pressure, muscle

tension, heart rate and other bodily functions. Under stress these functions become

unusual. Patients are taught to use signals from their own bodies, recognize the anomalies

and redirect them accordingly.

Under Biofeedback method of treatment, mechanical sensor devices are used to pick up

electrical signals from the muscles and translate the signals into a form that people can

decode. This device triggers a flashing light or activates a beeper every time muscles

become tenser. If one wants to relax tense muscles, one must try to slow down the

flashing or beeping. People learn to associate sensations from the muscle with actual

levels of tension and develop a new, healthy habit of keeping muscles only as tense as

and for as long as that are necessary. After treatment, individuals are often able to

reproduce this response at will without being attached to the sensors.

Music: Music, or sound coordinated in a rhythmic manner, is known to appeal to our

inner being so powerfully that it can effect healing in our body. The science of yoga


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Time is money. Every minute costs a large company 3 paisa of every Rps 100 give by it

as a basic pay to each of its employees. We are talking about the effective minute-after

allowing for vacations, coffee breaks and personal politics. To get a better idea of time

management, read and observe your smiling colleagues. you many learn the following

from the ones who manage their time well:

Be Flexible.

There is always more than one solution to a problem. One should be flexible enough to

accept alternative solutions and experiment with them. It doesn't help becoming anxious,

depressed and staying screwed, if one's dream formula for a problem didn't work.

Be Realistic About Your Ability.It does help to set realistic and achievable goals? Long term or short term, in life. The

targets should correspond to one's capability to achieve them. Making unrealistic demand

on oneself and others is a sure way to invite stress.

Prioritize Your Tasks.

Prioritizing the tasks on hand can help reduce the challenges in completing them. Putting

time and energy to important tasks and breaking a big task into smaller steps makes

things easier. When one finishes one thing at a time and is able to meet one's

responsibilities in time, the effect can be inspiring.

Do Not Baulk At Delegating Responsibility.

Delegating responsibility when it is appropriate, prevents emergence of stress. When one

has several tasks at hand and puzzles over how to go about them, assigning smaller tasks

to others can work wonders. This can be done both in office and at home.

Learn To Be Assertive.

Practicing to be a little more assertive or learning to say `no' when required can prevent

you from taking up extra tasks which can eat into your precious time and energy. We

often come across a housewife at home or an executive in office putting themselves under


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unwelcome stress by taking more than what they can handle.

Keep A Time Planner.

Keeping a time planner ready helps going about one's task systematically. The listings

should be scheduled on a day-to-day basis and should be striked off as soon as they get

completed.

Use this effective method of knowing your time stealers like frequent meetings too many

interruptions and recognize your time savers and work on them like cut social functions,

use exclusive transport, get up early in the morning.

LAUGHTER: Laughter kills stress. Now modern medicine is backing this up with

research that has shown that smiling and laughing cause physiological changes in your

body. There is a reduction in cortisol, a chemical that indicates stress in the body, and an

increase in mood elevating endorphins. Laughter is also thought to improve circulation,

stimulate the nervous system, heighten the immune system, and make the heart stronger.

Laughing releases the tension of pent-up feelings and can help us keep things in

perspective. Laughter is one of the body's safety valves, a counter balance to tension.

When we release that tension, the elevated levels of the body's stress hormones drop back

to normal, thereby allowing our immune systems to work more effectively. A few good

laughs shake up the liver and make us feel better in every way. As Osho Rajneesh rightly

pointed out if you can decide that for every year ,for one hour, at a certain time ,the

world will laugh, think it will help to dispel darkness violence ,stupiditiesJust the

touch of laughter can make some thing worth living ,some thing to be grateful for.. He

also said my definition of man is that man the laughing animal. No computer laughs, no

ant laughs, no bee laughs; it is only man who can laugh. Laughter is prayer. If you can

laugh, you have learnt how to pray. Dont be serious. A serious person can never be

religious.

Prepare some kind of notes with such lines on it:

* Pop some popcorn without putting the lid on.

*Use your MasterCard to pay your Visa bill.


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*When someone says, "have a nice day", tell them you've made other plans.

*Make a "things to do" list of things you've already done, then cross them

off.

*Retaliate for tax woes by filling out tax forms in Roman Numerals.

*Pay your hydro bill in pennies.

*Drive to work in reverse.

*Have your surname legally changed to "Your Majesty".

*Brush your teeth vigorously with Cheese Whiz.

*Read the dictionary upside down and look for secret messages.

*Bill your doctor for the time you spent in his waiting room.

*Stare at people you don't like through the tines of a fork and pretend

they're in jail.

You may want to subscribe to email newsletters that provide you with a joke a day. You

can call an old friend who is known for their humor and spend some more time with

them. Try watching hilarious cartoons or children playing or doing silly things. Watch a

comedy or rent 2 or three for the weekend. Go see a live comedian or watch one on TV.

Get into a tickling match with the kids and let them get you back. Learn to write jokes

and share them with friends. Let their contagious uproars lead you into fits of joy. Do

things that bring you joy and let smiles turn to laughing out loud. Listen to funny talk

radio shows. Watch sitcoms. Try writing lymrics. Try spinning or standing on your head.

A little exercise or a glass of wine can get the ball rolling, making a long stretch of the

giggles an easy next step. Looking and listening for the irony in life can provide a

storehouse of funny memories to draw from. Politicians and corporate heads are

frequently given to public embarrassments of all sorts. The people all around you will

prove themselves human again and again with words and actions that will leave you

rolling, just as you will do for them. Turn the dial on the radio station and listen to people

talking in another language, perhaps in a radio romance novel. Listen to foreign language

music on the Internet. If youre alone where you can laugh at these and other things that

you might not be able to find funny in the company of other people, go for it. You wont


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be offending them and you may be doing yourself a world of good. Cartoons can do a

very decent job of making you laugh:

There are other techniques like:

Meditation: you could join any art of the living course or rather meditate in the house

by keeping your mind blank for a few seconds and by thinking about nothing and you

could keep your eyes closed or even chant lords name.

Praying: You can say om or one and concentrate on emptying your mind of

thousands of thoughts. count your blessings. Some studies have suggested that people

who use "religious coping" -- seeking God's help, finding comfort in religion -- have

lower blood pressure than those who use alternate stress relievers. The simple act of

praying for stress relief might be enough to achieve your goal.

Sleep: About 60 percent of people who are stressed say they don't get enough sleep,

according to a National Consumers League survey. If falling asleep

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Stress Causes&Effects&Solution