Why do we get stressed?

In 2009, Australian research suggested that one in two of us will have problems with stress during our lifetimes.

Studies on stress in the workplace

Studies have shown that the most stressful occupations in Britain are: the prison service, the police, social work and teaching – closely followed by a whole range of NHS jobs, including nursing and doctoring.
In addition, there's the massive problem of ‘post-traumatic stress’, which is common in certain occupations. For instance, in 2009, many cases of post-traumatic stress disorder are being seen in Britain’s armed forces.
In general terms, many experts believe that most stress in the UK occurs because of our long hours culture.
In February 2007, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) reported that the average employee does almost an extra day’s work (seven hours) per week in overtime.
And in many offices, individuals are working far longer hours – notably in accounting, advertising, law, IT, public relations and broadcasting.
So does this long hours culture matter when we think about stress?

Long hours and stress

Long hours on the job may be viewed by some employers as a way of getting more work done. But in the longer term the consequences of this work pattern appears to be that it:

• increases sickness absences
• increases workplace stress
• has serious health and safety implications
• contributes to low morale in the organisation.

All this means is, we need to look carefully at our lifestyles to try to limit the amount of stress we're suffering.

What happens to us physically when we're stressed?

We are all born with an instinctive stress response.

• Whenever a potentially dangerous situation arises, stress hormones are released into our bloodstream.
• They cause instant mental and physical change in us, giving added strength and endurance, and make us feel pumped-up and ready to fight.
• Stress hormones also enable us to run away much faster than we could normally manage.

This response is generally called the 'fight or flight syndrome'.
The fight or flight syndrome was vital when we used to live in the wild and were liable to attack from other tribes or wild animals. We still use it today.
Suppose someone tried to snatch your child while you were shopping.
Your mouth would go dry, your hands sweaty, your heart would pound and you'd feel terror-stricken. But you'd probably also find yourself filled with strength and determination, and think nothing of screaming and thumping the assailant until he let go.
Your automatic response would be to fight, and, with luck, it would save the day.
If you saw a bull coming towards you, your instinct would be to run away. Your stress hormones would help you to run faster than normal until you were out of danger.
So, if this stress response is so terrific, what's the problem?

Over-active stress hormones

Instead of using these stress hormones in emergencies, we are now living at such a pace that we activate them all the time – like when we are going to miss a train or can't get onto the Internet, or we worry about finishing a report at work.
Our stress hormones get most of us as fired-up as sprinters crouched and waiting for the starting-gun.
Unlike athletes, most tense people don't get the release of the race itself. Nor do they give their bodies and minds sufficient time and space to rest after each stress-filled moment.
With no release, your stress hormones keep on working, which is why there are so many people around who lose their tempers at the slightest provocation, or who show signs of road rage, supermarket-trolley rage and so on.

Women and stress

A US study by Professor Shelley Taylor has found that women cope with stress better than men because of their female hormones.
Professor Taylor believes that in history women often didn't have the option to fight or flee because they were frequently pregnant or encumbered by small children.
Instead, women developed a more suitable strategy, which was to 'tend and befriend'. So a woman would look after children and do what she could to keep them safe, but she would also enlist help from a female friend.
The key to this behaviour was, and is, a female hormone called oxytocin. Professor Taylor's team believe it is this difference that accounts for women seeking out other women to talk to when the going gets tough.
Whether or not you go along with all of this, far more women than men discuss their stresses with a friend.
However, there are an awful lot of women who are incapacitated by severe stress and who are suffering exactly the same sort of stress-related symptoms that we see in men.

So how can we deal with stress?

• We can make changes, so that our lives are not so stressful and learn how to deal with stress.
• We can learn stress management techniques, so that we can deal with the parts of our stressful lives that simply cannot be changed at that time.
• If in doubt, don't suffer stress in silence. Seek help!