What is Stress?
Stress can be broadly defined as the negative reactions people have to aspects of their environment. Stress is therefore mainly interpreted by each of us differently. As it is a feeling, and as our emotions are involved, it is not something entirely definable or describable. When we are stressed, or under the influence of stress, we are less likely to behave in the rational way we do when we are calm.
Times when most people feel stressed are when trying to reach a difficult deadline or deadlines, having to carry out something we find very difficult, having to do many things at once, or having to do things under extremely difficult circumstances under when we are under extra emotional strain or feeling less able to cope with life’s challenges.
Causes of stress
For most of us, stress mainly comes from our personal lives; bereavement is a huge stressor (cause of stress) for most people, as is loss of any kind, through death or separation. The feeling of being stressed may not be articulated by everyone in the same way, however. So although we all experience stress through loss, people explain it differently, cope differently, acknowledge it differently and ‘get over’ it in many different ways. We have different resilience levels, we have learnt different ways to cope, some of these will be healthy and others may be dysfunctional or unhealthy coping patterns (such as excessive drinking/smoking/staying in bed/angry outbursts/blaming others/self harming etc)
Work related stress
Work related stress is stress which is caused or made worse by working. It simply refers to those reactions due to pressures/deadlines/threats/anxieties within the working environment. ‘Stress occurs when an individual perceives an imbalance between the demands placed on them on the one hand, and their ability to cope on the other. It often occurs in situations characterised by low levels of control and support.’ (Professor Tom Cox, Institute of Work, Health and...
