The most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to feel familiar, even normal. The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that puts high demands on you can be stressful.
This includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to college, or receiving a promotion. Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be internal or self-generated, when you worry excessively about something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic thoughts about life.
Finally, what causes stress depends, at least in part, on your perception of it. While some of us are terrified of getting up in front of people to perform or speak, for example, others live for the spotlight. Where one person thrives under pressure and performs best in the face of a tight deadline, another will shut down when work demands escalate. And while you may enjoy helping to care for your elderly parents, your siblings may find the demands of caretaking overwhelming and stressful.
According to the widely validated Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, these are the top ten stressful life events for adults that can contribute to illness:. Whatever event or situation is stressing you out, there are ways of coping with the problem and regaining your balance. While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and performance, impact your physical and emotional health, and affect your relationships and home life.
It can even determine the difference between success and failure on the job. Whatever your ambitions or work demands, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the damaging effects of stress, improve your job satisfaction, and bolster your well-being in and out of the workplace. Job loss and unemployment involves a lot of change all at once, which can rock your sense of purpose and self-esteem.
While the stress can seem overwhelming, there are many steps you can take to come out of this difficult period stronger, more resilient, and with a renewed sense of purpose. Many of us, from all over the world and from all walks of life, are having to deal with financial stress and uncertainty at this difficult time. Whether your problems stem from a loss of work, escalating debt, unexpected expenses, or a combination of factors, financial worry is one of the most common stressors in modern life.
But there are ways to get through these tough economic times, ease stress and anxiety, and regain control of your finances. If the stress of caregiving is left unchecked, it can take a toll on your health, relationships, and state of mind — eventually leading to burnout. However, there are plenty of things you can do to rein in the stress of caregiving and regain a sense of balance, joy, and hope in your life. Often, the pain and stress of loss can feel overwhelming.
You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can ease your sadness and help you come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and move on with your life.
Some people even thrive on the excitement of a high-stress lifestyle. Your support network. A strong network of supportive friends and family members is an enormous buffer against stress.
On the flip side, the lonelier and more isolated you are, the greater your risk of succumbing to stress. Your sense of control. Your attitude and outlook. The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions.
Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page. Common causes of stress include work, money, relationships and illness. Significant events like the Covid pandemic and the Christchurch earthquakes can also increase stress and anxiety. Symptoms may include irritability, difficulty sleeping or relaxing, headaches, and muscle tension.
Stress management approaches include lifestyle changes, relaxation and mindfulness, and counselling. Stress can be a positive thing — helping an individual to grow, develop, be stimulated, and take action. In the days of the caveman, stress often came in the form of physical threats that required individuals to react quickly and decisively. This stress response meant that the caveman was instantly ready to respond to danger. Modern-day stressors are more likely to be psychological in origin and prolonged in nature eg: work-related stress, financial worries, inter-personal relationships, chronic illnesses.
People deal with stress in different ways and the ability to deal with stress changes throughout life. Those who have developed effective strategies to deal with day-to-day stressors are less likely to develop physical and psychological symptoms. Stress that is not controlled and continues for a long period of time can cause a number of psychological and physical symptoms.
Psychological symptoms of stress can include:. Long term, uncontrolled stress is associated with the development of a number of medical conditions.
Primarily these occur as the result of biochemical imbalances that can weaken the immune system and over-stimulate the part of the nervous system that regulates heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion. Medical conditions that can occur as a result of chronic long-term stress include:. If you think that stress may be the cause of psychological or physical symptoms, talk with your doctor.
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List of Partners vendors. Stress is normal and, to some extent, a necessary part of life. Despite it being something everyone experiences, what causes stress can differ from person to person.
For instance, one person may become angry and overwhelmed by a serious traffic jam, while another might turn up their music and consider it a mild inconvenience.
A fight with a friend might follow one person around for the rest of the day, while another might easily shrug it off. What's causing you stress may already be something you're abundantly aware of. But given the importance of keeping stress in check when it comes to mitigating the effects it can have on your physical and mental health , it's worth opening yourself up to the possibility that other factors may be at play, too.
Craft your stress-reduction plan with all of them in mind. Signs of financial stress may include:. In the long-term, stress related to finances results in distress, which may bring up blood pressure and cause headaches, upset stomach, chest pain, insomnia, and a general feeling of sickness.
Financial stress has also been linked to a number of health problems, including depression, anxiety, skin problems, diabetes, and arthritis. Whether you are worried about a specific project or feeling unfairly treated, putting your job ahead of everything else can affect many aspects of your life, including personal relationships and mental and physical health.
Some people may feel overwhelmed and struggle to cope, which can impact their behavior as well. There are people in all of our lives that cause us stress. It could be a family member, an intimate partner, friend, or co-worker. Toxic people lurk in all parts of our lives and the stress we experience from these relationships can affect physical and mental health. There are numerous causes of stress in romantic relationships and when couples are constantly under pressure, the relationship could be on the risk of failure.
The signs of stress related to personal relationships are similar to normal symptoms of general stress and may include physical health and sleep problems, depression, and anxiety. You may also find yourself avoiding or having conflict with the individual, or becoming easily irritated by their presence. Sometimes, personal relationship stress can also be related to our relationships with people on social media platforms, such as Facebook. It also makes bullying easier. Parents are often faced with managing busy schedules that include a job, household duties, and raising children.
These demands result in parenting stress. High levels of parenting stress can cause a parent to be harsh, negative, and authoritarian in their interactions with their children. Parenting stress can also decrease the quality of parent-child relationships.
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