The Stress Reaction: What is it?
Stress is a reaction, a process.
- The reaction begins with perception: we see,
foresee or experience danger or significant
change in our situation which the brain interprets
as danger.
- Our bodies immediately go into the fight/flight
mode: adrenaline floods through us, the eyes
become alert and active, hearing sharpens
the heart rate increases, blood pressure goes up
and the digestive system closes. We focus
on the "danger," to such a point that other things
go unnoticed.
- In most cases there is no fight (which would
resolve the situation) and flight is impossible.
There is no fleeing financial problems, illness
bad news, a tense work situation, grief or
relationship conflicts.
- Our bodies continue on in a heightened state
of alert, still prepared to fight or flee, with
periodic increases and decreases of intensity.
- Within a few days the reaction, for most
people, becomes "normal" and we put it
down as having a "worry". This is a signal
that the stressor now appears as a given on
our mental screen. Each time we focus on
that given as a reality in our mind the stress
reaction happens. The brain does not register the
difference between a real danger and a
mentally-perceived danger and so the
reaction to a "worry" is the same as if the
event were actually happening. (That is why
we cry, get angry or become "tense" when
watching movies.)
- Since the body is not intended to be in the
fight/flight mode for more than a few hours
we soon begin to experience changes in
appetite, mood swings, energy swings,
fatigue, a vague sense of unease and periods
of hyperactivity or depression.
- Relief and escape begin to be sought after.
- Keeping to the schedule becomes more
problematic. We skip meals, have trouble
sleeping or go off the regular sleep
schedule. We overdo things and at other
times skip chores or tasks. Life begins to
pile up and a sense of being overwhelmed
sometimes sets in.
- We become more difficult to live with and
to work with. It takes effort to be calm yet
alert, to focus on the tasks at hand and to
make good decisions.
- Little tasks seem big and minor irritations
seem major. People begin to get on our
nerves.
- We have become stressed! This happens
not because of events or the possibility of
terrible events happening but because of our
reaction to events and possibilities.
So Why All the Fuss About Stress Management In The Workplace?
Business managers are well advised and frequently advised these days to pay attention to workplace stress. Stress levels have become a major concern, both for managers and those they supervise. Why all the fuss?
There are three reasons.
Stress is bad for health. This is reason number one, far and away. The greater and more prolonged a person's stress the more likely there will be serious health problems. "Serious" includes fatal. Medical research has established links between stress and cancer, heart disease, cardio vascular disease, mental health and various other types of health problems. The underlying reason for the link to physical illnesses seems to be that stress weakens the immune system.
Stress is dangerous. This is reason number two. Stressed out people make mistakes, have difficulty paying attention and hearing accurately what is being said, and are easily distracted. The greater the workplace stress the greater the danger of accidents and mistakes.
We all know about reason number three: Stress interferes with good judgement. When there is unusual stress good judgement goes out the window. This is because to be stressed is to have "other things" besides the task or decision at hand playing out in our minds. One quick example: ask a person in the middle of a bitter divorce for their best judgement about anything and the most likely reply will be "I'm not thinking straight enough right now to trust my own judgement."
Bottom line: beware of dismissing stress management in the workplace as ridiculous. Business managers, be alert: a few ounces of prevention could save you and those you supervise many pounds of cure!
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