Defination of Stress

• A disruptive condition that occurs in response to adverse influences from the internal or
external environments

• A condition in which the person responds to changes in the normal balanced state

A state of tension experienced by individual due to extraordinary

 Demands
 Constraits
 Opportunities
at organizational workplace.

Tension would be internally or also externally.

Internally means within the behavior that make stress on the psychological state of the person.
Including:-

 Job related dis-satisfaction

 Anxiety
 Irritability
 Substance abuse
 Boredon
 Depression
 Lack of confidence.

Externally that changes the person externally. Individual stress

Management, it could be reduced by:-

 Physical exercise
 Time management
 Social support
 Clinical and
 Professional counseling.
What is stress?
For many people stress means worry. If they are worried about something (whether it be taking
an exam or organising a wedding) they say they feel stressed. But often stress is not just a feeling.
It can be physical too. Symptoms of stress vary from the psychological, in the form of anxiety
and depression, to the physical, in the form of headaches, insomnia, bowel problems and
impotence. In its severest forms stress can lead to hypertension, heart attacks and mental
breakdown. Nowadays it is also being blamed for causing cancer.

Stress Formula

• S = P >R

Stress (S) occurs when the Pressure (P) is greater than the Resource (R

Types of Stress

• Eustress .

• Eustress is one of the helpful types of stress

• When a person needs to have some extra energy or creativity, eustress
kicks in to bring them the inspiration they need.

• Distress .

• Distress is one of the negative types of stress

• This is one of the types of stress that the mind and body undergoes when
the normal routine is constantly adjusted and altered

• Acute stress .

• Acute stress is the type of stress that comes immediately with a change of
routine
• Acute stress is the body's way of getting a person to stand up and take
inventory of what is going on, to make sure that everything is OK

• Chronic stress .

• Chronic stress will occur if there is a constant change of routine for week
after week.
• This is the type of stress experienced by someone who constantly faces
moves or job changes.
Stressors
A stimulus or situation that causes stress.
Any factor, thing, elements, and variable that cause stress are called stressor.

TYPES OF STRESSOR
There are two types of stressor.

1. Work related stressor.

2. Non work and personal stressor.

1. WORK RELATED STRESSOR

• Task demands:
It could be that hove much you have stress about the task in the
organization and how much he/she is efficient to perform a task.

• Role ambiguities:
The person who is performing the task he/she doesn’t know about his/her
job, what to do and how to do. Means not know or unclear.

• Role confliction:
There would be confliction between the boss and the employee or between
the employees.

• Interpersonal problems:
Problems like personal or any financial matters.

• Ethical dilemmas:
The values, rules and regulations of the organization.

• Career development:
Including the career of the individual that is high or low development.

• Physical setting:
The working environment of the organization.
2. NON WORK AND PERSONAL STRESSOR

• Economic difficulties:
Difficulties including the finance or financial problems.

• Personal affairs:
It including the dual earnings or any other matters that relates to personally.

• Family events:
Birthday parties and any other events like marriage, picnics etc.

• Individual needs:
Individual needs are intrinsic that related to internally.

• Individual capabilities:
How much a person is capable to perform the task, person and job?

• Individual personality:
Politeness, tolerance and attitude of the person individually.

What Causes Stress?

We may think of stressful events as unpleasant ones, such as losing a job or having difficulties at
home or at school. But changes for the better can also cause stress, like a new baby, a wedding,
and a new house.

In an ideal world, maybe we could get away from stressful situations, or change them. Too often
we can't do that - but we can learn to control our response to those situations. And we can
develop techniques that will reduce the effects of stress on our mental and physical health.

Common external causes of stress

Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated:

• Major life changes • Financial problems

• Work • Being too busy

• Relationship difficulties • Children and family

 • Common internal causes of stress

Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated:

• Inability to accept uncertainty • Unrealistic expectations

• Pessimism • Perfectionism

• Negative self-talk • Lack of assertiveness

Which Is Your Leading Cause of Stress?

1. Finances

Most studies agree that finances are a leading cause of stress. In an online poll conducted in 2005
by LifeCare, Inc., 23 percent of respondents named finances as the leading cause of stress in their
lives. Financial stress has led the list in many modern polls.

Some who name finances as the leading cause of stress cite major purchases they have to make,
such as a home or car. Others are stressed by a loss of income, or mounting credit card debt. For
some, financial stress will eventuate in bankruptcy. While college students stress over paying for
an education, Baby Boomers and older senior citizens find that retirement income can be a major
cause of stress.

2. Work

Closely tied to finances as a cause of stress is work. Our jobs or careers seem to cause constant
stress. In the LifeCare poll, 21 percent of those responding listed this as the leading cause of
stress in life.

How is the workplace a cause of stress? We worry about getting and keeping adequate
employment. We worry about new types of work or new responsibilities. We struggle to climb a
career ladder, overwhelmed by the demands. Work conditions may change, or we may have
interpersonal trouble at work. Students, especially teenagers and college age students, cite school
work as a cause of stress. Sometimes, work stress is brought on by others. Sometimes, we bring it
on ourselves.

3. Family

Family, wonderful though each member may be, is also a leading cause of stress. Arguments
erupt with a spouse or other family member. Parents divorce. Children marry. The ebb and flow
of family life is filled with stress. A child moves out – an aging parent moves in.
Family health is also a leading cause of stress. A sick family member, a serious injury,
pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion all cause stress. Family changes of other kinds bring stress,
too. Adoption, relocation, and job changes for just one family member can cause stress for all.

4. Personal Concerns

Personal concerns that are only indirectly created by others are another top cause of stress. Lack
of control tops the list of personal concerns. Every human has a deep-seated desire for control
over his or her own life. When control is weak or missing in a given area, we experience stress.
To many people, a lack of control over their own time is a leading cause of stress. We want to
determine when we do tasks around the home, or at work. Holding a job, participating in the
children’s carpool to school, driving family to soccer practices, shopping, and scout meetings
while trying to keep the household running can create major stress. You would like to control
your time, rather than let others’ demands control it, but that is not always possible.

We may be involved in legal proceedings that cause stress. We may be wrestling with a bad
habit. We may be going through changes. Personal change of any kind can be a cause of stress.

5. Personal Health and Safety

Most people find that personal health is a leading cause of stress. For some, the stress is linked to
obesity, and a desire to lose weight. For others, the stress is a personal bas habit that affects
health and must be changed. For example, smoking, abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Illness or
injury, whether less or more serious, can be a leading cause of stress for many people.
Incontinence can be an ongoing concern. Personal health is more or less stressful according to the
degree of seriousness and our personal outlook on health.

Personal safety is also a leading cause of stress. Women, more than men, tend to stress about
their own and others’ safety. Adults tend to stress more than young people, who may act
invincible. Crime is a factor, as is

6. Personal Relationships

Whether it is a friendship, dating, separation, marriage, divorce, or re-marriage, a relationship can

be a leading cause of stress for many. We all want love, and that is potentially available in
relationships, but getting from A to B can be very stressful. Some resort to online relationships
that are easier to handle. Others withdraw and become recluses. Either way, the demands on time,
finances, and emotions can cause ongoing stress.

7. Death

Probably the most wrenching cause of stress is the death of a loved one or close friend. Even the
death of a pet can be stressful. Children are always a source of stress for parents, but when a child
dies, the stress is overwhelming. The same is true when a lifetime spouse passes on.
8. Win or Lose

Causes of stress change as we age. The stressed child who threw tantrums becomes a young
student, stressed by the school bully. The young student becomes a teenager, stressed by acne,
hormones, and dating. The teenager becomes a young adult trying to handle the stresses of
leaving home, adjusting to college life, and managing finances. Life progresses to first jobs,
marriage, children, and so on. Even if you move to a secluded cabin in the woods, stress will
follow you.

Gaining knowledge of the leading causes of stress is important. Using that knowledge to win over
unhealthy stress is vital.

Strategies for Managing Stress:

Stress management strategy #1:

Avoid unnecessary stress

• Learn how to say “no”

• Avoid people who stress you out

• Take control of your environment

• Avoid hot-button topics

• Pare down your to-do list

Stress management strategy #2

Alter the situation

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up

• Be willing to compromise

• Be more assertive

• Manage your time better

Stress management strategy #3

Accept the things you can’t change

• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable

• Look for the upside

• Share your feelings

• Learn to forgive

Stress management strategy #4

Adapt to the stressor

• Reframe problems

• Look at the big picture

• Adjust your standards

• Focus on the positive

ADAPTATION

The process through which a person changes in response to stress

 • According to Location

1. Physical e.g. (Cold,Heat, chemical agents)

2. Physiologic e.g. (pain and Fatigue)

3. Psychosocial e.g. (Failing exams and losing a job)

• According to involved persons

1. Day to day stressors

2. Major complex occurrences involving large groups

3. Less frequent stressors involving few groups

• According to Duration

1. Acute time limited stressor

2. Stressor sequence

3. Chronic intermittent stressor

4. Chronic Enduring Stressor

SYMPTONS OF STRESS
 Heart Disease
Hypertension
Depression Headache
Sick often Irritable
Memory loss
Cancer Diabetes
Neck and back pain

Many health problems are caused or exacerbated by stress, including:

• Pain of any kind • Depression

• Heart disease • Obesity
• Digestive problems • Autoimmune diseases

• Sleep problems • Skin conditions, such as eczema

Manifestations of Stress

Physiologic

 Sweat production

 Heart rate & Cardiac output inc

 Skin is Pale

 Dry mouth

Psychological

 Depression

 Extreme feeling of sadness, despair, dejection, lack of worth, or emptiness

Emotional Symptoms
 • Tiredness

• Sadness

• Emptiness

• Numbness

Behavioral Signs

• Irritability

• Inability to concentrate

• Difficulty in making decisions

• Crying

• Sleep disturbance

• Social Withdrawal

Physical Signs

• Loss of appetite

• Weight loss

• Constipation

• Headache

• Dizziness
Anxiety

 State of mental uneasiness, dread, or foreboding or a feeling helplessness related

to impending or anticipated threat to self or significant relationships

Fear

 Emotion or feeling of apprehension aroused by impending or seeming danger pain or

a perceived threat

Anger

 Emotional state consisting of a subjective feeling of animosity or strong displeasure

 Can be Verbal or Non verbal

 Hostility – overt antagonism harmful or destructive behavior

 Violence – exertion of physical force to injure or abuse

 Aggression – unprovoked attack, or a hostile, injurious or destructive action or

outlook

Relaxation Techniques
Abdominal Breathing

Music

Taking a walk

Petting an animal
 Taking a break/vacation

Getting a massage

Praying

Why do we get it?

There are four main reasons why people get stressed. One is purely physical - changes in our
bodies through adolescence, the aging process, being ill, etc. can cause people to feel stressed.
Another cause of stress can be our reaction to our environment. A particularly noisy or polluted
environment, for example, can lead to stress. Other causes of stress can be found in the demands
people make of us. For example, being required to meet deadlines, give presentations or organise
an important family get-together can put a lot of strain on some people. Also in this category we
find challenges such as financial difficulties, marital problems and the loss of a close friend or
relative, all of which can cause immense stress.
Another reason why people get stressed is that their thought patterns enable stress to take hold.
What some people may regard as a challenge others may perceive as a serious problem. Hence
they will feel stressed about it, their brains triggering a stress response in their bodies which will
produce stress symptoms.
It seems that the main thing which triggers stress is change. Any changes in our lives (be they bad
or good) can cause a person to feel stressed and lead to related physical symptoms.

How Do I Know I am Stressed

• We all suffer from feeling stressed sometime.

• We feel stress for lots of reasons.
• A crisis can make us feel stressed, but so can everyday issues, like worrying about work
or money, relationship or family problems.
• Although a certain amount of stress is normal, too much can contribute to physical and
psychological health problems.

How Can I Manage Stress Better?

 • 1. Become aware of your stressors and your emotional and physical reactions.
• 2. Recognize what you can change.
• 3. Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress.
• 4. Learn to moderate your physical reactions to stress.
• 5. Build your physical reserves.
• 6. Maintain your emotional reserves.

What are the effects of stress?

Stress, apparently, has a major impact on society. It has been estimated that over 30 million
working days are lost every year through stress. And that is just in the UK! However the problem
is not confined to the UK. In fact the number of working days lost through stress-related
problems is so great that the World Health Organisation has dubbed stress 'a global epidemic'.
The WHO may well be right: according to some statistics more than 75% of patients in doctors'
surgeries are there because of stress-related problems or illnesses. Work seems to be a major
cause of stress: it is often said that most heart attacks happen on Monday mornings when people
get to work.

How to Reduce, Prevent, and Cope with stress

• If you’re living with high levels of stress, you’re putting your entire well-being at risk.
• Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health.
• It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life.

So what's the cure?

The symptoms of stress are so varied that there isn't just one way of curing it. Surgeons cannot
simply x-ray a patient suffering from stress, locate the source of the complaint and then operate to
remove it! Doctors' responses range from doling out anti-depressants and other medicines to
recommending meditation and yoga. If anyone ever develops a pill to cure stress they will no
doubt make a lot of money

Summary
Stress is a person’s physical and emotional response to change. Although most people tend to
think of all stress as bad, it can be either positive or negative. An example of positive stress is
having a new baby. The death of a loved one is an example of negative stress
Stress can also be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) in nature. Acute stress may
occur after hearing a sudden, loud noise, whereas chronic stress may stem from
ongoing financial problems. Chronic stress is associated with a number of conditions,
including insomnia, major depression and digestive problems.
Reactions to a specific stressor (an agent that causes stress) vary among individuals.
However, stress affects everybody in predictable, physical ways. It causes the release
of certain chemicals that raise the blood pressure and heart rate, increase the metabolic
rate, and prepare the body for a “fight or flight” response
Stress can be caused by a number of factors including life events, such as being laid off
from work, and daily events, such as traffic congestion. Genetic predisposition may also
play a role in how a person copes with stress.
Symptoms of stress can be either behavioral or physical. Behavioral symptoms of stress
include either difficulty sleeping (insomnia) or excessive sleeping (hypersomnia),
nightmares and irritability. Physical symptoms of stress include anxiety, depression and
headaches.
Individuals should seek assistance from a physician if symptoms of stress are alarming
in nature (e.g., pounding heart, shortness of breath) or impede daily functioning.
Because of the many physical dangers of stress, stress management has been
proposed as a vital component in the treatment of many stress-related conditions.