Workplace Stress Overview

What is Stress

There are many definitions of stress. Just as there are many definitions of fatigue, of psychological health and upset. These terms describe a wide range of experiences and not entirely clear cut.

Stress is a negative experience / feeling, associated with new physical symptoms. These include increased heartbeat, swiftness of breath, dry mouth, upset stomach and sweaty palms and over the longer term, more serious digestive upset, cramp and raised blood pressure/cardiovascular disease.

Psychological symptoms range from racing thoughts and speech, lack of impulse control, and feelings of being overpowered, losing control and fearfulness generally. People behave differently to their 'normal' behaviour when under stress. They may be angrier, more confrontational, show less time for others and impose an urgency on situations which is unrealistic for those around them.

Other characteristics can include fatigue, proneness to upset, withdrawal, self neglect and depression. There is no telling which way a person will react to the stress situation, but each person will behave differently to their previous non-stressed state.

When we are aware of our feelings, thoughts and behaviours as well as our bodily reactions, we can assess ourselves as either relaxed, under slight pressure which we are coping with, under pressure we are finding challenging but acceptable, or under excessive pressure which is causing us stress.