STRESS is one of the biggest health issues at work today. It can often be made worse because very few people are prepared to admit to be suffering from stress, or to seek help for it.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines stress as "the adverse reaction people have to excessive demands or pressures, when they try to cope with tasks, responsibilities or other types of job related pressures but find it difficult; a strain or worry in doing so." This adverse reaction can take the form of anxiety, depression or physical conditions.
The HSE recently estimated that 60% of absence from work can be attributed to stress-related illness and workplace problems. According to the CBI, the UK's economy loses 23 million "people days" through accidents and an amazing 360 million through stress. Similarly a MORI poll of 112 top UK companies revealed that 65% believed stress was a major factor of ill health in their organisations. The figures show that almost 6 out of 10 working adults in the UK have suffered stress in some way over the last 3 years. 30% of those who have experienced significant levels of stress feel that it has lessened their commitment to their employers.
The following are common symptoms of stress, affecting different areas of people's lives:
Physical Signs:
nausea, headaches, weight loss or gain, skin problems,
backache, digestive complaints or raised blood pressure
is common.
Mental Signs:
Worrying, muddled thinking, persistent negative thinking,
concentration problems.
Behavioural Signs:
Increased drinking or smoking, unsociability, loss of interest,
restlessness.
Emotional Signs:
tension, moodiness, job dissatisfaction, nervousness, loss
of confidence, low self esteem, worry, low mood and anxiety.
Stress at work occurs when individuals
feel overloaded, when they are unsure of their role or position
at work, when they feel in conflict with managers or colleagues,
when they do not feel supported, feel discriminated against
or have no job satisfaction or future prospects.
Stress at home can be caused if individuals
have problems or concerns at home or with relationships
with partners or children, if they experience life changes,
physical illness or feel out of control. They may then feel
even less able to cope at work.
Once people start feeling stressed and less able to cope than before, they often keep this to themselves rather than discussing it with a relevant person at work or their doctor. This often means that they reach a point where they feel unable to continue, face work or their manager, and then are signed off sick. Being away from work can be helpful. It could however also result in making it harder for individuals to return to their place of work and face colleagues or managers. Postponing the return to work date with further sick notes and without specific help, could turn into a situation where the person starts getting used to a different lifestyle, and their temporary sick leave becomes permanent.
There are a number of helpful ways of learning to handle stress. (Stress management strategies). Once a person is off work with stress, it is often helpful to have Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, or in some cases EMDR. (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) This type of psychological treatment helps individuals understand their thoughts and behaviours that caused them feeling stressed in the first place, and also helps with working out coping strategies for the future. With the support of your therapist, it may also be easier to plan a graduated return to work, at a pace that suits you.