Learning to Swim Successfully in a Sea of Stress

Learning to Swim Successfully in a Sea of Stress

Learning to Swim Successfully in a Sea of Stress

Exam stress, relationship stress, financial stress, work stress – for many of us life can be a sea of stress. Whether we sink or swim in those rough waters really depends on us. As Rubin and McNeil (1985) point out “stress is caused not so much by events themselves as by the ways in which people perceive and react to events” (p.15). Indeed, learning to deal well with stress is one of the most important things that we can do for our mental health, our physical health and our careers.

If we look at colleagues, family members and friends who seem overwhelmed by stress, we can see that stress which is poorly handled can result in mental health problems. Consider people who look at stressful situations at work or in the family as a threat. They experience fear and a sense of powerlessness when faced with such challenges. If the stress is ongoing and not dealt with well, it can result in a continual release of hormones which, in turn, may lead to anxiety and depression (Rubin & McNeil, 1985). These negative emotional states may result in missing time from work. In more severe cases, depression and anxiety can lead to an inability to function well with friends and family or to an inability to work or could even result in suicide.

Not only can stress lead to mental health problems, when handled badly, it can also affect physical health. This may happen either indirectly or directly. There are at least two indirect pathways. First, as already noted, stress may lead to anxiety and depression. In turn, this may result in behavioral changes. The anxious or depressed person may drink or smoke excessively in an attempt to reduce his or her stress (Rubin & McNeil, 1985). Anxiety or depression may also lead to overeating or poor sleep or even insomnia. Thus, a poor reaction to stress can lead to unhealthy behaviours can result in ill health in the form of high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease and so on. There is a second indirect route by which stress can cause a variety of diseases. Research by House (1981) and by Skelle et al. (1981) (as cited in Rubin & McNeil, 1985) has also shown that depression can hurt the immune system which can subsequently result in increased rates of cancer. In addition to these indirect routes, stress can cause physical illness more directly. One example can be seen in the release of excess hydrochloric acid in the stomachs of people who are heavily stressed. The high level of hydrochloric acid results in ulceration of the stomach lining. Research also shows that dealing with stress properly can reduce the possibility and severity of disease. Studies on women with breast cancer have clearly shown that a positive, fighting spirit can improve a woman’s chances of recovery. Furthermore, several studies including those by Dembroski (cited in Rubin & McNeil, 1985) have shown that Type A personalities who seem to seek out stress and react strongly to it, have higher rates of heart disease than Type B personalities who seek more balance in their lives and who react less dramatically to stress. In short, learning to deal with stress effectively is important in preventing a range of physical diseases.

While stress does have a number of potentially negative effects, when stress is handled well, it can lead to improved performance at work. Research shows that if people learn to accept change and view stress as a challenge over which they have some control, they can deal with the stress and they will not have the high rates of absenteeism of their “stressed out” coworkers. Furthermore, challenge may lead them to be more focused, have more energy and eventually to be more successful in their work projects. As well, a positive approach to change and challenge will lead individuals to accept new situations such as innovative new projects and job promotions – things avoided by people with who deal unsuccessfully with stress.

In short, learning to swim happily in that sea of stress is important to our mental and physical well being and our occupational success. Just as we had to learn when to “swim” and when to avoid swimming because the danger is too great in a real sea, we must learn when to accept stress as a challenge and when to avoid stress if possible. Just as when we first learned to swim in real water, we must learn to relax and feel comfortable with stress, reframing stress as challenge and change as good.

References

Rubin, Zick & McNeil, Elton, B. 1985. Psychology: Being Human. Fourth Edition. Harper Collins Inc.