Managing
Stress People are stressed. Not the everyday, "I'm late for work, traffic is backed up and my report is
overdue" kind of stress, but STRESS. Indeed, the world has changed since the tragedy of 9/11: the war in Iraq, terrorism,
corporate scandals, the lagging economy, layoffs, and the new round-the-clock workweek. A host of new studies shows that stress is skyrocketing.
According to a recent study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, more than half of the working people
in the U.S. view job stress as a major problem. The number of people who called in sick due to stress has tripled in the past
four years. Stress, and the ills it can cause, is carrying a high price tag - to the tune of over $300 billion a year. But the question arises:
Is there really more stress, or are we just more aware of our stress? The research shows that it is not that we are more aware,
but that a real problem exists. Often, people believe that their problem is unique. Not so. It seems that stress is epidemic.
"You'd be
surprised how many around here are taking antidepressants," confided Jane, as she spoke about how her co-workers are
trying to cope with too many demands. When asked to choose one word which describes most people of our society, Bill, an accountant at a local firm
replied, "Strapped!" A
receptionist/secretary at a local business lamented, "I'd like a vacation, but it's hardly worth it, because
your work just piles up while you're gone and you come back to something worse." Some find stress paralyzing. These
are some of the common symptoms of stress: With the increased pressure of the economy, war, work, and
home, it seems that there are major shifts happening in our world. It no longer exists as we have known it. The dynamic pace
of change is unfamiliar, unpredictible, and rapid. And some of our responses to change make things worse - we cause much of
the stress ourselves - by the way we behave, talk to ourselves and relate to others. How do we increase our capacity to withstand
adverse events, juggle conflicting multiple needs, and manage strong emotions without getting too overwhelmed? In these stressful times, we must become masters of stress.
It's really easy to lose sight of one's purpose, goals and accomplishments under the increasing pressure of todays
pace, but taking time for assessing ourselves and the direction we are going can connect us to what is best about us. And
that may set us free.
by Tom Henry, LPC LAC
What are the adjustments that are required to actively
and successfully cope in these difficult times? There are a few areas of competence that impact the ability to manage stress.
One is being able to see various options that may be available in given situations. Often people lose touch between what they
feel and what actually exists. Looking ahead, describing the problem with more than one definition, and identifying more than
one solution keeps people from feeling stuck. Flexible people approach change with agility and change their minds when the
evidence suggests they are mistaken.
Another key area is having the ability to regulate one's emotions in ways that resist the impulse to act irresponsibly.
When the unexpected happens, people may feel unbalanced and respond with knee jerk reactions that actually backfire. This
faculty to manage internal states helps one to "hang in there" and improvise without making a situation worse. Also,
optimism plays an essential motivational role in facing and solving our problems. When people feel stuck, they lose their
sense of hope and humor. There is a strong connection between one's degree of optimism and one's ability to cope with
adverse situations.
Looking at the bright side, seeing possible benefits, and identifying the good in a bad situation
allows us not to be weighted down or quit in the face of adversity and makes it possible to see opportunities to make things
different. Perhaps a few of these pointers may help:
