Causes and Effects of Stress

Introduction

Life is not always a bed of roses, it includes various twists, ups and downs, and it can be best described as a roller coaster. The challenges one faces on a daily basis are not always easy to handle. This can lead to the inability of an individual to handle their challenges. These challenges may linger on making it hard for one to progress mentally (Parker, 2007). There is need a need to understand stress and how to manage it effectively to avoid burnouts in school and work as well as to eliminate the cases of suicide, and health problems due to stress.

Body

Every human being has different stressors. The causes and effects of stress can be linked to work, school, family, and financial problems.

Causes of stress at work:

  1. Unhappiness with the work. Many people are currently employed as a means to an end. This means, people go to work so that they can earn and not because they like their jobs.
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  2. Having too much responsibility can be a stressor. There are instances where an individual can have various roles such as working more than one job, raising a child, and trying to make ends meet for their families.
  3. Working under unclear expectations can be a stressor as one does not have a say in the decision making process (Parker, 2007).
  4. Uncertainty of termination. Many people have been employed on contracts which serve a short period and in some instances, they are uncertain of the possibility of being terminated.
  5. Having to present speeches in front of colleagues.
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    Some individuals are asked to make presentations on certain topics and present, but they may be shy and have stage fright.

Life stressors cause a major impact on people’s lives:

  1. Loss of a job: this can be particularly stressing when one many needs and expectations from family.
  2. Divorce: It is one of the toughest experiences one can go through. There are a lot of psychological needs one may have at this point.
  3. Getting married: This is usually an exciting event, but it leads to stress during the planning period (Mullan, 2014).
  4. Death of a loved one: This is one of the stress factors that we as humans dread every day. Losing a loved one can be a traumatizing moment and it takes time for one to heal.
  5. Emotional problems: It ranges from anger, hate, to disgust and sadness. These are emotions people face every day which could cause stress.
  6. Chronic illness: This results in stress to both the patient and the family members. Chronic illness requires brings the need for attention from people in the family and it also raises financial implication which is a stressor as well.
  7. Traumatic events, and taking care of an elderly person in the society

Individual’s stress levels is linked to an individual’s personality. Stress is sometimes helpful if taken positively. It is also a part of an individual’s life. Prolonged stress can interfere with interpersonal relationships at work and at home. Stress may also be drawn from the inside as opposed to external factors (Mullan, 2014).

  1. Uncertainty and Fear: Worrying creates a lot of tension on the psychological well-being of an individual, thus, resulting in stress.
  2. Perceptions and attitudes: This refers to how an individual views the world. When one is faced with challenges, the can opt to be optimistic and find solutions to the problem (Mullan, 2014).
  3. Unrealistic Expectations: This can be from work or family members. Sometimes one maybe given targets that are not reasonable, hence, it can trigger stress on an individual.
  4. Change: Change occurs on a daily basis and it may be necessary to adopt to change. When one has difficulty adopting to change, it may lead to higher levels of stress.

Effects of Stress

The human body automatically launches a physical response when one is in a stressful situation. The nervous system releases hormones which help in flight or fight responses. This results in fast heartbeats, sweating, tense muscles, and breathing faster (Herman 2017).

  1. The physiological effects of stress includes: fatigue, headaches, concentration difficulty, sleeping difficulty, irritability, and stomach upset (Herman 2017).
  2. Long term stress may lead to: high blood pressure, depression, heart attack, heart disease, hardened arteries, upset stomach, weight gain, change in sex drive, upset stomach, flare-ups such as arthritis and asthma, and skin problems.

Stress Management

It is possible for people to live happier and healthier lives if they take time to learn some way to manage stress.

  1. Being optimistic and having a positive attitude.
  2. One should learn to accept that they do not control all the events that happen in their lives.
  3. It helps to be assertive rather than being aggressive. It is better for one to assert their beliefs, opinions, and feelings as opposed to being defensive, angry and passive.
  4. Use relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga to ease stress.
  5. It also helps to eat healthy, manage time, make hobbies, and not relying on alcohol and drugs to ease stress (Herman 2017).

Conclusion

Many people underestimate the effects of stress on their daily lives. It is important to live a healthier and happy life. This is possible if one can work to ensure they deal with the stressors in their lives. Happier people tend to have good stress management mechanisms such as exercising. In case anyone of you is going through stress, believe that you can handle it and find a stress management strategy to solve the challenge in your life.

Updated: Feb 02, 2024
Cite this page

Causes and Effects of Stress. (2024, Feb 07). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/causes-and-effects-of-stress-essay

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