The first step in combating stress is identifying its origin. Stress can attack from every aspect of our life. The workplace is one of the most common places. There is the everyday threat of downsizing and losing your job, taking on a change of responsibilities and work overload. .
" In the 1980's companies would talk about developing, nurturing and growing. Then the downsizing era begin. The language changes to words, such as transferring responsibilities, take out, terminate, and re-organization. In 1994, more than 3,100 workers were terminated each day. Fortune 500 companies were laying off 25% of their work force. Organizations across America were displacing 2 million employees a year. The survivors that remained were left with staggering workloads and little rewards." (Toxic Work by: Barbara Bailey Reinhold, Ed.D. pg.10).
In addition to work related stress, many people carry around tension from their home lives. Financial burdens can be a major contributor to the pressure many people face at home. There are many other pressures that affect our personal lives; relationship problems, change in marital status, death of loved one and change of residence. .
" Changes keep coming faster and faster, even in areas we thought would never change. You must slow down to go faster, if you want to change others change yourself first, if you want to increase your success rate increase you failure rate. You don't have to go home from work exhausted. " AnnMcGee-Cooper pg. 334.
There are basically two types of symptoms that affect people today, which are mental and physical stress. Mental stress, also referred to as emotional stress can appear in many forms: depression, anger, anxiety, and irritability. Physical stress are symptoms that affect the body. Examples of physical stress are insomnia, headaches, high blood pressure, ulcers, and weakened immune system. Over seventy percent of doctor visits are stress-related problems.