The development of stress syndromes

  Prolonged exposure to situations or events perceived as stressful, without any successful resolution, will result in the emergency response becoming chronically activated and can lead to the development of a stress syndrome. Three stress syndromes have been identified, namely the hostility syndrome, which is characterized by feelings of chronic anger and the desire to fight perceived injustices, the fear or anxiety syndrome, which is characterized by chronic feelings of anxiety and the desire to flee, escape and avoid perceived dangers and threats, and the depression syndrome, which is characterized by feelings of sadness, a negative view of self, the world and the future and the desire to withdraw, give up, surrender and accept defeat. The syndromes of anger and anxiety are associated with the first phase of the two stage model of stress described earlier in this chapter, and the depression syndrome is associated with the second phase of the model (p. 6).

Dispelling some myths about stress

  To be in the best position to help yourself tackle stress, you need to have a good understanding of the stress concept generally. In order to do this there are a number of commonly held myths and misconceptions about stress which you may need to dispel. The quiz in Table 1.1 has been designed to test your knowledge and understanding of stress. It consists of a number of common assertions about stress, some of which will test what you read earlier in this chapter.

Table 1.1 A stress quiz

 

  Note: This table is available to view and print from the following website: www.routledgementalhealth.com/9780415671781

Answers for the stress quiz (Table 1.1) Statement 1

  ‘Stress is an inevitable and unavoidable consequence of modern life’

(Answer: False)

  Although the causes of stress may be different in modern societies from those of our ancestors, stress has always been a part of life throughout history. It is unhelpful and wrong, however, to assume that it is an aspect of modern life that we simply have to put up with. You can do something about it and can plan your life so that it does not become overwhelming. Remember you were not born this way but acquired the stress somewhere along life’s journey. It is possible to move away from being a highly stressed individual to a low stress one. However, in order for this change to be possible, it is a prerequisite that you believe that change can happen. If you do not believe that change is possible, it will not happen for you.

Statement 2

  ‘Stress is a sign of weakness’

(Answer: False)

  We are constantly bombarded in the media by stereotypes of strong men and superwomen, who claim that you can ‘do it all’ and ‘have it all’. For example, the media image of the City business superwoman, ‘queen of the square mile’, ‘power dressing millionaire mother of several children’, who never misses a school prize giving, is enough to make any average woman feel inadequate if she believes the hype. Similarly, we hear stories of high flying chief executives and government ministers, who work exceptionally long hours, travel all over the world and yet still claim that they do their fair share of the household chores and childcare, changing nappies, tucking their children up in bed and reading them a story most nights. Perhaps they also find time to do a bit of DIY and pursue their hobbies when the children are asleep and of course they are no doubt the perfect partner and lover! If we are to believe these stereotypes, there are clearly people who appear to be able to have it all, do it all and apparently never show any signs of stress. The message portrayed is that stress is something for other mere mortals to struggle with. Stereotypes of ‘superman’ and ‘superwoman’ can make the average person struggling to meet all the mundane demands of home and work life feel just a tad inadequate.

This sense of weakness and inadequacy can be reinforced by unhelpful ‘macho’ management attitudes in the workplace. Such managers believe that being stressed is a sign of an inherent weakness in the individual employee. The saying ‘If you can’t stand the heat then stay out of the kitchen’ sums up this attitude well. However, the reality is that anyone under sufficient pressure will begin to show signs of stress. Ask yourself, ‘What would happen if my workload or targets were doubled tomorrow?’ It is most unlikely that you would be able to cope. So the message here is that experiencing stress is not a sign of weakness but a normal response to excessive demands being placed on an individual. Do not believe all the hype about supermen and superwomen. Admittedly there may be a few exceptional people who can juggle many things without becoming stressed but they are not the norm. Also, when you scratch below the surface of claims made in the media about these people, you invariably find that they are supported by a small army of nannies, housekeepers, gardeners and other helpers who they are fortunate enough to be able to afford to employ. This is often accompanied by an extremely supportive, self-sacrificing partner and lots of extended family support. So, it is a myth that these individuals are doing it all on their own.