Doctor, my work is killing me
Saturday, 10 October 2009 08:18
“Doctor, my work is killing me.”
What person can't relate to feeling stressed at work? For some people, work seems synonymous with stress. This is truly unfortunate because most of us have no choice but to work – necessitating going back to a stressful situation five days a week, eight hours a day! Then there are so many other things in life that produce stress like finances, chores, and relationships. It isn't the stress itself that is necessarily bad, it is the effect it has on our bodies, minds, and relationships that make it “a foe for reckoning.”
So what are some of the causes of work stress? From my own experience, I know one of the worst is a superior who doesn't know how to manage. I hate working for someone who can't communicate well or motivate others positively or the person who must micromanage everything. Then there is the controller who must direct whether I hang my sweater in the closet or leave it on the back of my chair. Another stress for me is having so much to do that I can't do anything well. There's also conflict with others. In fact, where there is room for group work, there is room for conflict. This can be conflict regarding ideas, roles, processes, policies – you name it. Then there are personality conflicts and the person who can't get along with anyone.
You may ask, “Why is stress so bad?” Well, not all stress is bad. For instance, good stress (i.e., eustress) is often necessary to motivate us. However, severe stress, unrelieved stress, or a lack of coping capacity can lead to real problems - problems that can escalate creating even more stress. Examples of severe stresses are a divorce or losing one's job. Such circumstances are replete with anxiety which in turn leads to sympathetic arousal such as rapid heart rate, upset stomach, heartburn, anger, insomnia, depression, under or over-eating, and use of alcohol or drugs. Clearly, stress can be a general enemy to good health.
At Houston Mind-Body Counseling, among other things, I teach people how to cope with stress. The field of stress management in general is sometimes referred today as Mind-Body Medicine. This is so central to the work that I do that I decided to include the concept “mind-body” in my business name. For me, this refers to the important relationship between mind and body with regard to our health.
Moreover, there are numerous, scientifically validated methods which can restore a balance to people's lives. This is true regardless of the severity of the stress and one's coping capacity. We can all benefit from learning and applying these techniques regularly in our lives. It is part of wise self-care. Methods of stress management include progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, autogenic training, Eastern-style meditation, and hypnosis among others. In the next issue of HMBC Blog™ I will discuss some of the programs I've put together to help people learn why they should manage their stress and how to do it – until then, here's to your health!
Dr. Tom Rodriguez
Houston Mind-Body Counseling