PJEndicott

Defining Stress
There are many hundreds of definitions for stress but here are two that sum up the problem succinctly:

• ‘The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other demands placed upon them (Health and Safety Executive 2000)

• Stress is the uncomfortable gap between...

a) how we would like our life to be, and
b) how it actually is.

The first definition is the 'official' way of looking at stress in the workplace and is very succinct. However, it tells us nothing about how to recognise stress effectively or how to begin to manage it. The second definition can prove helpful because even in our busiest and most difficult times we instinctively know when we are unhappy with our life. We can also explain what we would change and how we would change it. For example 'I am unhappy with working such long hours - if I had a choice I would finish work at 6:00 pm each day and spend more time with my family.

Stress is a natural physiological response that evolved in primitive man to allow our early ancestor to react quickly to danger by causing both mental and physical reactions which prepared him to either stand firm and to fight for his territory, or to avoid confrontation by disappearing with some degree of speed. As soon as the danger was over this chemical response within the body would diminish, and the body would return to normal.

Primitive man was a hunter-gatherer, surviving on nuts, seeds and fruit gathered from the countryside and by preying on small animals. There are relatively few species higher up the food chain, but our ancestor would have wished to avoid the odd tussle with sabre-toothed tigers and bears intent on sharing his dinner.

The Fight or Flight Response
Throughout our day all of our sensory organs, and in particular our eyes and ears, are constantly scanning our surroundings and sending messages to our brain. Our brains still lack the ability to distinguish between danger emanating from our thoughts and feelings and actual physical danger. So when we come under ‘excessive pressure’ at work or at home, our body reacts in the same way it would to a physical danger. The brain interprets stress as a perceived danger and swings into action, sending out chemical messengers to the rest of the body. These chemicals trigger the release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands situated on top of each kidney. In less than one minute levels of adrenaline will increase one thousand fold. Adrenaline also acts as a chemical messenger to other organs, bringing about a chain of reactions in all organs of the body and mind to prepare it to carry out some arduous physical task in order to preserve itself from danger.  

In 1914 Walter B. Cannon first coined the phrase ‘fight or flight’ to describe the body’s response to stressful stimuli.
Stress is considered to be very harmful because of the cumulative effect it can have on our health. Indeed, Stress has been linked to many illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, sleep disorders, fatigue and depression.

The Stress Response may also be described as the fight and flight syndrome and is an important mechanism in all mamals to ensure a rapid response in life threatening circumstances.

Short-lived pressure is not in itself a problem but we must learn to recognise the difference between ‘pressure’ and ‘stress’ and to build rest and relaxation into our lives.