Stress is one of the commonest complaints of the 21st century, but it isn't always bad for you. The Health and Safety Executive defined stress as "...the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed upon them.".
A little bit of stress can be good for you! It gets the adrenaline pumping, which can improve your performance, whether at work, school or on the sports field.
Pressure is the cause of many daily stresses and everyone reacts differently to it - indeed what is unbearable pressure to one can be stimulating and exciting for another! The key is to identify what your pressure threshold is.
For example, the prospect of giving a presentation can be a highly pressurised experience for some people and they may worry about it for weeks, whereas someone else will accept the challenge, prepare their presentation and give it without a qualm. That doesn't mean that the person who is highly distressed about the presentation is inadequate or weak - it means that they find it difficult and it worries them a lot. They may need support, coaching and encouragement and often surprise themselves when they succeed. Such people will have strength in other areas where other people feel inadequate.
The human body is designed to cope with a certain level of stress. This is believed to derive from primitive times when adrenaline helped cave men cope with perceived danger by fighting or retreating - commonly known as the "fight or flight" reaction.
Today, we still benefit from this mechanism but we have very few physical opportunities to relieve stressful situations. This is why the body may not be able to cope with too much stress which may lead to physical, mental and emotional problems. On top of this, coping levels and reactions to stress are unique and specific to each individual, so you need a plan tailored to your specific needs.
"Stress is the whole body reaction to changing levels of emotional chemicals."
Reference: International Stress Management Association (ISMA). ISMAUK is a registered charity which promotes stress prevention and well-being. For further information or if you are looking for a stress counsellor either for your organisation or yourself, visit www.isma.org.uk .