According to the American Psychological Association’s, Stress in America Survey, 2013, high stress does not appear to be going away. It seems that adults are living with stress that is higher than what they believe to be healthy. Women report a higher level of stress than men. Most disturbing is that people are not successful at managing or reducing their stress.
So what’s the problem? Life is full of stress, isn’t it? Perhaps – but it’s how you handle stress and whether you are capable of lowering its impact that’s critical for your health and well-being. People are ignoring the symptoms and most think stress and its ultimate repercussions of heart disease, depression, infections, viruses and immune system dysfunction will just vanish – not true.
According to the Survey, 67 percent of people report experiencing emotional symptoms of stress and 72 percent report suffering physical symptoms of stress. Do colleagues or friends tell you that you seem stressed? If so, believe them.
What Are the Most Commonly Reported Sources of Stress?
1. Money – 71%
2. Work – 69%
3. The Economy – 59%
4. Personal relationships (spouse, kids, partner) – 54%
Reported Symptoms of Stress:
- Irritability
- Anger
- Lack of interest, motivation or energy
- Fatigue, depression or feeling sad (feeling like crying)
- Nervous, anxious
- Overwhelmed
- Neglecting responsibilities
- Upset stomach or digestion
Are Stress Management Techniques Effective?
Many report specific stress management techniques such as going online or watching TV or movies more than two hours a day are only somewhat or not at all effective. While a majority of adults, (62%) who exercise or walk report the benefits as extremely effective for stress reduction. About 56% describe the same effectiveness listening to music and 49% report a good result with reading.
You can reap benefits if you uncover the source of your distress, and determine ways to alter your perceptions of stress. There are people who need and love you. It’s time to take action.
To discover more stress-busting strategies to knock stress to its knees, you’re welcome to join me for my upbeat and informative Free recorded webinar, From Frazzled to Fantastic! Energize with Stress-Relief Coping Strategies. Register as a free member of HR.com at http://web.hr.com/28gsb.