Stress appears when the demands of the job do not adapt to the needs, expectations, abilities or resources of the worker. Adverse working conditions and lack of social support (friends, family, partner) predict the onset of symptoms

He Work stress It is a process that triggers a set of reactions at a biological, psychological, and behavioral level to certain adverse aspects or harmful to the organization or work environment.

Stress appears when the demands of the job do not adapt to the needs, expectations, abilities or resources (objective and subjective) of the worker or when this does not receive adequate reward For your effort. Stress allows us to react with greater energy, speed and security, launching a process of activating resources to be able to face all demands in the shortest possible time, which in the long run can cause exhaustion and other discomforts in the person who suffers from it. .

Symptoms of Work Stress

He Work stress elevated produces initial symptoms, such as Back pains30%; General Fatiguetwenty%; Muscle pains17%; Headaches13%; Irritabilityeleven%; vision problems9%; Insomnia7%; Anxiety, 7%; as well as other less frequent symptoms.

However, in the long run, in addition to producing physical symptoms, it doubles the probability of developing Anxiety Disorders and Mood Disorders in people who did not previously suffer from these disorders. In addition, the probability of consuming psychoactive drugs (such as anxiolytics or antidepressants) increases. In general, as stated in psychology, adverse working conditions and lack of social support (friends, family, partner) predict the onset of subclinical anxious and depressive symptoms.

People who do not have a diagnosis of Mental Disorder, but suffer from Stress They begin to suffer negative emotions, insomnia and somatizations., which can increase the consumption of psychotropic drugs, in order to alleviate the symptoms, but without being able to solve the underlying problems that are commonly associated with Stress. Furthermore, it is known that people who suffer from this pathology are more at risk of using tobaccowhich in the long run multiplies the risk of suffering from Anxiety and even Panic Attacks.

Treatments for Work Stress

On the one hand there are the drugs which, although they reduce anxiety symptoms quickly, should not be taken for a long time, as indicated by international clinical guidelines. Why? Well, because they have side effects and generate dependency, in addition to With them you do NOT learn to control Stress. Pharmacological treatment must be prescribed and reviewed (every month or two months) by a specialist in pharmacology, for example, a psychiatrist. It should always be accompanied by Cognitive Behavioral Treatment.

On the other hand, the relaxation techniques They help people reduce physiological activation, release muscles, and breathe correctly. An activity works for each person; there are people who prefer go for a runothers do yogaothers do very well abdominal breathing or muscle relaxation Jacobson’s progressive The important thing is to practice them almost every day. However, relaxation techniques They should not be the only or predominant technique in a treatment, although they are of great help to reduce physiological activation permanently and have no side effects.

Finally, there is the Cognitive Behavioral Treatment which consists of a series of scientifically proven techniques intended to change our way of thinking (identify, understand and modify our thoughts) and our behavior (habits, manias, addictions, avoidances, abilities, etc.) so that our negative emotions decrease and positive ones increase, and thus we can direct our behavior more easily towards the desired objective.

The specialist must always explain the theory using empirically validated models, before daring to apply changes to situations feared by the patient, so that the patient you can evaluate your irrational beliefs for yourself and regain security and a sense of control. The application of these techniques is carried out by a psychologist specializing in Anxiety and Stress. over a few monthsafter which you will have learned to reduce self-demands and manage stress.

Furthermore, when A person is more relaxed and their biases decrease at a cognitive level. and attends and understands better everything that the psychologist explains to him in consultation.