Work-related stress is a growing problem around the globe that can affect anyone at any level of business. It not only affects the health and well-being of employees but also the productivity of the companies and various organizations.

What is Work-related Stress?

Work-related stress can be defined as the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work.

Stress is not a disease, it is a state of mind. However, mental and physical illness may develop if stress becomes too excessive and prolonged.

When the demands and pressure do not match with the abilities and knowledge of the people, their work-related stress increases, which they find very difficult to cope with. In Australia, work-related stress is the second-highest illness that is compensated, after musculoskeletal disorders.

It has been found that the percentage of Americans who are experiencing stress at work is significantly high. According to the centers for disease control and prevention, approximately 29% to 40% of Americans are extremely stressed at work.

How to find a Work-related Stress Therapist

If you are looking to find the perfect Work-related Stress therapist it is crucial to make sure that they have the appropriate qualifications, knowledge and experience. At Expat Therapy 4U we only accept therapists who have full professional proficiency in English and are highly experienced in working with people from culturally diverse backgrounds. The clinicians we approve share our values and commitment to provide high quality therapy to the expatriate community in the private sector across Europe and online worldwide. We strongly believe that therapy changes lives, and being accredited ensures all our therapists are qualified to a high standard. You can find a Work-related Stress therapist who is insured to practice and accredited with a recognised membership body online here.

Symptoms of Work-related Stress

The signs of stress related to work can be physical, psychological, and behavioral.

Physical symptoms of work-related stress include

• Headaches.
• Heart palpitations.
• Increase in Cardiovascular diseases.
• Dermatological disorders.
• Muscular tension.
• Difficulties in sleeping.
• Gastrointestinal disorders, such as constipation and diarrhea.

Psychological symptoms include

• Anxiety.
• Depression.
• Irritability.
• Pessimism.
• Cognitive difficulties like loss of concentration.
• Feelings of being overwhelmed.
• Discouragement.

Behavioral symptoms include:

• Aggression.
• Disinterest.
• Isolation.
• An increase in absenteeism and sick days.
• A drop in work performance.
• Mood swings and irritability.
• Increase with interpersonal relationships.
• Lower tolerance of impatience and frustration.
• Diminished initiative and creativity.

Causes of Work-related Stress

The pressures and situations that lead to stress are called stressors. Anything that puts high demands on you which is higher than your capacity can be stressful. It is important to identify the causes of stress at the workplace so you can take essential steps to reduce the levels of stress to some extent. Stress in the workplace can be caused by a number of factors. Work pressure, lack of support from managers, poor organization are the most common factors of work-related stress.

Here are some of the common causes of work-related stress.

Overload

The employees feel that the demand for their work and time are causes of stress. For example:

• Overload of technology.
• Unmanageable workloads.
• Unrealistic expectations and deadlines due to the super achievement by the most talented.

Work relationships

At work, the majority of people demand to have regular contact with other people. Unsupportive and poor relationships with supervisors and colleagues can be a potential source of stress. Furthermore, if individuals feel unfairly treated and isolated, it can also lead to stress.

Poor relationships at work can result in:

• Lack of leadership and understanding.
• Others not helping them to pull their weight.
• Others take all the credit of your achievements.
• Isolation at work.
• Managers and supervisors always find irrelevant mistakes.
• Have poor relationships with colleagues.
• Colleagues are not supportive.
• Poor relationships with colleagues.
• Aversive behavior such as harassment and bullying.

Control

The perceptions of control have a strong link with the stress. Lack of consultation and influence are the ways in which work is performed that are the potential sources of stress. For example:

• Lack of control over certain features of the job.
• No involvement in decision making.
• Have no influence on performance targets.
• Lack of time.

Job security

Lack of job charges and job security can significantly lead to stress. For example:

• Security of job.
• Features of job change.
• Have a fear of skill redundancy.
• Have no long term contract of job at the workplace.

Pays and Benefits

In terms of lifestyle, the rewards for the work are important. The rewards at work are perceived as the indication of value to the organization and an individual worth. Reward at work in the form of money is not a prime motivator, However, if there are other negative aspects of the job it could become a positive factor.

Resources and Communication

Employes at the work requires to have the feeling that they have appropriate pieces of training, resources, and equipment to perform a job effectively. They are also required to feel like they are valued and are adequately informed. Lack of following things can lead to stress at work:

• feedback on an effective performance.
• sufficient training to do the job.
• resources and equipment to do the job.
• general information of what is going on in the organization.

Aspects of the Job

These are the significant sources of stress that are coupled with the nature of the workplace. Certain factors derived from the job such as physical working conditions and type of tasks. Some of these factors are:

• Working condition are poor physically.
• Monotonous and dull work.
• No enjoyment at job.
• Have fear of physical violence.
• Dealing with difficult customers.
• Job is unlikely to change in the next 6-7 years.
• Performance of work closely monitored.

Best Treatment approaches for Work-related stress

Anyone can be affected by stress no matter how old you are. Sometimes you need to ask for help when things become difficult. There are many ways to tackle work-related stress including learning self-help relaxation techniques, taking time to get away from the situation, and changing your working environment.

You need to speak to your manager, HR department, or colleague depending on the cause of the stress. There are a lot of procedures to support you in case of harassment and bullying. However, it is important o visit the doctor despite the fact that there are no medical cures for stress. Doctors may refer you to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or counseling.

Counseling for work-related stress

It is important to seek help if you are suffering from work-related stress. Its simple to think that everyone feels that way and the feelings will pass, however, ignore and not dealing with it will only hurt you and you may feel worse. It should generally make you feel good when you spend so much time at work. You should feel proud and happy regarding what you do at work.

Feeling stressed for a prolonged period of time can only make you sick both physically and mentally. At this point, you need to seek help to get rid of stress.

The aim of counseling is to find out the cause of stress. It can be hard to think clearly when you are in the midst of this situation. Talking to a professional in a non-judgemental and private setting about the hardships that you are facing can helps you to take the steps to overcome it.

Career Counseling

Career counseling or work counseling is available for individuals who are looking for confidential support and specialist advice about their studies. It gives an opportunity for individuals to discover and discuss the opportunities that they have of their careers. Career counseling also makes you feel fulfilled by working with a qualified professional who realizes the difficulties of achieving your goals at work.

Talking therapies

Cognitive-behavioral therapy works to reduce stress and anxiety. It understands and observes you in a way that how you think and behave about a particular situation, and how your behavior affected. Its aim is to alter your thinking and the way you behave.

CBT helps you to challenge your feelings or thoughts that you have towards a specific problem. In addition, it assists you to break your problems into smaller ones and more manageable tasks, so you can realize your triggers and the ways of how to cope with it.

What is the difference between Stress and Anxiety?

Both stress and Anxiety are emotional responses but the cause of stress is typically an external trigger. This can be a short term trigger such as deadline of work or long term triggers such as poverty, chronic illness, etc. People under stress lead to physical and mental symptoms such as digestive troubles, irritability, muscle pain, etc.

On the other hand, Anxiety is a persistent, excessive worries that don’t disappear even in the absence of stressors. The symptoms of anxiety include insomnia, fatigue, irritability or difficulty in concentrating, etc.

Find a Work-related Stress Therapist through the Expat Therapy 4U platform

When people engage in the compulsive use of substances to get rid of it, stress can become harmful at this time. These substances include drugs, tobacco, food, alcohol, internet, shopping and sex, etc. These substances tend to keep the body stressed instead of helping the body to return in a relaxed state.

It’s time to take a step forward to bring your nervous system back to the normal state if you frequently find yourself overwhelmed in stress. By identifying the signs and symptoms, you can take action to reduce the harmful effects of stress and improve how you think and feel.

Further Readings on Work-related Stress

https://theinternationalpsychologyclinic.com/problems/work-related-stress-counselling-london/