Origins of Stress

Stress" occurs when there is an imbalance between a person's perception of the constraints imposed on them by their environment and their perception of their own resources for coping with them.

Although the process of evaluating constraints and resources is a psychological one, the effects of stress are not solely psychological. It also affects physical health, well-being and productivity.
This definition includes three important concepts

the stress factors, i.e. the constraining work situations that are conducive to stress,
the person who reacts to the problem, both physically and psychologically,
and the observable effects on the individual's behaviour or health, and on the company, if the situation concerns a large number of employees.

Indicators of increased Stress.

Isolation: the person concerned finds himself in a spiral of isolation that no longer allows him any social support.
Working hours: the measurement of actual working hours and mental on-call time is an indicator that can be a strong harbinger of difficulties to come.
Destabilization of professional reference points: Continual modification of the scope of activity. Nomadization of employees

Loss of meaning: strategies are constantly changing
Group dysfunction .
No recognition: difficulties and work accomplished are trivialized.
Feeling of no longer having control over time and the flow of cases to be handled : People no longer deal with cases, they just fly over them, despite the risk, the stakes, and suffer because they are aware of a job poorly done.

The feeling that they can only cope at the cost of overwork and a break between private and professional life.
Behaviors that give rise to violent outbursts.
The feeling of being trapped.

Stress factors at work

Factors related to the task or to the content of the work to be performed
High quantitative demands (workload, output, time pressure, mass of information to be processed, etc.)
High qualitative demands (precision, quality, vigilance, etc.)
Task-related difficulties (monotony, lack of autonomy, repetition, fragmentation, etc.)
Risks inherent in the actual execution of the task (e.g. fatal medical error by the surgeon)

Factors linked to work organization
Lack of control over task distribution and planning within the company
Imprecision of assigned tasks (What is expected of me? How should I go about it? On what basis will I be assessed?
Contradiction between job requirements (How can I do things quickly and well? Who do I have to satisfy: the customer or quotas?)
Unsuitability of working hours for biological rhythms, social and family life
New organizational methods (just-in-time, multi-skilling, etc.)
Unstable employment contracts (precarious contracts, subcontracting, etc.)

Factors linked to working relationships
Lack of support from colleagues and/or superiors
Management lacking in participation, authoritarian, deficient..
Lack of or poor recognition for work accomplished
Factors linked to the physical and technical environment
Physical nuisances at the workstation (noise, heat, humidity, etc.)
Poorly designed workplaces and/or workstations (lack of space, inadequate lighting, etc.)
Factors linked to the company's socio-economic environment
Poor economic health of the company or uncertainty about its future
Competitive pressure at national or international level

The medical consequences are numerous
- Heart disease
- Depression
Here are a few symptoms that may indicate the onset of a depressive state:
General fatigue, moodiness;
Sudden mood swings, crying spells;
Worry, anxiety, panic;
Headaches, loss of libido;
Amnesia, difficulty concentrating, indecision;
Frequent absence from work, reduced productivity;
Feeling overwhelmed, loss of sense of humor.

Other adverse effects of stress
Stress can be a source of fatigue, headaches, sleep disorders... It can also affect the digestive system (constipation, spasms, bloating). Finally, stress can also disrupt thyroid function, reduce immune system resistance and provoke allergic reactions. Its effects on high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease have long been known.
Yoga and Taichi chuan techniques will help you to resist and transcend the most difficult phases.
- Psychosocial disorders
- musculoskeletal disorders
- violence towards others
-self-harm (up to and including suicide...)
- Sick leave
- Flight behaviour ..pre-retirement, early departure followed by major psychological problems.
- Insomnia

A study published in March 2003 shows that people suffering from so-called "primary" insomnia (with no precise cause found) have difficulty managing their stress, regardless of its intensity.

Researchers at Laval University in Quebec analyzed the sleep duration and quality of 67 people, 40 of whom suffered from insomnia, over a 3-week period. They also looked at the stressful events that occurred during this period, as well as the patients' depressive symptoms and overall anxiety.

Results: good sleepers and insomniacs reported an equivalent number of stressful events. However, it appears that insomniacs attach greater importance to these stressful moments, as well as to major negative events in their lives

- Fatigue
In the face of constant, repetitive stress, our body constantly draws on its energy reserves and struggles to adapt. If our lifestyle is poor, our body can no longer find the fuel it needs, and breaks down.
The result is fatigue, which in certain cases of long-term stress cannot be repaired by sleep.
In such cases, you need to restructure your sleep, i.e. find your own rhythm, your own internal clock.