Stress in Modern Life - Report Example

Stress in Modern Life Name Institutional Affiliation Introduction Modern life is good but with it comes stress. Although, there is good stress that can improve a person’s life, most stress is destructive. Tension is increased and muscles can tell that too well. People have many obligations in life and the pressure to fulfil all is immense. Negative thinking is all over the atmosphere and contributes to stress which causes physical and psychological problems to an individual. Stress has become a fact in modern life. Decades ago people lived happy and stress-free lives (Dressler, 2011). Life has accelerated in the recent decades and life has become an emergency where continuous action is required to a point where there is no rest. People are having sleepless nights and too many obligations to take care of. Marriages are becoming difficult, jobs are too demanding and stress levels are elevated. Financial constraints are becoming harder to cope with. Stress comes in small doses that increase with time. First the headaches, sensitivity to cold, insomnia, depression and muscle pain, which may lead to heart diseases. This essay aims to find out the aspects of life that could cause stress and evaluate diseases that are brought by stress in the UK and USA (Cantor & Ramsden, 2014). Modern life and stress Stress is an enormous problem that people are facing today than in the past. Americans are said to be more stressed today than three decades ago (Flanagan, 2014). Stress modern life is identified in the workplace, at home and on financial situation of an individual. People are under pressure to live perfect lives in all aspects such as family, work, and social issues. In the UK and USA, stress caused by work is one of the greatest health problem related to jobs. In the workplace, several conditions can lead to stress. Such conditions include a boss who is unsupportive, poor relationships with workmates, unrealistic deadlines, and demanding work or poor working conditions that elevate the levels of stress in an employee. Stress in the workplace A person may be stressed in the workplace because the job does not provide satisfaction. Such a person may not want to leave the job because there is no other way to earn a living and unemployment is not an option. The workplace pressures stir up negative feeling that result in stress. Computer malfunctions, heavy workloads, and strict deadlines contributed to the elevation of stress levels in the workplace. For many Britons, stress levels are affecting lifestyles. The men seem to be the worst hit by this situation that turning to alcohol has become a temporary solution. Flanagan (2014) reported that more than one man turned to alcohol to switch off work. Exhaustion, that is work-related, has led to stress in most men in the UK. Most men in the UK working in banking and finance, and in the legal profession are found to suffer the highest levels of stress. Flanagan (2014), further, reported that as a result of high levels of stress, more than a quarter of men suffer from exhaustion and about 38% are not satisfied with the jobs. Another quarter of the men feel that the companies they work for do not recognise achievements.This does not exclude women as juggling between work and family responsibilities is not easy. Jobs are less secure in today’s job market and people are working longer hours and tolerating the low pay. A large percentage of Americans experience elevated stress levels related to work (Rice, 2014). In the workplace, Americans are faced with tight deadlines and inconsiderate bosses which contribute to high levels of stress. Stress experienced at the work can be beneficial to a person’s health, but, when the stress becomes chronic, it poses danger to health. At the workplace, employers have to deal with missing employees due to many reasons such as illnesses and ineffective employees. This creates a stressful society. Even when the retirement age comes, many people develop stress because of the major life changes that come with retirement such as moving back to the rural home, and having to spend more hours at home. Stress in financial issues Financial issues are considered a stressor in modern life as everything depends on money. The inability to take care of a family and be able to make ends meet puts a lot of stress on Americans. This modern society emphasises that what a person affords reflects the financial status of that person. A change in financial status, debt, and money worries impacts a person’s life negatively such that the person is constantly stresses. Every American is able to relate to financial stress. About 75% of Americans consider finances as the major cause of stress.In the USA, the financial meltdown has had specific impact on middle-aged people with college education which has led to increased levels of stress (Rice, 2014). Family issues causing stress Family issues are another cause of stress in modern life. Arguments in the family can increase the stress levels. According to a report by Carson & Butcher (1992), 68% of the stressors in America is family relationships. Taking care of children, spouses, and close relatives is causing Americans sleepless nights. Family health problems is also a stressor in the USA. Other family issues that cause stress in the family especially in the UK is the fact that young children are suffering from excessive stress. Young people do not know how to fail and are constantly stressed about how to win. Children in UK families do not know how to cope with situations and they end up being stressed.Families are under pressure to protect children from dangers both at home and school. Other stressors in UK and USA include, death of a loved one, pregnancy, divorce or separation, childcare, holidays and caring for elderly relatives among others. Families are struggling to perform the role of caregivers and workers as the same time, triggering stress. Women and low income earners fall in the category of most stressed people in both the USA and UK. Women are stressed because of the balance between work and caring for the family especially children. Due to societal expectations that women should make the home, it results in more stress in women that happiness (Carson & Butcher, 1992). Relationship between stress and illnesses Stress is present in many American lives and this puts the Americans at greater risk of many diseases. Rice (2014) agrees that stress is dangerous to human health. It has not been clear what relationship there is between stress and illness. These researchers have now concluded that chronic stress is associated with the way the human body regulates the response from stress. One of the lead researchers found out that stress is associated with the body’s inability to regulate the stress. This stress causes inflammation which the body finds difficult to regulate. The researchers argued that, stress that is prolonged alters the effectiveness of the hormone known as cortisol, in regulating the inflammatory response. Its inability decreases the sensitivity of the tissue to the hormone. Immune cells become less sensitive to the regulatory effect of cortical (Menzies, 2005). This causes the development of many illnesses.The more cortisol that is produced by the body, means that the stress levels are elevated. With more cortisol in the body’s circulation, the more risk there is to a person’s health. When people get colds, it does not mean that the virus that causes it is responsible, rather the stress that has weakened the immune system. Menzies (2005) shows that people suffering from psychological stress are more likely to develop common colds. The common cold is not caused by the virus responsible but as a side effect of the response to the inflammation. This is triggered as the body works to fight the infection. Researchers say that prolonged events that cause stress are associated with the immune cells’ inability to regulate the response of the inflammation. Any person with the inability to regulate the inflammatory response is more likely to catch a cold (Menzies, 2005). The longer events such as, family and problems with friends, overwork and lack of employment lasts, the greater people are at risk of suffering from stress-related colds. Stress may not cause heart disease, but, it may affect personal behaviour which can increase the chances of suffering heart disease such as, high blood pressure, physical inactivity and overeating. When stressed, some people turn to alcohol or smoking cigarettes with an aim of reducing stress. These habits increase the likelihood of having high blood pressure and cause damage to the artery walls (Menzies 2005). Stressed people have poor lifestyle habits such as smoking, poor diets, sleeping badly or not sleeping at all and no physical activity. These habits contribute to the likelihood of catching an illness. The body is constantly trying to fight stress causing headaches, stomach pains, and backaches. The body produces adrenaline, a hormone, which cause a person to breathe hard and increase the heart rate which makes the blood pressure to rise in a bid to fight stress. What happens to the body when a person is constantly under stress is that the response of the body is to remain alert for days as it tries to fight the situation. Unfortunately, when people realize that they are suffering from an illness, it triggers more stress which makes the situation worse (Dressler, 2011). In modern life, both in the UK and USA, colds are as common as heart disease. These illnesses may not be cause by stress, but, as a result of people’s lifestyles. Managing stress for the overall wellbeing of health is important because these illnesses will not occur if stress is taken care of. Lifestyle changes made, in a positive way, is able to make people’s lives better and easier to cope with demands of society (Dressler, 2011). Conclusion Conclusively, it is clear that stress is part of people’s lives and in a bad way. On a daily basis people are encountering difficult situations that are causing stress. In modern life this seems to be a normal occurrence and it has been embraced as such.Although, there is good stress that can improve a person’s life, chronic stress is destructive. Life has become fast-paced and people are having sleepless nights and too many obligations to take care of. If no action is taken to curb or at least manage stress, people will live with the consequences of stress for the rest of their lives. In modern life, people are struggling with stressors at the workplace, at home and in financial situations. This pressure on the human life is dangerous as it may be a perfect breeding ground for illnesses. Any Briton or American is able to relate to these kinds of stressors.Researchers agree that stress is harmful to human health. It is reported that people suffering from psychological stress are more likely to develop common colds. Stress may not cause heart disease, but, it may affect personal behaviour which can increase the chances of suffering heart disease. Stressed people have poor lifestyle habits such as smoking, poor diets, sleeping badly or not sleeping at all and no physical activity. These habits contribute to the likelihood of catching an illness. References Top of Form Cantor, D., & Ramsden, E. (2014). Stress, shock, and adaptation in the twentieth century. Bottom of Form Top of Form Flanagan, C. M. (2014). People and Change: An Introduction To Counseling and Stress Management. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Bottom of Form Top of Form Rice, F. (January 01, 2014). Genetic Influences on Depression and Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence. Bottom of Form Top of Form Carson, R. C., & Butcher, J. N. (1992). Abnormal psychology and modern life. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. Bottom of Form Top of Form Menzies, H. (2005). No time: Stress and the crisis of modern life. Vancouver, B.C: Douglas & McIntyre. Bottom of Form Top of Form Dressler, W. W. (January 01, 2011). Culture and the Stress Process. 117-134. Bottom of Form Read More