Working for longer hours among staff at EA and in many other video gaming development companies has been a serious concern. In this rising tide of work related stress these people are not alone.
Stress is situation that is not alleged as challenging or threatening to the person’s well being. It is a complex situation which produces physiological changes to prepare us for fight or flight- to shield ourselves from threat or escape from it. Mostly people suffer from stress due to over work, job insecurity, information overload and the increasing pace of life. These actions are helpful in producing disstress – the degree of physiological, psychological and behavioral deviation from healthy function.
There are two types of stress Physical and mental stress. The symptoms of stress are: Cognitive symptoms: Memory problems, Inability to concentrate, poor judgment, pessimism, Anxious or racing thoughts and constant worrying. Physical symptoms of stress are: Aches and pains, Diarrhea or constipation, Nausea or dizziness, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, loss of sex drive and frequent colds. Emotional symptoms are: Moodiness, Irritability or short temper, anxiety, inability to relax, Feeling overwhelmed sense of loneliness and isolation, Depression and general happiness. Emotional symptoms are: over eating or less eating, sleeping too much or taking little sleep, procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities, using alcohol, cigarettes or drug to relax, nervous habits e.g. nail biting.
Stress can be self-generated and the signs and symptoms of stress can caused due to psychological and medical problems. If you have any of the above signs or symptoms then it is important for you to consult your doctor. Only they can tell you whether your symptoms are related to stress of not. As you cannot avoid stress in your life but you can control it so becomes important to consult your doctor. So healthy and be safe.
How can I identify the signs of stress?
Symptoms of Stress
Stress can have a gradual onset, and many people do not realize they are depressed.
Symptoms of depression include:
Low Energy – You can’t understand why you are usually tired despite not performing a lot.
Not getting enough sleep– You may find it difficult to fall asleep. Even if you control to go to sleep, you wake up during the night, and find it hard to get back to sleep again.
Lack of concentration – Even if you are already used to being focused, it is possible that you will have difficulty concentrating and you will not be able to feel the issues. People who used to do lists to achieve their objectives, find it quite difficult and often give up on having the intention. (What are the symptoms of depression)
Forgetfulness – This is usually quite worrying for people who have a very good memory, and those who come across now are actually forgetting things.
Change in Habits – People who will be depressed sometimes improve their consumption of foods, especially very few healthy foods. Many people go the opposite and fail to find the motivation to take in.
You get irritable—sometimes you can pick it up on the people closest to you.
Five steps to help protect yourself from stress
1. Eat healthily
- Eating healthily can reduce the risks of diet-related diseases39
- There is a growing amount of evidence showing how food affects our mood40 and how eating healthily can improve this
- You can protect your feelings of wellbeing by ensuring that your diet provides adequate amounts of brain nutrients such as essential vitamins and minerals, as well as water41
2. Be aware of smoking and drinking alcohol
- Try not to, or reduce the amount you smoke and drink alcohol
- Even though they may seem to reduce tension initially, this is misleading as they often make problems worse42
3. Exercise
- Try and integrate physical exercise into your lifestyle as it can be very effective in relieving stress
- Even just going out and getting some fresh air, and taking some light physical exercise, like going for a walk to the shops can really help43
4.Take time out
- Take time to relax
- Strike the balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself, this can really reduce stress levels
- Tell yourself that it is okay to prioritise self-care · Are you needing time out but saying ‘I just can’t take the time off’, if so read more about how taking a break is important for good mental health
5. Be mindful
- Mindfulness is a mind-body approach to life that helps us to relate differently to experiences. It involves paying attention to our thoughts and feelings in a way that increases our ability to manage difficult situations and make wise choices
- Try to practice mindfulness regularly
- Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time
- Research has suggested that it can reduce the effects of stress, anxiety and related problems such as insomnia, poor concentration and low moods, in some people44
- Our Be Mindful website features a specially developed online course in mindfulness, as well as details of local courses in your area
