Work Related Stress

Work related stress has been emerging as one of the main causes of adverse symptoms of mental health in today’s industrial societies. The direct result of excessive pressures and/or demands placed on individuals at work, work-related stress has caused some people to develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other adverse mental health effects. While it might be possible that other co-factors contribute to the development of anxiety and depression in some population groups, evidence suggests that pressure from works is more likely to trigger adverse reactions in some people. In fact, positive correlations have been established between symptoms of work stress and mental health problems. That is, it is not uncommon to witness loss of appetite, crying spells, fatigue, and lethargy, just to name a few, among people experiencing work-related stress and depression at the same time. In fact, it is likely that work stress might worsen the mental health problems of individuals with a predisposition to mental illness. Hence, to the extent that mental health is important for the successful functioning of individuals in society, it cannot be denied that a positive relationship exists between work stress and mental health, as can be evidenced by findings from numerous research studies.

Evidently, an overview of what generally constitutes stress from a definitional perspective is warranted before engaging the main points of the present analysis. According to Feldman (2009), stress is defined as “a person’s response to events that are threatening or challenging” (p. 417). As to what triggers this reaction, numerous factors could be considered. For instance, students experience stress as a result of having too much work to get through before ...

... middle of paper ...

... industry.

Overall, it was the goal of the present research analysis to explore the relationship between work stress and mental health. The evidence demonstrates clearly that there is a correlation between the two phenomena. Therefore, cautions must be taken by people working in highly stressful environment, so that they may explore ways to cope constructively with work-related stress. To the extent that a person’ mental health is worth more than any sum of money that could be earned, it is suggested that people who are not able to deal with high levels of stress seek employment in industry where they may be able to sustain minimal levels of stress. Although the knowledge gained from this research will be useful in the future, it is hoped that more research will be conducted in the area in order to generate new perspective regarding these two human phenomena.