uestion 26 Is Anorexia Nervosa due to stress?
uestion 26
Is Anorexia Nervosa due to stress?
The eating disorder anorexia nervosa is related to stress.
In anorexia nervosa, there is a tremendous fear of being fat leading to extreme weight control behaviours such as dieting, fasting, vomiting, exercising to extremes and abusing laxatives or slimming pills. This results in a severely underweight state. Yet surprisingly, the sufferer still feels “fat” and continues to persist in her extreme behaviour.
Stress is also related to bulimia, where patients are not underweight but binge eat (loss of control over eating, usually leading to larger amounts consumed than one usually eats) and vomit.
Many people will notice a change of eating pattern when under stress. Some may lose their appetite, others overeat. In eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, a stressful event often triggers the illness in a sensitive person during a sensitive period of life (adolescence and early adulthood). One common stressful event is to be teased about one’s weight or size. It is also not uncommon for anorexia to be triggered off by the stress of failure or insecurity over too many changes happening in a short span of time. These sensitive people (they usually have poor self-esteem and body image) then start to use the control of eating or food as a means of trying to cope with the stress. Soon this becomes a habit, which they are unable to disrupt because they have not given themselves the opportunity of learning to handle the stress in more appropriate ways. One characteristic of people with eating disorder is the very harsh way they think about themselve, adding to further stress and loss of self-esteem.
In order to avoid falling into the trap of eating disorders, girls should learn to cope with stress in appropriate ways and not use food or eating as a means of stress control. Avoid dieting, as it will only lead to feelings of deprivation and intense hunger leading to lowered self-control. Work on the poor self-esteem and body image by balancing acceptance of oneself with perseverance to change and succeed.
Avoid becoming too critical and harsh
about yourself by learning to slow down, step back mentally, re-examine these
negative thoughts and replace them with compassionate, positive and useful thoughts
about yourself. If you find you’re stuck and not able to help yourself,
don’t be ashamed to ask for help.
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uestion
27
What are the symptoms of work stress?
Work stress may result in or contribute to:
Workplace problems such as absenteeism,
lower productivity, lower morale, accident proneness, increased staff turnover,
dissatisfaction at work and difficulties with colleagues and superiors.
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uestion
28
What are the sources of work stress?
An environment, that is not comfortable and conducive to work may result in stress. Stress may occur when environmental factors are extreme, fluctuate greatly, are unpredictable, and when workers are poorly matched for the jobs concerned.
Examples include extremes of temperature, loud noise, poor lighting and foul smells. Overcrowding, lack of privacy, badly designed office equipment and long hours spent looking into VDU terminals are also possible stress factors.
Too much work and having to meet deadlines are common stresses amongst local executives and workers. Repetitive work has also been described as a form of work stress (especially monotonous repetitive machine work). Jobs which are risky are often more stressful too. The constant presence (or potential) of risk and danger can lead to a constant state of arousal, which may wear down the body and mind.
A common source of uncertainty is what exactly the job entails, for example, its objectives, your superior’s expectations, and what is and isn’t part of the job. Any change in one’s job or position brings uncertainty.
Mismatches may occur between job demands and what the person feels is right, what is part of the job or what he actually wants to do. Uncertainties regarding one’s employment, such as the lack of job stability and/or fear of dismissal or retrenchment, can be stressful.
Another predictor of work stress is the mismatch of the demands of the job and how much control you have (decision latitude). Individuals with high job demands but little control have the most stress symptoms and stress-related illnesses. Not being able to share or contribute to decision-making in the organisation (‘non-participation’) adds to uncertainty and feelings of lack of control.
Examples of career problems include non-promotion, demotion and lack of progress (with respect to financial reward, entitlement or responsibility). Career blocks are often experienced by women working in male dominated fields while juggling home and work responsibilities. Transitions refer to dramatic changes of the work or workplace, for example, job loss, relocation, retrenchment, retirement and corporate merger.
Poor relationships at work account for a great deal of work stress. The quality of employer employee relationships is one of the most important factor affecting productivity. Qualities such as self-centredness, tyrannical over-demanding, impatience, insensitivity, negativity, aggressiveness or shyness may cause workplace relationship problems.
Relationships with your superior may be strained by feelings of unfairness, inconsideration or victimisation. Amongst peers, stress usually arises from competition, communication difficulties and personality conflicts.
Stress in relationships with subordinates may arise when you lack control or are over controlling and demanding. There is a myth, which equates success with the hard driving, tough, independent boss. What matters more is whether an executive can comfortably depend on the support of others and trust them. The successful executive is confident of himself as well as others.
Confidence, trust and mutual respect are important qualities.
Enlightened employers now acknowledge that
they may be a source of stress and changes within the organisation may be
necessary to reduce stress. Even so, don’t expect your boss or company
to suddenly make lots of changes - things are moving, albeit very slowly.
Most companies still see ‘managing stress’ as the employee’s
responsibility, though they may offer help in the way of stress management
programmes and counselling.
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uestion
29
How can the organisations help?
Enlightened organisations are acknowledging that an important source of stress may be the organisations itself. A commitment to reducing workplace stress results in healthier employees and organisations with improved morale performance, lowered absenteeism and turnover rates, and better productivity.
Organisations can pay attention to:
Improve design of working environment and equipment. Education on back care and reducing repetitive strains.
Implement fixed shifts, flexible work schedules and limits on work hours. Resources for training and support should be made adequate and accessible.
State job requirements and responsibility clearly. Define corporate mission statement. Provide quotas or targets and reasonable performance goals. Provide opportunities for frequent feedback. Encourage accessibility of supervisors.
Provide transition (retirement, relocation, retrenchment) and career counselling. Match rewards with performance.
Encourage collectivism vs. individualism (where appropriate); provide group/unit goals and rewards, opportunities to address and resolve conflicts, and to integrate new employees. Make counselling, communication skills and/or assertiveness training and team building accessible.
Reduce authoritarianism. Job reorganisation to increase employee control/responsibility and co-worker support. Semi-autonomous work groups; regular feedback of worker’s suggestions and perception of problems.
Recognise and provide for work: family interface;
enhance the fit between work and home responsibilities. Provide child care
and recreation facilities. Consider flexible schedules. Encourage breaks/vacations.
Adequate maternity (and paternity) leave without penalty; provision of education/skills
on parenthood, marital enhancement, etc. (via lectures, workshops, etc.)
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uestion
30
How do I prevent work stress?
Work is not the only and/or most important thing in life. Accept the inevitability of stress but accept it in a proactive positive manner, regarding it as a challenge: Be in control - not the stress, not the job.
Many top managers are to be found on the many golf courses around Singapore.
Time management reduces uncertainty and thereby stress. Effective time management also brings with it increased feelings of mastery and competence.
Planning improves motivation, stimulates performance
and reduces role stress and overload. Planning also reduces uncertainty.
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