Stress management refers to the wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at

controlling a person's levels of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of
improving everyday functioning. Stress is a body's method of reacting to a challenge.
Stress produces numerous physical and mental symptoms which vary according to each
individual's situational factors. These can include physical health decline as well as depression.
The process of stress management is named as one of the keys to a happy and successful life in
modern society. Although life provides numerous demands that can prove difficult to handle, stress
management provides a number of ways to manage anxiety and maintain overall well-being.
Despite stress often being thought of as a subjective experience, levels of stress are readily
measurable, using various physiological tests, similar to those used in polygraphs.( A polygraph,
popularly referred to as a lie detector, measures and records several physiological indices such
as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers
a series of questions. The belief underpinning the use of the polygraph is that deceptive answers
will produce physiological responses that can be differentiated from those associated with nondeceptive answers; the polygraph is one of several devices used for lie detection.)
Many practical stress management techniques are available, some for use by health
professionals and others, for self-help, which may help an individual reduce their levels of stress,
provide positive feelings of control over one's life and promote general well-being.
Evaluating the effectiveness of various stress management techniques can be difficult, as limited
research currently exists. Consequently, the amount and quality of evidence for the various
techniques varies widely. Some are accepted as effective treatments for use in psychotherapy
(Psychotherapy is a general term for treating mental health problems by talking with a psychiatrist,
psychologist or other mental health provider. During psychotherapy, you learn about your condition
and your moods, feelings, thoughts and behaviors), while others with less evidence favoring them
are considered alternative therapies. Many professional organizations exist to promote and provide
training in conventional or alternative therapies.
Not all stress is bad. In fact, some stress heightens your senses, helping you to avoid accidents,
power through unexpected deadlines, or stay clear-minded in chaotic situations. This is the "fightor-flight" response that your body triggers in times of duress. But stress is meant to be temporary.
Your body should return to a natural state after the situation has passed. Your heart rate should
slow, your muscles should relax, and your breathing should return to normal. The pressures and
demands of modern life may put your body in a heightened state for a long period of time, making
your heart pump hard and your blood vessels constrict for longer than your body can handle. Over
time, these physiological demands can take a toll on your body.
Common Sources of Work Stress
Low salaries.
Excessive workloads.
Few opportunities for growth or advancement.
Work that isn't engaging or challenging.
Lack of social support.
Not having enough control over job-related decisions.
Conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations.
Effects of Uncontrolled Stress
In the short term, a stressful work environment can contribute to problems such as headache,
stomachache, sleep disturbances, short temper and difficulty concentrating. Chronic stress can
result in anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. It can also
contribute to health conditions such as depression, obesity and heart disease. Compounding the
problem, people who experience excessive stress often deal with it in unhealthy ways such as
overeating, eating unhealthy foods, smoking cigarettes or abusing drugs and alcohol.
Taking Steps to Manage Stress
Track your stressors. Keep a journal for a week or two to identify which situations create the most
stress and how you respond to them. Record your thoughts, feelings and information about the
environment, including the people and circumstances involved, the physical setting and how you
reacted.
Develop healthy responses. Instead of attempting to fight stress with fast food or alcohol, do your
best to make healthy choices when you feel the tension rise. Exercise is a great stress-buster.
Yoga can be an excellent choice, but any form of physical activity is beneficial. Also make time for
hobbies and favorite activities. Whether it's reading a novel, going to concerts or playing games
with your family, make sure to set aside time for the things that bring you pleasure. Getting enough
good-quality sleep is also important for effective stress management. Build healthy sleep habits by
limiting your caffeine intake late in the day and minimizing stimulating activities, such as computer
and television use, at night.
Establish boundaries. In today's digital world, it's easy to feel pressure to be available 24 hours a
day. Establish some work-life boundaries for yourself. That might mean making a rule not to check
email from home in the evening, or not answering the phone during dinner. Although people have
different preferences when it comes to how much they blend their work and home life, creating
some clear boundaries between these realms can reduce the potential for work-life conflict and the
stress that goes with it. Learn how to relax. Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing
exercises and mindfulness (a state in which you actively observe present experiences and
thoughts without judging them) can help melt away stress. Start by taking a few minutes each day
to focus on a simple activity like breathing, walking or enjoying a meal. The skill of being able to
focus purposefully on a single activity without distraction will get stronger with practice and you'll
find that you can apply it to many different aspects of your life
Talk to your supervisor. Healthy employees are typically more productive, so your boss has an
incentive to create a work environment that promotes employee well-being. Start by having an
open conversation with your supervisor. The purpose of this isn't to lay out a list of complaints, but
rather to come up with an effective plan for managing the stressors you've identified, so you can
perform at your best on the job. While some parts of the plan may be designed to help you improve
your skills in areas such as time management, other elements might include identifying employersponsored wellness resources you can tap into, clarifying what's expected of you, getting
necessary resources or support from colleagues, enriching your job to include more challenging or
meaningful tasks, or making changes to your physical workspace to make it more comfortable and
reduce strain.
Get some support. Accepting help from trusted friends and family members can improve your
ability to manage stress. Your employer may also have stress management resources available
through an employee assistance program (EAP), including online information, available counseling
and referral to mental health professionals, if needed. If you continue to feel overwhelmed by work

stress, you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can help you better manage stress and change
unhealthy behavior.
Types of stress
1. Acute stress. Acute stress is the most common type of stress. Its your body's immediate
reaction to a new challenge, event, or demand, and it triggers your fight-or-flight response. As the
pressures of a near-miss automobile accident, an argument with a family member, or a costly
mistake at work sink in, your body turns on this biological response. Acute stress isn't always
negative. It's also the experience you have when riding a rollercoaster or having a person jump out
at you in a haunted house. Isolated episodes of acute stress should not have any lingering health
effects. In fact, they might actually be healthy for you, as these stressful situations give your body
and brain practice in developing the best response to future stressful situations. Severe acute
stress such as stress suffered as the victim of a crime or life-threatening situation can lead to
mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder.
2. Episodic acute stress. When acute stress happens frequently, its called episodic acute stress.
People who always seem to be having a crisis tend to have episodic acute stress. They are often
short-tempered, irritable, and anxious. People who are worry warts or pessimistic or who tend to
see the negative side of everything also tend to have episodic acute stress. Negative health effects
are persistent in people with episodic acute stress. It may be hard for people with this type of stress
to change their lifestyle, as they accept stress as a part of life.
3. Chronic stress. If acute stress isn't resolved and begins to increase or lasts for long periods of
time, it becomes chronic stress. This stress is constant and doesnt go away. It can stem from such
things as: poverty; a dysfunctional family; an unhappy marriage; a bad job. Chronic stress can be
detrimental to your health, as it can contribute to several serious diseases or health risks, such as:
heart, disease, cancer, lung, disease and accidents.
Others
Common Responses to Stress
The human body has many common responses to stress. These might include both emotional
responses, such as depression, anxiety, and anger issues, as well as physical responses like
cravings, headaches, sleep problems, diseases, and other detrimental effects on the body.
The Mind and Body Connection
When assessing stress levels, both the mind and body are connected. This link means that
stressful thoughts or actions can sometimes lead to physical effects on the body. For example, a
person who is stressed out might crave sweets, alcohol, or nicotine, which could, in turn, harm the
body by contributing to overeating, weight gain, liver disease, lung cancer and other health
problems. In addition, stressful thoughts, like worry and anxiety that are compounded over time,
contribute to problems like chest pain, arthritis, headache, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Stress plays a clear role in decreasing the body's immunity because as you are on high alert, your
body wears out and your reserves tap out.
List of Common Responses to Stress
The following are some of the common responses to stress. If you are experiencing any of these
symptoms, consider getting professional help before the condition worsens.
Physical Responses
Physical stress includes the problems that occur in the body, such as aches, pains and disease
that develop due to stress. It also includes the responses to those symptoms, such as selfmedicating with sugar or caffeine during times of stress. Some of the physical symptoms of stress
include:
Chest problems such as pain, heart palpitations, and heart disease
Aches and pains in the body, including headache, back pains, and upset stomach
Problems with sleep, such as waking up in the night and not being able to fall back asleep
High blood pressure
Emotional Responses
Emotional stress are thoughts and feelings experienced during stressful situations. For the most
part, these are negative thoughts, although emotional stress can also come from overexcitement
due to a positive event. The human body simply can't sustain an elevated level for long without
consequences. Emotional responses to stress include some of the following:
Anxiety and depression symptoms
Anger and outbursts or rage
Burnout and the inability to focus
Withdrawing socially and forgetfulness
Increased irritability and restlessness
Behavioral responses
aggression (response to helplessness)
withdrawal (conservation of energy when overwhelmed)
suspicioussness
somatic behaviors
Short Behavioral Effects of Stress
In the short run your body is preparing itself for action. It is making you focus on the most important
things.
As a result of this your brain will try and "automate" as much of the non-vital behavior as possible.
This is not a bad thing; by nature we humans are creatures of habit.
You may see this automated stress behavior if you took the milk out twice this morning or if you are
spinning a pencil in your hand while working.
Note: Smoking can also be short stress behavior, but it is not a healthy habit ;)
I like jumping my leg rapidly on my toes like a dog trying to scratch itself where it can't react. I say
"like", but really, I have no control over it. But it is an indicator that I look for and when I observe the
stressful behavior, I know I should look out for some of the more serious long term behavioral
effects of stress...
Long Behavioral Effects of Stress
If stress is in your life over a period, the behavior effects can create 1 of the 2 following stages.
Remember that it is not certain that it will happen to everybody... Stress is individual.
A constant stress situation may happen in your body. If this happens; your stress becomes your
stress. So it is a constant overproduction of stress hormones and neurochemical in the brain that
will not stop even if you take away the actual stressor.
This stage can be very harmful because it can very difficult to observe and recognize the stress. It
sort of comes out of nowhere.
A lot of research has been done in this field, and there are typical signs that you can look for:
An ill temper, often annoyed or easily angry

Biting or picking your nails or the skin around your fingers

Grinding your teeth or biting the inside of your mouth
Rapid speaking
Overeating or undereating
Chain smoking
Touching you face constantly or twisting you hair
Sexual problems (tiredness, loss of libido etc.)

But when you stew on a problem, the body continuously releases cortisol, andchronic elevated
levels can lead to serious issues. Too much cortisol can suppress the immune system, increase
blood pressure and sugar, decrease libido, produce acne, contribute to obesity and more.
Ducks walk out of a lake, flap their wings and they fly off, says Sood. When you face something
stressful, particularly if its not likely to repeat or doesnt have a huge long-term impact, you want to
be able to shake it off and move on with life.

Physiological stress. The process of physiological stress response starts from the moment the
body realizes the presence of the stressor, followed by the sending of signals to the brain, and to
the specific sympathetic and hormonal responses to eliminate, reduce or cope with the stress. The
process of physiological stress response starts from the moment the body realizes the presence of
the stressor, followed by the sending of signals to the brain, and to the specific sympathetic and
hormonal responses to eliminate, reduce or cope with the stress.
Physiological Effects
The brain releases endorphins to relieve pain
Heart rate increases and heart increases its strength of contraction to pump more blood
Blood pressure rises
Digestion slows so the much needed blood may be diverted to muscles
Salivation and mucous secretion decreases - the result is a "cotton mouth" feeling
Pupils dilate so that you have a more sensitive vision
All of your senses - sight, hearing, smell, and taste - become more acute, ready to identify any
threats
Sweating increases to flush waste and to cool down the body
Blood clotting increases to prevent bleeding to death during physical threat
Sugars and fats are released into the blood stream to supply fuel
Adrenaline and other hormones are released into the bloodstream to provide energy
Muscle tension increases to prepare for action in the shortens time
Bronchi dilate, allowing for more air into the lungs
Breathing gets shallow and faster to supply more oxygen to the muscles and body tissue
his reaction is pure stress and is a result of a cascade of hormones that starts as soon as your
brain realizes that a demand is being made on your body.
These physiological effects of stress are meant to be short term. Once the danger passes, the
body should return to its state of homeostasis, the state of internal equilibrium when all the body
systems function smoothly and are balanced.
What are psychological examples of stress?
fear
anger
loss of control
lack of information
body image changes

Psychological stress refers to the emotional and physiological reactions experienced when an
individual confronts a situation in which the demands go beyond their coping resources. Examples
of stressful situations are marital problems, death of a loved one, abuse, health problems, and
financial crises.

chemical reponse to stress

Thanks to the work of our sympathetic nervous system, the fight or flight system that takes over
when were stressed, when you see your bosss name in your inbox late at night, your body reacts
like theres a lion on the loose.
Behind the wide range of both physical and mental reactions to stress are a number of hormones
that are in charge of adding fuel to the fire.
Adrenaline
What It Is: Commonly known as the fight or flight hormone, it is produced by the adrenal glands
after receiving a message from the brain that a stressful situation has presented itself.
What It Does: Adrenaline, along with norepinephrine (more on that below), is largely responsible
for the immediate reactions we feel when stressed. Imagine youre trying to change lanes in your
car, says Amit Sood, M.D., director of research at the Complementary and Integrative Medicine and
chair of Mayo Mind Body Initiative at Mayo Clinic. Suddenly, from your blind spot, comes a car
racing at 100 miles per hour. You return to your original lane and your heart is pounding. Your
muscles are tense, youre breathing faster, you may start sweating. Thats adrenaline.
Along with the increase in heart rate, adrenaline also gives you a surge of energy which you
might need to run away from a dangerous situation and also focuses your attention.
Norepinephrine
What It Is: A hormone similar to adrenaline, released from the adrenal glands and also from the
brain, says Sood.
What It Does: The primary role of norepinephrine, like adrenaline, is arousal, says Sood. When
you are stressed, you become more aware, awake, focused, he says. You are just generally more
responsive. It also helps to shift blood flow away from areas where it might not be so crucial, like
the skin, and toward more essential areas at the time, like the muscles, so you can flee the
stressful scene.
Although norepinephrine might seem redundant given adrenaline (which is also sometimes called
epinephrine), Sood imagines we have both hormones as a type of backup system. Say your
adrenal glands are not working well, he says. I still want something to save me from acute
catastrophe.
Depending on the long-term impact of whatevers stressing you out and how you personally
handle stress it could take anywhere from half an hour to a couple of days to return to your
normal resting state, says Sood.
Cortisol
What It Is: A steroid hormone, commonly known as the stress hormone, produced by the adrenal
glands.
What It Does: It takes a little more time minutes, rather than seconds for you to feel the
effects of cortisol in the face of stress, says Sood, because the release of this hormone takes a
multi-step process involving two additional minor hormones.
First, the part of the brain called the amygdala has to recognize a threat. It then sends a message
to the part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which releases corticotropin-releasing hormone
(CRH). CRH then tells the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which
tells the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Whew!
In survival mode, the optimal amounts of cortisol can be life saving. It helps to maintain fluid
balance and blood pressure, says Sood, while regulating some body functions that arent crucial in
the moment, like reproductive drive, immunity, digestion and growth.

You arent weak you are just bored and unhappy.

Dig Deeper
You hate your boss. Your coworkers give you the cold shoulder. Your to-do list is either painfully
boring or terrifyingly long. These sound like valid reasons to hate your job. But in truth, theyre only
the surface cause of your misery. Dig deeper, and youll discover underlying reasons youre
unhappy at work that are, fortunately, fixable.
What You Say: Im Bored at Work
The Real Reason: Your efforts have been unrecognized.
The Symptoms: You feel unmotivated. You seek out diversions to real work, such as updating
social media or shopping a flash sale.
The Solution: Seek out feedback.
If youre bored at work, it could be because youve been doing the same thing for too long and
youre ready for a change. Or it could be that you feel no matter how hard you work, you never get
that atta girl! you deserve. If either is the case, seeking out feedback from your boss is a way to
end this morale killer.
A lot of times, a supervisor is not aware that someone is looking to move up the ladder, Murray
says. If you dont say anything, and you appear to be doing your job well, the thought usually is,
Lets keep that person in that job. You have to take the initiative and let your boss know, I want
more opportunities to learn more things.
So, the next time you submit that big project and get zero feedback in return, dont let it discourage
you. Instead, ask your boss what she thought of it, and ask her for something more challenging
next time around.
What You Say: The Hours are Too Long
The Real Reason: Youre overloaded with responsibilities but are afraid to push back and say, No,
I cant take on more.
The Symptoms: Youre the first in and/or the last to leave, and even when youre not at work you
have a Pavlovian response to the ding from your smartphone.
The Solution: Talk to your boss about suggestions on ways to better organize and prioritize your
workload.
Some people dont know how to say no to added responsibilities, and with the way the economy
has been theres been a lot of fear around saying no, says Murray. But now that the economy is
turning around, tell your boss you need to discuss your workload and get better ideas on how to
organize it.
Ideally, having this conversation will open your boss eyes to exactly how much you have to get
done--and how impossible that is within a 40-hour workweek. Also, she might give you guidance on
what to prioritize and what deadlines can be spaced out a bit more. This can give you some muchneeded breathing room (and some recognition from a supervisor who might not have realized how
much youve been working).
What You Say: I Hate My Co-workers
The Real Reason: The problem might not be the people but rather the culture of the organization.
The Symptoms: You feel ganged up on or left out, or you find yourself arguing--a lot.
The Solution: If the culture isnt the right match for you, you should consider moving on.
If the workplace culture doesnt mesh with your personality, odds are the people there wont either.
For example, if the business feeds on competition amongst coworkers, and youre not a
competitive type, youre going to chafe at that type of energy. And thats going to make you hate
the guy whos constantly trying to one-up you, even if in doing so hes just getting his job done.
If leaving the job isnt feasible, figure out how to make the environment less stressful. If there are
people you particularly abhor, make sure you take your lunch an hour after or before they do. Or
request a desk change. And think about the end game. Focus on your work and your goals, says
Murray. Give yourself an 18-24 month time limit. During that time, strive for a promotion and get it.
Then, start looking for your next job.
Before doing something that drastic, realize that work friends often only last as long as youre at
that job. Focus instead on strengthening your friendships outside of the office.
2.
3. Pessimism is a state of mind in which one anticipates undesirable outcomes or believes that the
evil or hardships in life outweigh the good or luxuries.
4. habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep. Several psychological and physiological factors
contribute to the onset and perpetuation of insomnia, such as anxious-ruminative personality traits,
stressful events, age-related sleep homeostasis weakening mechanisms, menopause and biologic
genetic diathesis of CNS hyperarousal. The therapeutic approach in insomnia should be
multidimensional reducing the overall emotional and physiologic hyperarousal and its underlying
factors present throughout the 24-h sleep/wake period.
In a word, yes. Not all insomnia is due to stress, but people who are under considerable stress can
have
insomnia. In the case of insomnia related to stress, alleviating the stress should alleviate the
insomnia. Stress causes insomnia by making it difficult to fall asleep and to stay asleep, and by
affecting the quality of your sleep. Stress causes hyperarousal, which can upset the balance
between sleep and wakefulness.
Nevertheless, many people under stress do not have insomnia.
How can I know if my insomnia is the result of stress, or something else?
As with any symptom, an important question to ask is "when did it start?" Does the sleep problem
come and go with the occurrence and disappearance of stress or does it persist through all the

permutations of one's life? That is, is it situational? Also it is helpful to clarify what one means by
stress.
For example, are you frequently anxious whether or not you are under unusual stress? Is it hard for
you to "wind down" at the end of the day? Are you frequently infuriated? Or do you feel depressed?
If you feel "blue" much of the time, your problem may be a mood disorder, like depression
, more than a problem with stress.
What then should I do to help my insomnia?
No matter what the cause of your insomnia, it's important to get on a good behavior programone
that pays attention to periods of relaxation. I suggest three steps:
First, set your bedtime and your wake-up time according to the number of hours of sleep you are
getting currently. For example, if you are sleeping only five hours a night (even though you usually
plan to spend eight hours in bed), set your sleep time for that amount. Then gradually increase the
amount of time allotted for sleep by 15 minutes or so every few nights. The idea is to "squeeze out"
the middle of the nighttime
5. Concentration difficulty is a decreased ability to focus your thoughts on something.
Concentration difficulties can be related to difficulty staying awake, impulsiveness, intrusive
thoughts or concerns, overactivity, or inattention. They can be caused by medical, cognitive or
psychological problems or may be related to sleep disorders or medications, alcohol or drugs.
Concentration difficulties may be long-term, established conditions, as in the case of attention
deficit disorder, or they may arise as a result of illness or another event.
Medical conditions that are known to cause difficulties with concentration include a variety of
chronic illnesses, sleep apnea, heavy metal poisoning, infections, pain syndromes, traumatic brain
injury, and stroke. Cognitive problems that can be associated with concentration difficulties include
attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, vision disorders, delirium, and dementia.
Psychological conditions that can interfere with concentration include anxiety, depression, bipolar
disorder (alternating periods of depression and elevated mood), emotional trauma, and stress.
Difficulty Concentrating Symptoms & Signs
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stppler, MD
Related
Symptoms & Signs
Confusion
Altered Mental Status
Difficulty With Speech
Difficulty concentrating is a normal and periodic occurrence for most people. Tiredness and
emotional stress can cause concentrationproblems in most people. Hormonal changes, such as
those experienced during menopause orpregnancy, can also affect how we think and concentrate.
Concentration problems, when present to an excessive degree, are also characteristic of certain
physical and psychological conditions. The hallmark condition associated with difficulty
concentrating is attention-deficit hyperactivitydisorder (ADHD), a condition that has been
increasingly diagnosed in both children an adults in recent years. Rare conditions that affect the
brain and some emotional problems as well as endocrinologic disturbances can also influence an
individual's cognitive functions and thus impair concentration.
6. ANXIETY
Hyperactivity: Anxiety Cause and Symptom
Hyperactivity is a feeling of needing to be active. Often it's described as feeling an extra rush of
unused energy that you feel the desire to use.
It's like what happens when you put brand new batteries in a children's toy - the toy, flush with new
energy, works better and more actively than it did when the batteries were fading. Except in this
case it's as though you're putting in more powerful batteries than the toy is made for.
Being "hyper" is a common symptom of a variety of conditions. Even happiness can make one
hyper. But it may also be a symptom of anxiety, and in some cases can actually cause anxiety
itself.
The "Right Amount" of Active
Hyperactivity isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the feeling of needing to be more active can be very
distressing. Learn how to control anxiety that leads to hyperactivity by taking my anxiety test now.
ANXIETY
Hyperactivity: Anxiety Cause and Symptom
Hyperactivity is a feeling of needing to be active. Often it's described as feeling an extra rush of
unused energy that you feel the desire to use.
It's like what happens when you put brand new batteries in a children's toy - the toy, flush with new
energy, works better and more actively than it did when the batteries were fading. Except in this
case it's as though you're putting in more powerful batteries than the toy is made for.
Being "hyper" is a common symptom of a variety of conditions. Even happiness can make one
hyper. But it may also be a symptom of anxiety, and in some cases can actually cause anxiety
itself.
The "Right Amount" of Active
Hyperactivity isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the feeling of needing to be more active can be very
distressing. Learn how to control anxiety that leads to hyperactivity by taking my anxiety test now.
.
Recognizing Hyperactivity as a Problem
Hyperactivity is a subjective feeling, so it's not always clear that it's a problem on its own. Some
people simply feel more active. Others feel a compulsion to be incredibly active and "hyper" in a
way that is extremely disruptive.
Focus first on your anxiety, not on your hyperactivity. If controlling your anxiety stops your
hyperactivity, then it's clear that it was a problem. Take my anxiety test to learn more.
Anxiety Creating Hyperactivity
Anxiety can absolutely cause hyperactivity. Now, anxiety cannot cause ADHD, or attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder. That is a separate disorder that we will discuss later in the article. But
anxiety can absolutely create a feeling of needing to move and be active.

One of the clear reasons is because anxiety rushes the body with adrenaline, which is the body's
way of creating extra energy. That adrenaline is normally released to keep you safe from harm - for
example, getting the kind of energy you need to run away from a predator.
But since with anxiety there are no predators, it can make the body feel anxious and fidgety, as
though you absolutely need to move and do something. For some people, hyperactivity may
actually become its own coping mechanism, where the person tries to complete multiple projects at
once or engage in activities so that they no longer have to think about their stresses. It can actually
be fairly effective, although too much and the person can feel drained or overwhelmed.
Note: Hyperactivity is not the same as mania, which is common in bipolar disorder. Mania involves
extreme elation and disjointed thinking, which is a separate condition.
Physical Hyperactivity
One of the reasons the term "hyperactivity" is complicated is because not all hyperactivity is a
feeling. In some cases, it can be a body part that appears overactive, or the person does behaviors
that are indicative of excess body activity.
For example, fidgeting in one's seat or chair - something that is extremely common with anxiety - is
considered hyperactivity, and it relates back to the adrenaline and the way the body copes with
stress The difference is that the person may not realize they're doing it. Same thing with walking
around. Walking is actually a great tool for stress, and the need to walk may relate to your body
telling you that you're anxious.
Furthermore, hyperactivity is used to describe body parts that are overactive. In fact, the release of
adrenaline from your glands is known as a "hyperactive gland," so one might say that all anxiety is
the result of hyperactivity in some sense. Not all medical terms have such clear definitions because
they're used to describe different scenarios, but many "Hyperactive" issues relate to anxiety.
7. How do hangovers and coming down affect work?
Having a hangover or coming down from drugs at work can be just as problematic as being
intoxicated. Headaches, blurred vision, irritability, problems concentrating, lost voice and extreme
tiredness can all create problems for you and your co-workers.
Alcohol
Sobering up takes time. As a guide, an average person in good health can process one standard
drink per hour.
Hangover cures like cold showers, doing exercise, strong coffee or being sick will not speed up the
process. These cures may make you feel better, but they don't change your blood alcohol
concentration (BAC).
Other drugs
It can take several days to come down from other drugs like ecstasy, ice and amphetamines, so
using these drugs on the weekend can still affect your work.
Do prescription drugs affect work?
There is always a level of risk when using any drug including prescription or over-the-counter
medications.
Drug reactions vary from person to person. If you are taking a drug you haven't had before, you
won't know how it will affect you. It's important to follow your doctor's advice when taking
prescription drugs and discuss any side-effects and how this might impact on your work.
The effects of prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines (e.g. Xanax) can have an impact on
your work and you should discuss these with your doctor. Long term use in particular may become
problematic.
What is an alcohol and other drug problem?
An alcohol or drug problem isn't necessarily measured by how much, how many or what type of
drugs a person uses, but by how the drug affects the person's life and the lives of those around
them. It's often a matter of personal perception.
Here are some examples of a drug problem:
Regularly returning from lunch a bit tipsy, then disturbing everyone in the office and making it
harder for them to work.
Taking prescription medication for a long time, which causes memory problems, clumsiness and
tiredness.
Often taking ecstasy or drinking alcohol heavily on the weekend and then coming into work tired,
irritable and moody the next day.
Concerned about a co-worker?
If a co-worker's use of alcohol or other drugs is affecting you then they do have a drug problem.
This person may not be aware their drug use is affecting those around them, so you need to talk to
them or the most appropriate person in your organisation such as a manager or someone from
human resources.
Find out the facts
If you are concerned that a co-worker is intoxicated while at work, it is important to be very sure
that the person is actually under the influence of drugs and not unwell before you take any
further action. It is very difficult to know if someone is impaired by the use of drugs or if someone is
misusing them. Read through the drug facts pages to find out about the effects of different drugs.
If you are concerned that a co-worker's drug use is affecting their work and/or the safety of others,
it would be helpful to document evidence of incidents.
Speak up
If your workplace has an alcohol and drug policy, follow the procedures outlined in that document.
If your workplace does not have an alcohol policy you may wish to discuss the issue with:
Your health and safety representative
A member of the health and safety or other formal workplace committee
A manager, supervisor or employer