Job loss is ranked as one of the most stressful life events. Understanding the nature and impact of stress is an important first step in overcoming the challenges of a layoff.

The Nature of Stress

Job loss is more than an occupational and economic challenge; it is an extraordinarily stressful experience that can impact all facets of your life. In fact, job loss is consistently ranked as one of life’s most stressful events. Understanding the nature and impact of stress is an important first step in overcoming the challenges of job loss.

We all experience stress. Nevertheless, stress is difficult to define. If you ask a dozen people to define stress, you will get a dozen different definitions. One of the most widely accepted approaches to understanding stress is to distinguish between stressors and the stress response.

Stressors

We usually think of stressors as negative events; however, any demand we judge to be more than we can comfortably manage is a stressor.

• A stressor can be positive (a job promotion) or negative (a job loss).
• A stressor can be external (adjusting your budget after job loss) or internal (worrying about when you will find work).

Experiences like sitting in traffic or managing multiple demands are sometimes stressful to some people. Events such as job loss or illness, however, are stressful to most people most of the time.

The Stress Response

Stress responses are the physiological changes that automatically occur when we encounter a stressor. Stress responses include:

• Increased heart rate
• A rise in blood pressure
• Rapid breathing
• Change in blood flow
• Increased muscle tension
• Heightened mental alertness
• Release of stress hormones and adrenaline

When the stress response is triggered, our bodies rapidly become aroused. The stress response is also known as the fight or flight response because it prepares us for the actions necessary to face stressors.

The Impact of Stress

The stress response protects us by preparing us for action and allowing us to meet the challenges we face. Beyond a certain point, however, the stress response stops being helpful and begins to disrupt our overall health and well being. The more frequently the stress response is activated, the more readily it becomes a trigger and the harder it is to turn off. The resulting long-term exposure to the arousal of the stress response may lead to serious physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral problems.

Signs That You May Be "Stressed Out"

Recognizing when your stress levels are getting out of control is important. The following Stress Thermometer is a useful tool for measuring your responses to stress. Review the list of signs and symptoms of stress overload and check off the items that you currently experience. The more signs and symptoms you are experiencing, the closer you are to stress overload. Use the Stress Thermometer periodically to assess how much stress related distress you are experiencing. Over time, you will be able to discover physical, mental, emotional and behavioral cues that indicate you are reaching stress overload.

Keep in mind that these signs and symptoms can be caused by other medical or psychological problems. Stress can cause these symptoms to appear, it may worsen existing problems, or it may not be a significant factor. If you experience persistent symptoms, see your doctor to determine whether your symptoms are stress-related.

Managing the Effects of Stress

Managing stress is all about being active and taking charge. It involves changing stressful situations when you can, adjusting your reactions when you can’t, taking charge of your well being and making time for rest and relaxation.

To learn more about managing the specific challenges associated with job loss and to develop every day habits and strategies that prevent or reduce the negative impacts of stress, go to Coping with Job Loss later in this article.

Take Control of Your Health

You can reduce your susceptibility to the negative health effects of stress by adopting a healthier lifestyle.

1. Exercise regularly
   Make time for 20–30 minutes of exercise at least three times per week. Exercise reduces and prevents the negative effects of stress and helps release stored up stress and tension.
2. Get enough sleep
   Sleep deprivation increases overall strain while adequate sleep refreshes the mind and body, which increases our ability to deal with stress.
3. Eat a healthy diet
   Food is fuel. Well-nourished people have increased energy and stamina for coping with the challenges of life.
4. Avoid alcohol, tobacco and drugs
   Self-medicating to reduce the effects of stress with substances changes nothing and often introduces additional problems.
5. Maintain regular contact with your health care team
   Prevention and early detection are important keys to staying healthy.

Strengthen Your Relationships

A strong social support network is the most effective buffer against the negative impacts of stress. Trusted, caring friends can provide tangible assistance or emotional support and comfort. For practical tips on building strong, buffering relationships, go to Coping with Job Loss later in this article.

Learn to Relax and Have Fun

Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing help to reverse the stress response and return the body to a state of calm and balance. In addition, making time for pleasurable activities when experiencing stress provides a sense of balance and renewal.

Take Control of Your Thoughts

As thinking people, we constantly review and evaluate what is happening to us. Though we don’t pay attention to these thoughts and evaluations most of the time, they can impact our experience profoundly by making a situation more or less stressful. To learn more about how to develop thoughts and attitudes that are proven to reduce the negative impacts of stress go to Avoiding Self-Defeating Thinking.