Stress is one of the main causes of illness in modern society. To alert the public to the risks, September 27 was established as International Stress Day. According to IDOMED psychologist Felipe Barata Amaral, this date provides an opportunity to talk about its manifestations and forms of treatment.

Chronic stress affects 28% of the world’s population. Photo: Freepik/Reproduction/ND

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), about 28% of the world’s population suffers from symptoms of chronic stress. The disease is more common among young people: it occurs in 35.1% of people aged 18 to 24, 26.6% of people aged 25 to 34, and 22.9% of people aged 35 to 44 . These numbers may be underestimated because many cases remain undiagnosed.

“Situations that cause distress to the point of causing distress (and are diagnosed as stress) are usually associated with an overload of mental effort, such as worrying about defending a final course paper or sleep deprivation due to an insomniac child,” – explains the specialist.

He adds that the main causes of this condition tend to be increased workload, uncertainty about the future, comparisons with other people, double (or triple) working hours, problems commuting in large cities and excessive amounts of visual and auditory stimuli.

Factors generating stress

WHO data shows Brazil has the most anxious population in the world. According to the IDOMED professor, two factors are needed to understand this scenario: the unstable economic situation of families and the understanding that the other is a competitor.

The expert explains that people are often forced to sell their labor in situations that are sometimes humiliating and inhumane, and this is a major stressor.

Amaral also says that the understanding that the other is an intruder, a competitor and a possible usurper of opportunity, without a mutual process of help and acceptance in the relationship, but only with a constant threat, is also a generator of chronic stress.

Headaches, muscle pain, and difficulty concentrating are the main symptoms of stress. Photo: Disclosure

Main symptoms of chronic stress

Among the most common physical symptoms of the disease: headaches, muscle pain, difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, impulsivity, more explosive emotional reactions, gastrointestinal symptoms, migraines, temporary blindness, loss or excess of appetite, etc.

In the mental sphere, the most common symptoms are: demotivation, mixed symptoms of depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, impaired self-esteem, panic attacks, dissatisfaction with life and others.

“It is normal for us to develop some of these symptoms in everyday life, but when they begin to become intense and increasingly persistent, there comes a time when we should worry, seek help and, above all, re-evaluate our life choices,” warns the psychologist.

How to treat stress

To cope with these factors, Felipe encourages people to think about their potential and especially their limits. Organizing the things you need to do during the day to allow time for leisure and relaxation can help reduce stress.

The psychologist also advises balancing periods of socializing with periods of solitude to restore energy. It is also important to prioritize proper nutrition and exercise, and be attentive to both the level of external and internal needs.

Collectively, some actions can be taken such as refusing demands and messages outside of work hours, adopting non-aggressive communication and creating a healthy work environment among employees, combating biased practices such as racism and misogyny.

“The message I leave is very simple: no demand is worth neglecting. Unlike a cold or small scratches on the skin, which go away after the symptoms subside, mental illness leaves traces so deep that they change the personality,” the specialist concludes.