More from PSYNET Last issue, we discussed the four major sources of stress faced by police officers. Let's now look at people's reactions to stress. The following shows they can be affected physically, mentally and in their behaviour. Overcoming stress - understand your reactions to it Stress can be turned into a driving force for growth and development if you can handle it properly. However, if you adopt a passive attitude, neglect it or escape from it, or use inappropriate methods to release stress, it will become your obstacle. So, it's up to you to decide whether stress will become your friend or emeny. To manage stress you must first understand the symptoms to improve your awareness to your own stress level. The following symptoms are common to people who are under stress: Physical symptoms - headache, stomach and intestinal illness, muscle and other pain, excessive sweating, high blood pressure, fatigue, insomnia, indigestion and loss of appetite. Emotional symptoms - irritability, restlessness, concentration difficulties, frustration, depression, feelings of helplessness, low self esteem, worry and negativity. Behavioural symptoms - heavy drinking and smoking, reduced sexual desire, prone to mistakes, high rate of absence, neglect of personal appearance and loss of interest. Medical research has pointed out stress is the root cause of 70 to 90 per cent of illness (Stratton, 1984). Numerous kinds of diseases are believed to be stress related: heart problems, ulcers, arthritis, allergies, kidney and respiratory problems. Every person has different reactions to stress - you can ask yourself when under stress, what your physical, mental and behavioural reactions are, and these will be your stress index to which you can refer to in future. In the next issue, we will look at adaptive stress coping strategies. (The above was taken from a stress management handbook produced by the Police Psychological Services Group) << Back to Index >>