PSYCHOLOGY PROJECT

STRESS: WORK PLACE

Submitted by: - Anjana Jayan Nair

CLASS & DIV – XI Sce E
GR NO- 50590
ACADEMIC YEAR -2022-23
The Indian High School
Dubai

1
 The Indian High School

Bonafide Certificate

This is to certify that Anjana Jayan Nair of class XI Sci

E has successfully completed his/her project on topic
Stress as guided by Ms. Shabina Mussarath during the
academic year 2022-2023.

Teacher in charge: Ms. Shabina Mussarath

2
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank all the people who participated in the research
methods as without them this project could not have been completed
accurately.

My sincere thanks also go out to my psychology teacher who guided me to

allow for the successful completion of this project.

And most importantly I would like to thank my family whose support and
encouragement helped me complete my project successfully.

Anjana Jayan Nair

3
 INDEX

SNO TOPIC PG NO.

1 What is stress 5
2 Symptoms of stress 5
3 Causes of stress 6
4 Effects of stress 8
5 Therapy and Intervention 11
6 Other treatments for stress 13
7 Method of enquiry 1: Case study 14
8 Method of enquiry 2: Interview 15
9 Impact of workplace stress on individuals 16
10 Bibliography 17

4
STRESS
What is stress?

Stress is how we react when we feel under pressure or

threatened. It usually happens when we are in a situation
that we don't feel we can manage or control. Sometimes, a
small amount of stress can help us to complete tasks and feel
more energized. But stress can become a problem when it
lasts for a long time or is very intense. In some cases, stress
can affect our physical and mental health. Stress can be
defined as any type of change that causes physical,
emotional, or psychological strain. Stress is your body's
response to anything that requires attention or
action. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The
way you respond to stress, however, makes a big difference
to your overall well-being.

5
WHY STRESS?
Symptoms of stress

Everyone has different stress triggers. For instance, one person may
become angry and overwhelmed by a serious traffic jam, while another
might turn up their music and consider it a mild inconvenience. A fight
with a friend might follow one person around for the rest of the day, while
another might easily shrug it off. What's causing you stress may already
be something you're abundantly aware of. But given the importance of
keeping stress in check when it comes to mitigating the effects it can have
on your physical and mental health, it's worth opening yourself up to the
possibility that other factors may be at play, too. Stress can be short-term
or long-term. Both can lead to a variety of symptoms, but chronic stress
can take a serious toll on the body over time and have long-lasting health
effects. Some common signs of stress include:

 Changes in mood
 Clammy or sweaty palms
 Diarrhea
 Difficulty sleeping
 Digestive problems
 Dizziness
 Feeling anxious
 Frequent sickness
 Grinding teeth
 Headaches

6
Causes of stress
Many things can cause stress. You might feel stressed
because of one big event or situation in your life. Or it
might be a build-up of lots of smaller things. Some of
the main sources of stress include work, finances,
relationships, parenting, and day-to-day
inconveniences. Work stress tops the list, according to
surveys. Causes of work stress include:
 Being unhappy in your job
 Having a heavy workload or too much responsibility
 Working long hours
 Having poor management, unclear expectations of
your work, or no say in the decision-making process
 Working under dangerous conditions
 Being insecure about your chance for advancement
or risk of termination
 Having to give speeches in front of colleagues
 Facing discrimination or harassment at work,
especially if your company isn't supportive

7
WHAT DOES IT DO TO YOU?
Effects of stress

When you are in a stressful situation, your body launches a physical

response. Your nervous system springs into action, releasing hormones that
prepare you to either fight or take off. It's called the "fight or flight"
response, and it's why, when you're in a stressful situation, you may notice
that your heartbeat speeds up, your breathing gets faster, your muscles
tense, and you start to sweat. This kind of stress is short-term and temporary
(acute stress), and your body usually recovers quickly from it.
But if your stress system stays activated over a long period of time (chronic
stress), it can lead to or aggravate more serious health problems. The
constant rush of stress hormones can put a lot of wear and tear on your
body, causing it to age more quickly and making it more prone to illness.
When stress becomes long-term and is not properly addressed, it can lead to
a number of more serious health conditions, including:

 Depression
 High blood pressure
 Abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia)
 Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
 Heart disease
 Heart attack
 Heartburn, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome
 Upset stomach -- cramps, constipation, and diarrhea
 Weight gain or loss
8
9
HOW TO DEAL WITH IT?
Therapy and Intervention

You can’t avoid stress, but you can stop it from becoming overwhelming
by practicing some daily strategies:

 Exercise when you feel symptoms of stress coming on. Even a short
walk can boost your mood.
 At the end of each day, take a moment to think about what you’ve
accomplished — not what you didn’t get done.
 Set goals for your day, week and month. Narrowing your view will
help you feel more in control of the moment and long-term tasks.
 Consider talking to a therapist or your healthcare provider about
your worries
 Try relaxation activities, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, breathing
exercises and muscle relaxation. Programs are available online, in
smartphone apps, and at many gyms and community centers.
 Take good care of your body each day. Eating right, exercising and
getting enough sleep help your body handle stress much better.
 Stay positive and practice gratitude, acknowledging the good parts of
your day or life.
 Accept that you can’t control everything. Find ways to let go of
worry about situations you cannot change.
 Learn to say “no” to additional responsibilities when you are too
busy or stressed.
 Stay connected with people who keep you calm, make you happy,
provide emotional support and help you with practical things. A
friend, family member or neighbor can become a good listener or
share responsibilities so that stress doesn’t become overwhelming.

10
Other treatments for stress
Psychotherapy
Some forms of therapy that may be particularly helpful in
addressing symptoms of stress including cognitive behavioral
therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).
CBT focuses on helping people identify and change negative
thinking patterns, while MBSR utilizes meditation and mindfulness
to help reduce stress levels.
Medication
Medication may sometimes be prescribed to address some specific
symptoms that are related to stress. Such medications may include
sleep aids, antacids, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety
medications.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Some complementary approaches that may also be helpful for
reducing stress include acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage,
yoga, and meditation.

11
Methods of Enquiry

12
Case Study
This case study on workplace stress shows how the evidence base
for occupational health underpinned a successful intervention.
Stress, anxiety or depression underpin much work-related ill
health, accounting for 9.9 million days of sickness absence in
2014-15, with, on average, 23 days lost per person. It resulted in
35% of all days missed from work due to ill health. Industries
reporting the highest prevalence of ill health from work-related
stress included health and social care, teaching, public
administration and defence
The Mental Health Foundation claims 12 million adults consult
their GP each year due to mental illness, much of it stress related;
one in six of the population experiences anxiety
The main causes of work-related stress reported to GPs (THOR –
GP) were workload pressures, interpersonal relationships,
including bullying, harassment and difficulty with superiors, and
work changes, including responsibilities and reduction of
resources

13
 .

Impact of workplace stress on individuals and work

Increased stress leads to reduced productivity and increased satisfaction
leads to increased productivity. When work begins to overlap with
workers' personal life this implies a negative effect on productivity.
Quality work is more related to conscientiousness and personal
satisfaction than work load. Energetic and active individuals affect
productivity positively.
The strains the COVID-19 pandemic placed on professionals has only
added to those stress levels. The impact of stress has
serious consequences on productivity and, at the end of the day, a
company’s bottom line. 

 Lack of energy: Although stress is known to give you a burst of

adrenaline, following the initial burst, it will rapidly drain your
energy, which ultimately leaves you emotionally and physically
drained. The lack of physical and mental energy can prevent you
from doing your best, which will have a significant impact on
productivity.

14
  Lack of focus: Good production requires focus, but stress will take
over your mind, making it extremely difficult to focus on the task at
hand, because you are more focused on what caused your stress.
 Constant worry: Have you ever been so consumed with worry about
something that may happen? Stress has a way of taking up your time
by making you continuously worry about something that may or may
not happen; this is time lost that could have been spent on more
productive tasks.
 Reduced creativity: Being stressed causes your mind to wander,
preventing you from locking in on new ideas. It basically limits your
ability to come up with creative, new ideas.

Interview
Madhav, a 26-year-old part-time receptionist and
administrative assistant, had been employed in this role for
10 months working 30 hours per week. He had been absent
from work for a month on the day of the interview and was
preparing to return to work. He disclosed treatment by his
GP for stress, anxiety and depression.
He described previous short-term absences resulting from
nausea and vomiting, relating these to his anxiety at
attending work. In the previous five to six weeks, in addition
to nausea he also referred to difficulty sleeping, restlessness,

15
loss of appetite, palpitations and rumination on his low self-
esteem.
Madhav generally enjoyed his role. He indicated the
interface with the public could be challenging and stressful.
His workload had increased in the previous four months
following the resignation of a colleague who indicated that
he too found this role stressful. Financial constraints
resulted in this position remaining unfilled, increasing
Madhav’s responsibilities. 

Conclusion
Companies need to take a more holistic approach to
worker health, one that extends beyond 9 to 5. If we’re
really going to have impact, if we’re going to care
about our employees — their health and well-being —
and the productivity of our country, of the world, we’ve
got to be investing in the communities and meeting the
health needs of the communities that we live in.

16
17
 Bibliography
https://www.psypost.org/2021/09/experimental-study-
finds-that-office-stress-and-interruptions-at-work-
affect-psychobiological-stress-responses-61848
https://www.verywellmind.com/stress-and-health-
3145086
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11874-
stress
https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/causes-of-
stress
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm

18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27