Ana María Egido: "The work environment is one of the main sources of stress".

We interviewed Ana María Egido, psychologist expert in psychological problems associated with stress.

Stress is a complex and multicausal phenomenon that affects many individuals, and it is not surprising with the rhythm of life in Western societies. Stress is a reaction, which manifests itself as a mental fatigue that appears as a consequence of demands or performance beyond what we can bear, and can cause health problems not only on a psychological level, but also on a physical one.

Interview with Ana María Egido, psychologist and expert in stress.

From Psicología y Mente we want to address this issue with a psychologist expert in stress. This is Ana María Egido, psychotherapist of El Prado Psicólogos, one of the most important clinics in Madrid.

Jonathan García-Allen: Good morning, Ana. Stress is considered one of the great evils of our time, but what is stress and what differentiates it from anxiety?

Ana María Egido: Stress is an automatic and natural response of the body to situations that are threatening or challenging for the person. Therefore, stress is an adaptive response that depends on the demands of the situation as well as on the person's own interpretation of the resources and capabilities he or she has to cope with it.

If the person interprets the situation as a challenge, i.e., interprets that he/she has the resources and capabilities to face it and that its achievement will have positive and motivating results for him/her, the stress is considered positive and is referred to with the term: "euthanasia".

On the contrary, if the situation overwhelms the person (overload, lack of time, lack or absence of resources and capacities to face it) or if the person interprets that it will have negative consequences for him/her, it is called: "distress".

Although the terms anxiety and stress have certain common components, they are really different processes. On the one hand, anxiety is an emotion that arises in the face of a possible threat; it is an automatic reaction that the person experiences as unpleasant. However, stress is a more global response, it is rather a process that allows us to adapt to the demands or challenges of our environment.

Among the reactions that occur in the stress response may be anxiety, but there may also be other reactions: joy, anger, sadness, etc.

What are the main causes of stress?

According to numerous studies, the main causes of stress can be: natural disasters, loss of a loved one, financial problems, overload and lack of satisfaction at work, problems in personal relationships, separation or divorce, lack of free time or poor time management, preparing for a wedding, the birth of a child, obsession with perfection...

What symptoms indicate that a person is suffering from stress?

The stress response has three ways of manifestation, therefore, the symptoms can be of different nature. Symptoms at the physiological level include: increased respiratory rate, increased Blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased tension and energy support in the muscles (glucose and acids in the blood), dilated pupils (increased visibility), weakened immune system, decreased sexual response, fatigue or exhaustion, among others.

The second way in which stress symptoms manifest themselves is at the cognitive level, which translates into: memory loss, lack of concentration, depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, nervousness, etc.

Finally, the third way in which it can manifest itself is at the behavioral level and refers to the consequences of stress in the family, social and work environment. Symptoms at this level include: avoidance of fearful situations, smoking, excessive eating or drinking, isolation, restlessness, crying, etc.

The wear and tear it produces can be noticeable in different aspects of our quality of life. What effects or consequences does stress have on our health?

As we said at the beginning of the interview, stress is a response or a process by which we adapt to the challenges of the environment in which we live, therefore, our organism is biologically prepared to experience stress responses throughout our lives.

Therefore, there are no irreversible consequences for our health, unless these types of stress responses are prolonged over time and are exaggerated or excessive responses. In this case we can differentiate between acute stress diseases (skin rashes, acne, headaches, muscle pain, digestive problems, difficulty breathing or chest pain, etc.) and chronic stress diseases (anxiety, depression, addictions, insomnia, nervous colitis, migraines, sexual disorders, arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, etc.).

What is the difference between acute stress and chronic stress? Which is more harmful?

Acute stress refers to situations in which the person is faced with challenges in a brief and intense way, they are situations in which we have to develop a solution response in a sudden, evident, easy to identify and generally reversible way.

However, chronic stress refers to the exposure of the person to stressors over long periods of time (months or even years), many times they are stressors that go completely unnoticed because they are part of our routine (they are not so intense or easy to identify) and are much more dangerous to our health, often causing more permanent, serious and sometimes irreversible diseases.

In the workplace we talk about "burnout" or burnout syndrome, but what exactly is it?

Burnout syndrome refers to a form of chronic work-related stress. This type of syndrome is especially prevalent in professions in which people are directly involved (healthcare workers, teaching professionals, customer service positions, etc.).

Its main characteristics are feeling physically and mentally exhausted, progressive demotivation when performing the job and loss of empathy and interest in people. It is a dangerous syndrome that should be detected as soon as possible to be able to put the appropriate means as soon as possible, it constitutes a serious damage both for the person who suffers it and his family, as well as for the company and people they serve in their day to day.

I have been able to read in your web that, in Prado Psicólogos, you have designed a program to reduce stress, what does it consist of?

Our stress reduction program is designed to be carried out in approximately 10 sessions. Although we follow a previously elaborated plan, we always adapt to the needs and demands of each person. We begin with a work of education in emotions, explaining to the person what stress is, helping them to identify the situations or people that trigger it in their case and the symptoms by which it manifests itself.

Once we know the causes and symptoms in your particular case, we develop an intervention plan to prevent its occurrence and minimize and reduce its adverse effects. To do this, we have a type of psychological treatment that combines innovative techniques among which stand out, organization and time management techniques, sleep hygiene techniques, hypnosis and self-hypnosis, creative visualization and relaxation, mindfulness, etc..

Our program is designed both for work stress and for people who suffer stress in their personal lives.

Do you also offer a stress reduction program for companies?

Yes, we are aware that the work environment is currently one of the main sources of stress and we believe it is very important to help both companies and workers to handle and manage this issue in a professional and rigorous manner. These types of programs contribute both to the well-being and health of workers and to increasing performance and productivity, in turn reducing absenteeism (one of the main consequences of work-related stress).

What advice would you give our readers to prevent the occurrence of this phenomenon?

There are many things we can do in our daily lives to prevent stress from becoming dangerous for our health and well-being.

First of all, we have to read about what stress really is and not be afraid of it, since it is a response that allows us to survive, adapt to our environment and manage to solve the challenges we encounter (both positive and negative).

In order to prevent or minimize its adverse effects, I recommend following several tips.

First of all, it is essential to seek social support, the support of people close to us is one of the best ways to mitigate the negative effects of stress. The importance of The importance of social support has been demonstrated through different studies on the subject. Similarly, in our social relationships we must learn to say no. It is also essential to organize and manage our time.

It is also essential to organize and manage our time. Many times we are overloaded and other times we do not use the time in an adequate way, it is convenient to release the demand and to know our limitations of time and space at the same time that we dedicate a few minutes a day to schedule in a balanced way our tasks and time for rest.

It is important to laugh, laugh out loud. Laughter is health, helps to generate positive moods, increases our inner strength. It is a medicine within everyone's reach and without side effects.

On the other hand, I also recommend looking for moments in the day when, for a few minutes, we can breathe deeply in a quiet place where no one disturbs us.

In addition, it is good to listen to relaxing music and enjoy nature, take a walk in a park or, if you have the possibility, along the seashore or a river. Find a place accessible to you where you can connect with nature and feel all the stimuli you find on your way (listen to the sounds, observe the different landscapes, also use touch and smell to nourish yourself fully from that place).

Another tip: take a hot bath, not a quick shower, but a bath or shower with all your senses and knowing that this moment is giving you the calm and well-being you need.

Finally, practice your hobbies: read, cook, play sports, sing, dance, etc. Whatever your hobby is, do it with mindfulness.