How do you know if you're affected by stress?

[northernladuk]

IIRC if you take time off from work with 'Stress' you can be quite easily moved on from that job based on the fact you cannot cope with the job you do.

Obviously need to be very careful to distinguish between those who are using it as an excuse and those we have a really tulip boss which is causing the stress.

Obviously the public sectors slackers are not going to go down that route as to many of them would fall of the gravy train.

Probably

Problem is after all this I have to hang my head and admit I can't stand and have no time for the people that have a week off with stress just becuase they are feeling under the weather. I know it is on a scale of things and some people stick it out better than others but when a young lad at work who is having g/f problems and a couple of debts goes of for a week with stress I find it difficult to treat him fairly. Some people seriously need to grow a backbone. As horrible as stress and depression is it is abused so badly now the people that really need the help get the same stick as the wimps.

[dang65]

I read some where the main cause of stress is to be responsible/blamed for something you have little or no control over.

That makes a lot of sense actually. The most stress I've felt is when I was really struggling to find work last year and my missus (who was no doubt stressed about it herself, to be fair) kept on and on at me about why wasn't I getting work, and why did none of the clients want me.

Trying to explain that even getting as far as interviews was a major achievement at that time didn't wash with her. If I'd been on my own, I really don't think I'd have been that worried - or certainly not that stressed - because I wouldn't blame myself because I knew what it was really like out there and just had to soldier on through it.

It was having someone else "blaming" me that really put some bad pressure on. Not her fault, but I can see the connection because there's no way out that you have immediate control over.

[MarillionFan]

It was having someone else "blaming" me that really put some bad pressure on. Not her fault, but I can see the connection because there's no way out that you have immediate control over.

My missus did that for a while until I said 'You get a ******* job then?'

She shut up then.

[xoggoth]

Be wary of sleeping pills NL. One can go for over a year with little sleep, but that's what it can take to get off damn sleeping pills anyway.

[Croatian]

That makes a lot of sense actually. The most stress I've felt is when I was really struggling to find work last year and my missus (who was no doubt stressed about it herself, to be fair) kept on and on at me about why wasn't I getting work, and why did none of the clients want me.

Trying to explain that even getting as far as interviews was a major achievement at that time didn't wash with her. If I'd been on my own, I really don't think I'd have been that worried - or certainly not that stressed - because I wouldn't blame myself because I knew what it was really like out there and just had to soldier on through it.

It was having someone else "blaming" me that really put some bad pressure on. Not her fault, but I can see the connection because there's no way out that you have immediate control over.

Stab her.

[ChimpMaster]

My missus did that for a while until I said 'You get a ******* job then?'

She shut up then.

Too f-ing right!!

If my wife ever starting giving it the Eastenders attitude with me I'd ship her off SO fast...

Actually mine is quite good. She wants to work part-time and I'm talking her out of it, even though she can earn a reasonable wage for a 3-day week.

[shaunbhoy]

Actually mine is quite good. She wants to work part-time and I'm talking her out of it, even though she can earn a reasonable wage for a 3-day week.

And you are talking her out of it.............why??

[ChimpMaster]

And you are talking her out of it.............why??

tax reasons... but I think she'll do it anyway

[stek]

I suffered from depression for two years or so, around 2001 it started, was the worst time of my life, I just felt like crying all the time and I feared my own mortality, often wondering if the next night might be the one I don't wake up from.

When things had pissed me off before, like being dumped, not getting the gig, not getting the girl I'd always been able to knock it out my head and get on with the next girl chase/job chase, but not with this.

I'd go on mega-long walks, for about 4/5 hours every night to 'resolve' everything in my head and sort it out with extreme analysis. Never did of course.

Then my father died unexpectedly and I thought 'here were go, this is gonna tip me over the edge....' It didn't, I think it knocked some life into me and I came out of it, slowly...

And in someways I think i'm a better person for it, I can see it coming again and snap myself out of it before it gets hold. Having said that I'm suffering at the moment with the same stress-related symptoms as the OP described, basically cos I hate this self-imposed albeit hopefully temporary permiedom and the lack of cash therein. Warchest depleted to almost nowt and salary barely enough to keep what's left ticking over....

The best thing about all this and feeling finally that you're at rock bottom and cliche though it is - you know the only way is up. Or staying there. Never thought of that. Oh no!

[norrahe]

Again, if you think you're stressed and possibly succumbing to depression go and see someone.