Deadlines, commitments, work stress, the latest buzz word

Stress has become the latest buzz word and, according to a clinical psychologist, stress is very real and can cause anxiety and depression.

Antoine Schembri Wismayer said that a certain degree of stress was a good thing, but when this became chronic then it created problems.

With today's fast life crammed with deadlines, family commitments and work, stress has become an unavoidable consequence of life.

The Maltese suffer from less work-related stress than their European counterparts, according to a report prepared by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, which was carried out among EU member states and acceding countries.

Only 17 per cent of the Maltese workforce claimed they were suffering from work-related stress while 20 per cent reported they experienced fatigue.

The average level of fatigue in acceding and candidate countries is 41 per cent. It is 23 per cent in EU member states.

Despite the comparatively low figures for Malta, the problem of stress here is very real and many go about their day engrossed in whatever they are doing without realising that they could be pushing themselves too far.

"Those who develop the symptoms of stress, such as palpitations, migraines and breathlessness, worry that they have a heart problem or brain tumour without realising that stress is the culprit," Dr Schembri Wismayer explained.

"I see a lot of people in Malta who follow a pattern of life that predisposes them to stress. It is not uncommon to find a man holding down two jobs and a woman juggling a career and family life," he said.

These people hardly have the chance to relax and devote quality time to themselves as a couple and as an individual, or to their family.

"People get on the treadmill of life and then find it difficult to get off," he said.

It is only when people start to develop health symptoms that they actually take stock of the situation and seek a doctor.

"I have to say that anxiety disorders and depression are the two biggest side-effects of stress and clients are usually young people and families," he said.

Dr Schembri Wismayer said stress put a lot of strain on the heart, often as a direct result of high blood pressure, coupled with the fact that, when under stress, people tended to eat junk food on the go, smoked to cope with life, and were too busy to exercise.

When the body is under stress it experiences a fight-or-flight response to help deal with short-term danger but running away from pressing problems is not always the solution.

"People deal differently with stress according to the individual's outlook on life. Being stressed changes the way we look at things, making it harder to deal with the problem," he said.

Despite this, a lot of small changes alleviate stress, among them breaking it down into individual problems that can be tackled.

It was also crucial to adopt a healthy lifestyle: getting enough sleep, steering clear of stimulants, eating well and exercising to beat the blues.

"It's been proved that exercise is a natural painkiller which has a great impact on alleviating your mood," Dr Schembri Wismayer said.

So if you are constantly complaining about how stressed you are, book yourself into a massage parlour or, for a cheaper option, just go for a brisk walk - it will help you see your problems in a new light.