Stress in the Workplace: An Analysis Psychology Research Paper (Research Paper Sample)

Stress in the Workplace: An Analysis
Introduction
Stress is a common fixture in human life throughout the world, but in relatively recent times; stress has commonly been referred to as one of most significant factors contributing to poor health in the workplace. The pervasiveness of occupational stress, and the resulting systematic effects have significantly increased in contemporary times. Although a majority of the symptoms associated with occupational stress are similar to those of normal stress; there seem to be unique causes, which are specific to an occupational environment. In the context of the workplace, there seems to be three categories of stress of relevance, which include: short-term stress, long-term stress, and burnout. Through a variety of research and application, effective methods of preventing and treating occupational stress have been identified.
Occupational Stress
In basic terms, stress can be defined as an innate mechanism, which serves as the body’s natural response to adverse, threating, or potentially harmful stimuli. In response to the perception of threating stimuli, the body rapidly activates a chemical reaction, which serves the sole purpose of mobilizing the body to prevent or defend itself from threats (Taylor et. al., 2000). Obviously, threats against physical welfare are not common in the workplace (for most occupations) but this reaction can be activated in response to any stimulus that someone perceives as stressful. The human body is designed to handle stress in short durations but long term, chronic stress has significant negative effects on the body, mind, and behavior. The effect of stress is different for everyone, which is likely one of the reasons for it being extremely difficult to manage. In summary, occupational stress can be considered a variation of the stress response in the context of the workplace.