Stress at work and home - Keep Your Life, Family and Career Intact While Living Abroad - page 46

C OMING TO TERMS WITH STRESS
S TRESS IS ONE of the most talked-about phenomena of the modern world. Almost every day
one is likely to see a new article or miracle treatment for this 21st Century epidemic. Stress
is blamed for physical ailments, such as ulcers and heart attacks, psychosomatic problems,
such as insomnia and headaches, and psychological disturbances, like depression. Careers
falter, marriages break up, and hair turns prematurely gray, all on account of stress. And
nowhere is stress to be found more than in the highly-strung, high-rolling, on-the-go world
of expatriates.
It is easy to blame the increasingly high-tech environment, fast pace and competitiveness
of the contemporary urban lifestyle, as well as the special pressures of living overseas, for
causing stress. No doubt the environment does contribute to the stress one experiences.
However, not every person will become stressed in the same anxiety-provoking situation.
The fact is, some people are more prone to stress than others. This has a lot to do with an
individual's personality, self-esteem and past experiences.
“My lower back pain is killing me. I know my work is not up to my normal standard,
but I can't help it. I hate the way my boss lectures me as if I'm an idiot,” David said
with visible anger.
David, 27 years old, is a senior artist in a foreign branch of an international public re-
lations firm. It is a responsible, challenging position and his first overseas posting. Two
months ago he started experiencing insomnia and hypertension. Naturally, he concluded
these were caused by the stress of overwork. Soon after, he developed severe lower back
pain and stomach cramps, which made working intolerable. As he watched the quality of his
work decline, he began to feel even more stressed.
David has been through various treatments, from prescribed drugs to weekly massages.
The symptoms subside for a short while, then the pain returns.
Stress is a response to perceived helplessness and lack of control over a specific problem
or situation. It is not a physical problem, but rather a physical manifestation. Stress is not
caused only by the external environment or lifestyle, but also by the unresolved conflicts
within a person. Therefore, what most people call “stress” is not really a disease or disorder
that can be treated directly. It is a symptom with its cause varying from one person to the
next.
In David's case, instead of blaming his problem on stress, he needs to examine why he
has stress in the first place. After looking into his background, it became clear that he felt
guilty for pursuing art rather than business, as well as moving far away from home, both