Published: January 28, 2011
The New York Times reports Freshmen are reporting record levels of stress in an annual survey involving more than 200,000 students. Record Level of Stress Found in College Freshmen
The annual survey of freshmen is considered the most comprehensive because of its size and longevity. At the same time, the question asking students to rate their own emotional health compared with that of others is hard to assess, since it requires them to come up with their own definition of emotional health, and to make judgments of how they compare with their peers.
“Most people probably think emotional health means, ‘Am I happy most of the time, and do I feel good about myself?’ so it probably correlates with mental health,” said Dr. Mark Reed, the psychiatrist who directs Dartmouth College’s counseling office.
“I don’t think students have an accurate sense of other people’s mental health,” he added. “There’s a lot of pressure to put on a perfect face, and people often think they’re the only ones having trouble.”
To some extent, students’ decline in emotional health may result from pressures they put on themselves. Curious? Continue reading
Source: New York Times
Published: November 6, 2010
Stressed worker
Millions of British workers feel forced to lie to their bosses about having to take stress-induced sick leave, research reveals.
A study by leading mental health charity Mind, released to coincide with Stress Awareness Day (3 November), finds that talking about workplace pressures remains a huge taboo.
Stress has forced one in five workers (19 per cent) to call in sick, yet the vast majority of these (93 per cent) say they have lied to their boss about the real reason for not turning up, citing everything from stomach upsets, housing problems and the illness of a loved one as reasons for their absence.
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind said
Stress can be a taboo word in many workplaces, but pretending the problem isn’t there only makes things worse. Looking after stress levels and promoting a mentally healthy workplace reduces sick leave, helps staff to stay productive and ultimately saves hard-pressed businesses money. In the current climate, it will be increasingly hard for businesses to prosper with an unhappy and stressed workforce, so it’s vital they work with their employees to discuss pressures on staff before they escalate. Curious? Continue reading
Source: Mind
Published: October 22, 2010
© istockphoto
For most Americans, vacation is just a memory. The kids are back in school. The 9-5 routine is in full swing. There is less free time. And for many, that equals more stress.
Time — and the perception of time —and stress are definitely correlated, according to Dr. Tejinder Billing, as assistant professor of management in the Rohrer College of Business at Rowan University, Glassboro, N.J. And stress not only impacts individuals — it also affects families and employers.
“Work overload,” she said, “leads to excessive demands on an individual’s time and creates uncertainties about his or her ability to perform work effectively.”
Perception’s important
An individual’s perception is as important in such a situation as reality. [continue reading…]
Published: September 15, 2010
Men with low stress levels are significantly more attractive to women than highly stressed rivals, according to new research conducted at the University of Abertay Dundee.
(Composite face on the left shows low stress; face on the right shows high stress.)
Dr Fhionna Moore, a Psychology Lecturer at Abertay University, led a research team investigating links between hormones and attractiveness. By analysing hormone levels in young men and developing ‘composite’ images of typical faces, they could judge how attractive a group of women found facial cues to different hormone levels. [continue reading…]
The New York Times reports Freshmen are reporting record levels of stress in an annual survey involving more than 200,000 students. Record Level of Stress Found in College Freshmen
