A Critical Analysis of Post-Modern Stress in the Average American

Revision of a 2013 Essay

Police sirens scream, children yell, the guy on the street corner waves a bright neon pink sign about a mattress sale… You turn the radio volume up just in time to come to a screeching halt at the light that went from green to red… Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

If you answered yes, you’re experiencing a problem the Western culture has become famous for. There is so much to do and so little time in the day. People are finding themselves unable to make time for bare necessities such as maintaining sufficient sleeping and eating patterns, exercising regularly and even using the restroom (never mind any sort of spiritual practice or time for mindful presence). Stress is taking over humanity one to-do list at a time. Researcher and journalist William Bento has been one of many to make this observation with his statement, “in today’s publicized year of 2012… there is an anticipated higher degree of stress” (Bento 24). In hindsight, boy was he right.

The Beast We Call Stress

Stress may be the largest monster attacking humanity today. People are working more than 40 hours per week and media reports are causing much of the world’s population to perceive the surrounding world as a hostile place. This sense of stress, fear and tension causes bodies to physically break down and attack from the inside out as levels of cortisol, potentially toxic stress hormones, soar.

Stress causes people to handle complex situations differently than they would in a more peaceful state of being; for example, rather than peacefully discussing a situation with a coworker, someone under significant amounts of stress might go into a rage (Prasad et al. 48). To make matters worse, people are ignoring signs of stress and running away from their problems rather than facing the stressors and solving the problem at its root (Bento 24). With these reactions and insufficient coping methods becoming more common in society, levels of violence and abuse may increase. This is a direct result of individuals’ inappropriate and aggressive reactions sparked by high levels of stress.

People must become aware of their stress levels and the severe damage caused to their health both mentally and physically. Stephen Bodian asked a key question: “have you ever […] worried yourself into an uncontrollable frenzy?” (21). The number of people affected negatively by stress on an unmanageable level within their daily lives is increasing rapidly. There is no escaping the epidemic — or is there?

Many people notice the negative effects of stress they can feel in their own lives and the lives of those around them. Those effects often include exhaustion and the weakening of a person’s work ethic and passion for what they do. Again, the main reason behind these undesirable changes is the pressure stress initiates in the minds of those victim to it. This is particularly detrimental in places of work and study.

Work is an incredibly common place for stress to be initiated and inappropriately released. Golparvar et al. researched the negative effects of stress extensively over several years. He defines job stress as “a condition or situation at work that requires an adaptive response on the part of the employee.” He goes on to say that job burnout may be the direct result of exhaustion by stress in the work place. Developing coping methods may be a way to prevent job burnout and avoid serious health complications (Golparvar et al.)

Combating the Effects of Long-Term Stress

As awareness of the stress epidemic increases, employers are teaming up to conduct research and apply methods of coping with and delegating stress in the work place. These methods of coping with stress include company picnics (increasing a sense of community and belonging, which soothes the stress response), games, crafts and other things which lead employees to become fully present in the moment. This is useful for coming with stress as it brings employees’ focus away from daily conflicts.

These employers are noticing their employees’ increased motivation and productiveness as well as overall well being, all from simple stress-relieving activities. The employees complained less of headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and many other symptoms commonly resulting from high levels of stress. The practice of reducing employee stress has even saved these companies significant costs on employee health benefits and reduced previously high turnover rates (Barringer et al.).

People are in such a hurry to finish one job and move on to another that they overlook a majority of the positive situations surrounding them. Bodian, an experienced teacher and expert on meditation, chides, “these days, it feels like everything is a race: a race to get all the boxes on your to-do list checked off. A race to make it to the next rung of the professional ladder…” (Bodian 21). He goes on to warn, “When you rush breathlessly from one moment to the next… you miss the beauty and immediacy of the present” (Bodian 21).

Religious leaders say it is vital that human beings allow themselves to relax and reconnect with what is most important to them. Health professionals suggest that high levels of stress cause significant destruction to the body and are the leading cause of many illnesses, including mental disease, heart disease, and even diabetes (“Is Stress Making You Sick?” 5).

A Deeper Look at Stress in Our Tech-Dependent Post-Modern World

We have this need to know the answers to everything and to be able to predict the outcome of every event, likely in part due to the instant gratification of Google and the smart-phone era. This unrealistic desire for perfect knowledge is adding unnecessary stress and burdens to our everyday lives. One phenomenon occurring more frequently in today’s society than ever before is the coping method similar to compartmentalization and commonly known as “self-splitting” (Prasad et al. 48). This is a form of repressing stress.

When self-splitting occurs, a person has categorized themselves based on how they feel, act, and speak. If their actions don’t match their beliefs, this causes them excessive stress, and in order to cope with that stress, they may mentally separate who they are from what they do. Bento alludes to stress as “an evil dragon.” He emphasizes the importance of being aware of stress and its effect on your body and mental state in order to prevent damage and unnecessary pain or wear and tear on the body (Bento 24). The human body is strong and resilient, but even the most adaptable creatures can only withstand so much pressure. The human body requires rest and time to recuperate just like with any other living creature; this refreshing of the body can be hindered or even prevented by consistently high stress levels.

Because stress can never be entirely avoided, and can in fact be healthy under certain circumstances and with healthy coping mechanisms, it is crucial to develop techniques for managing stress in order to develop and maintain a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. “Stress interventions focus on providing […] a toolbox of coping methods for dealing with stressors. Some tools that may be of utility during the stress response phase include relaxation techniques […] and meditation techniques. Individuals can be trained in the utilization of many of these tools as a primary intervention strategy,” says one expert (Hargrove et al. 189).

According to Prasad, high levels of stress increase the levels of certain hormones in the body and encourage the development of anxiety and eating disorders. Research on stress often comes to the same conclusion; stress is toxic in extreme levels and a high level of stress is definitely becoming the norm in our society.

Methods to Reduce Stress and Shift Habits

We all know someone who enjoys silence, prayer, or some other activity which leaves them entirely focused on one specific goal — even if that goal is not to focus on anything at all. These are moments of meditation. Peaceful people regularly practice one form of meditation or another. All research referenced throughout this document shows significant results on the benefits of meditation and the necessity that some form of stress management be implemented for the well-being of every individual.

Research on stress and using meditation as a coping method shows that lowering stress levels could lead to less disease among Americans and throughout the world. The first step to making this miracle happen is simple: we must raise awareness of the dangers of living a stressful life by taking ownership of our own responsibility to maintaining our health and sense of inner peace.

Research should now move more toward the idea that people are not stuck in their daily lives, but rather always have the option to make a change. I am curious as to why more people do not break free from their stressful, exhausting lives and make themselves happier and healthier through small changes made over time in order to reduce and cope with stress in a way that feels truly sustainable.

Changes which can be made include practicing better sleeping habits and eating patterns as well as implementing exercise routines, however short they may be. Keeping the body in peak condition increases one’s ability to endure and cope with stress over the long term. Other potential changes for reducing stress include participating in meditation, crafts and other activities encouraging creative focus and presence. Living a stress-free life might be impossible, but we can all make the conscious decision to live a less stressful life one day at a time — and we must. We are responsible for the errors, frustrated reactions, and non-peaceful behaviors we ripple into the world due to our refusal to manage our stress and begin healing our daily lives. Stress isn’t slowing down; the time to start is now.

Sources:

(Please note I was 16 writing this essay- and MLA was never my strong suit!)

Bento, William. “Living With Stress as the New Norm of the Post Modern World: its consequences and changes.” Lipoh mag., n.d. 2012. WEb. 29 April. 2013.

Golparvar, Mohson; Kamkar, Manouchehr; Javadian, Zahra. “Moderating Effects of Job Stress in Emotional Exhausting and Feeling of Energy Relationships with Positive and Negative Behaviors: Job Stress Multiple Functions Approach Moderate Effects: Stress Multiple FUnctions APproach.” International Journal of Psychological Studies 4.4. (2012) 99–112. Web. 29 April. 2013.

Hargrove, M. Blake; Quick, James Campbell; Nelson, Debra L.; Quick, Jonathan D. “CONCEPTUAL REVIEW. The Theory of Preventative Stress Management: A 33-year Review and Evaluation.” Stress and Health 27. (2011): 182–193. Web. 29 April. 2013.

Prasad, Kavita; Wahrner-Roedler Dietlind L.; Cha Stephen S.; Sood Amit. “Effect of a Single-session Meditation Training to Reduce Stress and Improve Quality of Life Among Health Care Professionals: A ‘Dose-ranging’ Feasibility STudy.” Alternative Therapies 17.3 (2011): 46–49. Web. 3 May. 2013.