Ten Major Causes Of Mental Stress

“People are disturbed not by a thing, but by their perception of a thing” – Epictetus (Greek Philosopher)

Increasing demands makes stress common in our lives. Frequent mental stresses can lead to chronic health conditions. Don’t let a problem create another problem. Try to be more optimistic and flexible in approaching a problematic situation. 

Let’s talk about the causes of mental stress and the common reasons behind them.

1. Workplace stress: For many people, stress at work is the biggest stress in their lives. Even though workplace stress is common, being frequently stressed can affect both mental and physical health. There are various things responsible for stress at work. 

Being unsatisfied with the job, working too much, harassment or discrimination in the workplace, conflicts between co-workers or higher officials, high targets, slow career progress, insufficient incomes, or lack of recognition are some of the common causes of workplace stress. According to a recent article, 55% of India’s employed professionals experience workplace stress.

2. Relationships: Like Fawn weaver said, “Happily ever after is not a fairy tale. It’s a choice.” Relationships are the soul of life, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be stressful. The most common reasons that lead to stressful relationships are lack of effort from other people, arguments and disagreements, and being busy spending time with each other. 

The number of causes of mental stress is high in romantic relationships. In today's life, social media triggers people to compare their lives to other people's success, relationships, etc. This may lead them to feel inadequate and low self-esteem leading to mental stress.

3. Job loss: Job loss is a sudden and disruptive change. It is one of the significant causes of mental stress. Losing a job puts you at lots of challenges. Questions about the future, and financial management, especially when there is a health crisis, can leave you depressed and hurt. 

You may feel betrayed and powerless. Emotions can be overwhelming. With the right coping techniques, you can ease your stress and move on with your life. Stop being hard on yourself and develop a network for new employment. 

4. Grief and stress: The death of someone you love is, of course, the biggest stressful thing. Going through shock, confusion, and prolonged periods of sadness is very intense. As time goes, most people can recover naturally through social support and healthy habits. Some people may need the help of mental health professionals to recover. Know about the symptoms and treatment of clinical depression.

5. Financial troubles: Common situations which can cause financial stress is job loss, unexpected medical expenses, increased costs of living, and inability to pay the debt. Financial stress can negatively affect relationships with others. Worrying about financial problems constantly can also result in mental stress.

6. Influence of personality: Being pessimistic, less flexible, unrealistic expectations, inability to accept the things which can’t be controlled and rigid thinking are causes of mental stress. Certain people respond more negatively or positively to stress triggers.

The attitude and perception of a person lets him/her see a situation as minor discomfort or stressful event. And also, a situation that looks stressful to someone may be fun to others. For example, some people enjoy talking on stage while others find it stressful to even stand up on stage.

7. Childcare: The factors which lead to parenting stress are a busy schedule, low levels of social support, being a single parent, a child with medical or emotional problems, and economic background. 

Excessive parenting stress can make you less sensitive to children and can lead to poor parent-child relationships. It may affect a child’s health and development.

8. Traumatic stress: Examples of traumatic stress include natural disaster, theft, assault, rape, severe accident, and war. People under traumatic stress may experience emotional and physical symptoms that disturbs their mental health.
 

9. Major life changes: Diagnosed with a severe illness, divorce, unhappy marriage, imprisonment, injury, retirement, or moving to a new home are some of the major life changes that make a big impact on your mental health. Some people struggle to cope up with these sudden and significant  changes in their life which results in mental stress.

10. Stress from caregiving: While taking care of loved ones with injury, illness, or disability; you might feel exhausted and overwhelmed at a certain point of time. Constant worry, tiredness, and spending maximum time in caregiving may make you lose interest in  activities you used to enjoy. 

Too much stress can harm your mental and physical health. When there are things you can’t change or there are no clear answers, all you have to do is accept. Focus on what you are able to do and seek social support.

Take In Charge Of Your Mental Stress

How we perceive and respond to a cause of stress largely impacts our ability in handling it. So, try to avoid unrealistic expectations and negative mental attitudes. Surround yourself with people who are supportive and positive. Know more about the causes of mental stress and assess what to expect in solving the problem. Whatever might be the problem, you can handle it without getting stressed by following many healthy ways. This might relieve your mental stress.