STRESSSSSSS

You notice that the morning air holds a faint hint of acid as you walk slowly towards the office door. Everything appears to be, ever so slightly, out of focus, and the light carries an almost imperceptible yellow tint. Unlike other days, you are aware of the effort it takes to walk even short distances, and you constantly feel, just a bit, out of breath. The day has hardly begun and already you feel a great weight resting on your shoulders.

But, the day has begun for others. And, as you slowly open the office door, you can see that the intensity within is already at a fevered pitch. The Receptionist is sitting at her chair, still wearing her coat with her purse and keys lying on the desktop. You can see that all but one of the incoming telephone lines on her console are blinking on hold. Someone walks quickly past the studio door carrying rolls of drawings and you can hear Charles’ voice in the other room calling out sheet numbers as someone else responds with, “Yes! Yes! Yes! No! Yes!”

You walk cautiously into the studio expecting to be run down at any moment by one of the interns. “I see the day has started off with a bang!” you say, trying to sound cheery to no one in particular.

Charles looks up, “Well the Contractor, on the Bedford project called this morning. He said that the City Building Inspector was in his trailer right then and threatening to shut the job down because our title sheet shows list the updated I-Code version that the City adopted the day before the Building Permit was issued! And, Oh,” he continues, “here’s an email from the Structural Engineer. The roof on the Atlanta store collapsed last night in a rain storm.”

“Well, it sounds like we’ll have a busy day planned,” you continue trying to sound positive. “I guess Bob got the Tulsa project to the printer yesterday?” you ask hopefully.

“You mean that one stacked there on the layout table?” one of the interns responds pointing to stack of drawings covered with water stains, dust and bits of ceiling tile.

“Where is Bob?” you ask, peering up through the hole in the ceiling at the air handler beyond.

“I think he went out back to get in touch with his Spirit Guide.” Charles responds, not looking up from the new stack of plots that he is now counting for a third time.

“Spirit Guide?” you comment in surprise. “He used to be a Presbyterian!”

Stressors are factors that trigger stress reactions and set off the human alarm reactions of fight or flight. They can be both physical, such as: noise, lack of noise, high temperature, low temperature, vibration, exhaustion, trauma, etc. Or they can be mental, such as: fear, anger, shock, conflict, worry, etc. Stressors are additive and can build-up and compound themselves when elements of an established support system begin to fail; for example, the server crashes just as the plotter begins printing the Out-To-Bid documents due that afternoon! Physiologists recognize the human reaction to stressors as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) and separate it into three distinct components: Alarm Reaction, Resistance Stage and Exhaustion Stage.

The Alarm Reaction is the immediate response to the challenge or threat. The body mobilizes its parts; the nervous system, breathing, heart rate and muscle tension all coordinate in preparation for action. But, the human body cannot maintain this heighten state of readiness for extended periods. If the stressors continue to apply pressure, or if new stressors appear before the body can return to normal, then the body and its corresponding parts begin to tire, resulting in a number of physical maladies.

The second component of GAS is the Resistance Stage. It occurs after moderate to long-term application of stressors. Unlike the physical Alarm Reaction, the Resistance Stage is the mental conscience or unconscious decision to find relief. The Resistance Stage can be constructive or detrimental depending on the personality of the person under stress. Positive actions of resistance might include: more time with family and friends, greater interest in religion, an urge to exercise more often, or more vacations and other time away from some or all of the stressors. Negative actions of resistance might include: irritability, unreasonable criticisms of self and/or others, misuse of alcohol or drugs, chain-smoking, an increased use of foul language during physical outbursts.

The third component of GAS is the Exhaustion Stage. Although the initial Alarm Reaction of the body is healthy and necessary to keep a person motivated and prepared, the long-term effect is that the mental Resistance Stage deteriorates into exhaustion. It is this time that is truly dangerous. The old adage, “I work better under pressure!” is only true for short bursts. The long-term application of unresolved stressors will ultimately impair anyone’s and everyone’s performance and judgment. Mental symptoms of the Exhaustion Stage include: difficulty in concentration, susceptibility to distractions, increased mistakes and misunderstandings, the loss of short-term memory, depression, anxiety and even suicidal fantasies. Physical symptoms can include: heart arrhythmias, shallow breathing, muscle pain, nausea, anxiety, dizziness, sweating, high blood pressure, intestinal disorders, even impaired resistance to illnesses as well as possible permanent harm to internal organs such as the heart.

Stress management, then, is the development of strategies to either: eliminate some or all of the most harmful stressors, or to observe a sustained program of positive Resistance Stage practices. Certainly, stress management could be as drastic as a change in lifestyle or working environment, but it could also be as subtle as the timely experience of those things that are enjoyable and constructive in life.

“OK, so where’s the Bedford drawings?” Bob announces as he walks into the back of the studio.”

“Where have you been?” you inquire, still trying to wipe the ceiling tile off of the first drawing sheet.

“I went out back to smoke a cigarette,” Bob replies, uncharacteristically, as he pushes the stack of plots aside, ceiling tile bits and all, to lay out a set of prints.

“I guess real stress is when you have to go out back and smoke a cigarette?” Charles comments.

“No!” Bob responds, looking over the top of his bifocals. “Real stress is when your Spirit Guide has to go out back and smoke a cigarette!”

Originally published in April 2002. Updated March 2025