Material engineering and physics often rely on the concepts of stress and strain. Engineers are keenly interested in how much external force, or stress, they can apply to a part or product. Strain is the effect force has on a material. Apply enough stress to a support beam, and it will bend or crack. Similarly, external forces, or stressors, exert pressure on you. Strain is the effect of that pressure. Each person responds in his own way when exposed to stress. Some get anxious, some get depressed, some drink and some shop. Some may eat, while others can't hold their food down. Many take ill when under emotional duress. Take stock of the stress you face and the strain it causes.
Step 1
Evaluate the external stress in your life. One widely accepted measure is the Life Events Survey, developed by psychologists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe. This survey assumes that any event that requires you to change or adjust your behavior causes stress. The survey consists of a list of various events, such as death of a spouse, fired from work, changed jobs, foreclosure, change in responsibility at work, and change in type or amount of recreation. Each type of change carries a specific weight. Online versions of this survey, such as at Stress Tips, have you indicate your specific events. The site then calculates a total stress score and generates a brief interpretation of the score.
Step 2
Assess the impact this stress has on your mood and emotional functioning. Life stress, as measured by the Life Events Survey, can lead to various mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety. Life stress can be chronic, and the strain can accumulate over the course of many years. Because the effects of psychological strain develop slowly, you may be dimly aware of the impact of the stress and the severity of the strain. One strategy to assess psychological strain is to complete standardized questionnaires and screening tools, such as those found at Psych Central and Counselling Resource. These tools cannot provide an authoritative diagnosis, but they provide numeric scores that rate you compared with other people. View these online instruments as screening tools that can help you identify problems and issues that merit further attention.
Step 3
Monitor your daily reactions to duress, and determine if you respond to stress by overeating, drinking or using substances; sleeping; withdrawing; missing work; forgoing personal hygiene; or avoiding life and responsibilities. Evaluate whether you are dealing directly with problems as they arise, or if the stress overwhelms you and compromises your ability to cope.
Step 4
Determine if you need further assistance. If your scores on the Life Events Survey suggest you are undergoing significant stress, and especially if you appear to be suffering from strain, talk with your physician about your concerns. Consider speaking with a counselor or psychologist as well to get an outside perspective and some new ideas on ways to reduce your strain.
Tips and Warnings
- Sleep, irritability and anxiety serve as useful barometers of your level of strain. If you struggle with sleep issues, feel chronically irritated or suffer from anxiety, you may be showing signs of psychological strain due to recent or chronic stress.
