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What Causes Stress in Adults?

Stress is a condition or circumstance that causes physical and psychological changes in a person. The body, in response to stressful situations, releases hormones such as cortisone and adrenaline as a defense mechanism. These hormones make the body more alert and ready. When a person experiences chronic stressors, the hormones build up and don't disperse into the blood stream as quickly. This can result in symptoms such as headaches, high blood pressure, eating disorders and insomnia.

  1. Minor Irritants

    • Many people think of big events as stressors, but people are exposed to day-to-day stressors in smaller portions. Waiting in line at the bank or sitting in traffic are stressors that evoke minor to major physiological responses. Daily hassles, like a neighbor mowing their lawn at 6 a.m. on a Saturday or rushing out to put the trash cans out before the truck arrives, cause the body to release adrenaline and prepare for more irritants.

    Work

    • According to a 2004 survey by the American Psychological Association, 62 percent of participants said work plays a significant role in daily stress. Everyone feels some type of stress at work. This is often spurred by office politics, workloads, worries over salary and time-sensitive deadlines. The Worker's Compensation Yearbook reported that by 1995 nearly 50 percent of worker's compensation claims were due to stress on the job. As the economy and job markets fluctuate, so do the stress levels associated with job security.

    Family

    • Families cope with stressors daily, from financial worries to getting children to soccer practice on time. According to a 2001 study by the National Center for Health Statistics, one-fifth of first marriages end within five years. This is because newlyweds are coping with a number of different stressors---living with someone, getting accustomed to another's habits and balancing work and family. Another major family stressor is illness. Caring for an ailing parent or family member, or dealing with any type of health issue, causes individual stress as well as strain on the entire family.

    Trauma

    • Traumas such as severe accidents, death of a loved one and abuse are all contributing factors to stress in adults. Trauma that occurred in childhood is often still a stressor in adults and can affect all aspects of a person's life. Chronic stress from traumas, if left untreated, can lead to health problems such as heart conditions, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome and mental illness.

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