What Causes Stress at Home?

Stress is something that we all have to deal with on a daily basis. Identifying what causes our stress can help us to deal with it more proactively and positively. There are many factors in the workplace that cause stress, but our home lives can bring us just as much, if not more, anxiety. So let's look at some common causes of stress in the home, including finances, family, health, life changes and even ourselves.

Finances

• We all need money to get by, but it can make your life miserable. According to a 2005 poll by LifeCare, Inc., 23 percent of respondents claimed finances as their leading cause of stress. Many families stress over the monthly battle to stay within a budget, pay their household bills and provide necessities like food and clothing. The decision-making process surrounding a major purchase like a house or car can also cause stress. Losing the income that has provided your livelihood is one of the most stressful experiences in a person's life. Many people are stressed about their amount of debt or fluctuating stock market investments. As we get older, retirement planning becomes a major source of stress as well.

Family

• Family can be a source of great joy, but also great conflict, and conflict causes stress. Spouses who disagree, parents who nag, teenagers who don't cooperate, toddlers who throw tantrums, even pets who chew our favorite pair of slippers all cause stress. Most of us also constantly worry about our family members, and worry is just another word for stress. We are concerned about our family's safety, health and well-being, all of which are beyond our control.

Health and Safety

• Our own personal health and safety causes stress also. People with chronic illnesses such as cancer are under a great deal of stress. Even common illnesses and injuries disrupt our lives, causing stress to mount. This can be a vicious cycle, because stress is also known to cause health problems. Women, especially, worry about their personal safety and being the victim of a crime.

Life Changes

• According to the Mayo Clinic, major life changes, whether positive or negative, bring about stress. People experience stress as they adjust and adapt to positive changes, such as pregnancy or adoption, marriage or a new home. Negative changes, like the death of a loved one or divorce can cause stress for obvious reasons.

Beating the Clock

• Most of us feel stressed when we lack control over our own lives. A major source of this kind of stress is an inability to control our own time. We can't control our time the way we would like to because of our obligations to others. We must be on time to work; we must arrive to the dentist for our appointment; we must pick up the kids when soccer is over; we must have dinner ready by 6 p.m.; we must get to the movie by 8:15 p.m.; and the list goes on and on. Many people say that they don't feel there is enough time in the day. There is enough time, we just aren't in control of it as much as we'd like to be.

The Unexpected

• Experts at the Mayo Clinic report unpredicted events as a major stressor in our lives. When things happen that we weren't planning on, we have to adjust our plans, our routines and our lives to accommodate. This could be something small like an uninvited house guest or a leaky faucet or it could be something catastrophic like the loss of a job, a car accident or the diagnosis of a terminal illness.

Internal Stressors

• We all have internal irritations that cause stress also. Fears of things like flying, public speaking or germs cause us to become stressed when we have to deal with our phobias. Uncertainty makes us feel stressed because we don't know what's coming up or how to plan for it. People with a habitually negative attitude live with a lot of stress because they "create an unpleasant environment in which to live" (MayoClinic.com). Having unrealistic expectations can cause high levels of stress because you are never satisfied with yourself or your accomplishments.