How we manage stress can make a huge difference in how we look after our mental and physical wellbeing. April marked Stress Awareness Month and EIC are discussing ways to identify stress, the common causes and how best to cope.

Identifying stress

Stress is a natural physiological and psychological response to demands and threats. When we face a challenge, our body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare us for action — a reaction known as the “fight-or-flight” response. While stress is a normal part of life, persistent, unrelieved stress can lead to distress.

To identify stress, look for signs such as irritability, anxiety, depression, headaches, and sleep disturbances. People under stress may also experience muscle tension, changes in appetite, or difficulty concentrating. It’s crucial to differentiate between short-term stress, which can be motivating, and chronic stress, which can be harmful and lead to health issues like hypertension and a weakened immune system.

Coping with stress

Coping with stress effectively requires both short-term strategies to manage immediate stressors and long-term techniques to maintain overall well-being. Short-term strategies include deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, or taking a walk to clear your mind. Long-term stress management involves regular physical activity, maintaining a balanced diet, ensuring adequate sleep, and pursuing hobbies.

It’s also essential to recognise when to seek professional help. Therapists and counsellors can provide support and teach coping strategies to manage stress better. Building a network of friends and family for emotional support is equally important. With practice, you can build resilience to bounce back from life’s challenges.

Work stress & burnout

Work stress occurs when the demands of the job exceed an individual’s ability to cope. Factors such as high workloads, tight deadlines, and challenging relationships with colleagues or managers can contribute to work stress. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress. It’s characterized by feelings of energy depletion, cynicism related to one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy.

Preventing burnout involves recognizing early signs of work stress and taking steps to manage it. Employers can help by promoting a healthy work-life balance, providing support resources, and ensuring workloads are manageable. Individuals can reduce stress by setting clear boundaries between work and personal life, practicing relaxation techniques, and seeking support from colleagues, friends, or professionals.

Family and relationships

Families are systems of interconnected and interdependent individuals; any change in one member affects the whole system. Stress within a family can arise from various sources such as financial difficulties, illness, or interpersonal conflict. In relationships, stress can stem from communication breakdowns, mismatched expectations, or external pressures.

To maintain healthy family dynamics, it’s important to communicate openly, share responsibilities, and support each other during stressful times. Building strong, supportive relationships requires time, effort, and the willingness to resolve conflicts constructively. Cultivating empathy and understanding within the family unit can significantly reduce stress levels.

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In the high-pressure environment of the electrical industry, where precision and constant attention to detail are the norms, it’s not uncommon for professionals to seek outlets for stress relief.

However, when these outlets take the form of gambling, what starts as a harmless diversion can swiftly turn into an addiction, posing significant risks to personal and professional wellbeing.

Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling or gambling disorder, is an impulse-control disorder. It’s characterised by an uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it begins to take. Unlike other addictive behaviours, gambling addiction often goes undetected and can be a challenge to recognise. Gambling can be accessed almost anywhere and most importantly, it isn’t illegal – which means that a high volume of those who engage in frequent gambling, are unable to identify it as an unhealthy habit.

For electrical industry professionals, the precision and risk management skills honed on the job can misleadingly boost confidence in gambling activities. The illusion of control in games of chance, combined with the high-stress nature of the industry, can make individuals more susceptible to gambling addiction.

Signs of gambling addiction

• Spending more money or time on gambling than one can afford
• Becoming secretive with the use of gambling platforms
• Struggling to control or stop gambling
• Neglecting work, family, or personal responsibilities
• Borrowing money or selling possessions to gamble
• Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut down on gambling

Gambling addiction doesn’t just affect the individual; it has a wider impact, often including family members, friends and colleagues. In our industry, safety is paramount. Excessive gambling is just one factor that can cause stress and act as a distraction which may lead to critical errors on the job.

Seeking help

It can be difficult to know where to turn if gambling is negatively impacting you or someone that you care about. It is important to remember that there is always help and support available. As an employer, if you have concerns about colleagues and excessive gambling, please consider the following:

Professional Support: Sensitively encourage employees to seek help from professionals specialising in gambling addiction.

Peer Support: Create a support system within the workplace where colleagues can share experiences and offer support.

Awareness and Education: Offering regular workshops on the risks of gambling addiction and how to recognise the signs can be invaluable. 

Support

Gambling addiction, often called the ‘hidden illness’, can strain relationships, and deeply affect those surrounding the person who is gambling. Unlike some substance addictions, symptoms are less visible, but there are indicators to watch for:

• Increased irritability, anger, or restlessness.
• Secretive behaviour when using online applications/gambling platforms
• Being preoccupied with gambling
• Financial signals such as money problems, or taking out loans
• Deceitfulness
• Changes in sleeping patterns due to mental health, such as heightened anxiety, depression, or sleep disorders like insomnia.

Approaching Treatment

• Acknowledging the need for help is the first critical step.
• Explore treatment options, understanding the underlying causes of the addiction. This might include therapy, either individually or group based.
• The Electrical Industries Charity can guide you to appropriate resources and support groups, offering a network of assistance tailored to those in the electrical and energy industries.
• Tackling gambling addiction in the electrical industry requires a proactive approach. By understanding the unique pressures of the industry, recognising the signs of addiction, and offering appropriate support, we can create a safer, more supportive work environment for all.

Charities and support groups

Help is available from the National Gambling Helpline (run by GamCare) – call 0808 8020 133 for free information, support and counselling. Other resources include GambleAware, GamLearn, Gamblers Anonymous and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

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