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With an accomplished background in business and management, being a Member of the Chartered Management Institute, and extensive experience in training and promotion, Douglas has gained a comprehensive insight into the stresses, strains and pressures, which accompany life in the fast lane of today’s challenging commercial world.

Business people are increasingly recognising the value of having Douglas as part of their consultancy team. With one global economic crisis after another, business clients around the world consult him on a regular basis for updates on business trends and new contracts; the outcome of deals and staff issues. All are perfectly valid topics and are vital for the well-being of companies in today’s competitive and volatile marketplace which responds so dramatically to world unrest.

The unrelenting pressure of business in today’s ever-quickening lifestyle has an enormous impact upon our health and well-being. Medical science shows that most illnesses have a stress component and one of the best ways to improve our health is to tackle stress at source. But how, when we are locked in a cycle that we cannot exit?

Stress is an essential part of our make-up; it is designed to prepare us for ‘fight or flight’- thus it is designed to protect us. The problem arises when, after being stressed through a life experience, the ‘stress’ levels do not return to normal and the body remains in the ‘fight or flight’ mode continually.

Stressful experiences may range from things such as:

• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Depression
• Work related problems and retirement
• Death of a spouse, close family member or friend
• Prison sentence, minor violation of the law
• Personal, family member’s illness or injury
• Marriage, separation, sexual difficulties
• Pregnancy, miscarriage or termination
• Family problems
• Financial problems
• Moving home
• Change in sleeping, eating habits
• Holiday, Christmas season

Domestic Stressors

Marriage or a partnership requires a high degree of cooperation between two individuals. This can cause its own inevitable stressors, including lack of communication, differing interests, financial problems, sexual difficulties, unfulfilled high expectations, differing values causing conflict, differing sleeping patterns, jealousy, unfaithfulness, conflicting careers, lack of mutual appreciation, illness and separation.

Children bring their own stressors in the form of sleep disturbances, disobedience, temper tantrums, school transport, conflict between siblings, behavioural problems at home or school, loud play, adolescent aggression, etc.

Economic stressors include recession, inflation, consumer boom and unemployment, whilst Political stressors would include privatisation, dictatorship, urban disintegration, strikes, etc. Social stressors are things like discrimination, isolation, intrusive, abusive or destructive neighbours, fear for personal safety, and fear of crime. High or unrealistic expectations are not uncommon, usually preceded with those self-destructive words, “I should” and “I must”. In fact a negative attitude towards oneself is probably the most common stressor.

Stress can cause muscles to tense and breathing to become irregular. Stress can cause difficulty in concentration and comprehension. Ill health and behaviour problems can follow if stress is not attended to. Stress can also make everything appear threatening.

Thoughts and emotions influence the body. Persistent negative emotions produce physical illness. Each person has areas of the body that hold more stress than other parts. Men especially tend to hold stress in the buttocks and heart area. The neck, shoulders and back are common areas that manifest pain because of stress.

The digestive system, skin, head, headaches and Stress triggers the adrenal system (fight or flight response), flooding the body with the hormone adrenaline, which if it builds up will cause illness.

The following is a list of stressful events relating to junior-age children. They are listed in what was considered to be their order of severity as judged by a group of children and their parents.

• Loss of a parent (death or divorce)
• Wetting in class
• Getting lost
• Being left alone in the house
• Bullied by older children, picked last for a team, ridiculed in class
• Parental rows
• Moving to a new class or school, starting or finishing school
• Going to the dentist; going to hospital
• Tests and exams, taking a bad report home
• Breaking or losing things
• Being different (accent, clothes, parents, size)
• New baby in the family
• Performing in public (music, plays, sport), being late for school
• Anticipating exciting events (Christmas, parties, holidays, treats)

Older Children and Students

• Death of a parent, close relative or friend
• Loss of a parent through divorce, parents having rows or in financial trouble
• Serious health problems, surgery, pregnancy
• Engagement or marriage
• Conflict with parents, in trouble with the law
• Break up with boy or girl friend
• Interviews or starting a new job, insecurity about future
• Sexual difficulties
• Not part of the crowd
• Lack of privacy
• Driving test, school pressures, exams, deadlines
• Difficulty making decisions concern about appearance, weight, identity
• Recent move, home, school, college
• Lack of recognition, general feelings of frustration