No Health without Stress

‘No health without mental health.’ This statement, which sums up a fundamental approach to the subject, was endorsed by the ministers of health of member states in the European region of the World Health Organisation in 2005.
It reflects the fact that mental disorders are on the rise in the European Union. Almost 50 million citizens (about 11% of the population) are estimated to experience mental disorders. Depression is already the most prevalent health problem in many EU member states . The European Commission has concluded that action is needed to tackle the steady increase in work absenteeism and incapacity and to utilise the unused potential for improving productivity that is linked to stress and mental disorders. The workplace plays a central role in the social inclusion of people with mental health problems. This is why the Commission has invited policy-makers, social partners as well as other stakeholders to take action on mental health in the workplace.

Stress plays a significant role in this context. ‘Stress’ may be used to describe a demand on a person. Such demands are important to allow us to foster our personal development – we all need stress. Stress mobilises our energy. Stress in itself should be seen as neither positive nor negative. Strain and stress is part of life. The physiological reward mechanisms at play when successfully overcoming a challenge, i.e. the release of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins, create what are sometimes unforgettable experiences which positively impact the way we behave. However
relaxation must follow stress.

Our body and mind rely on this interplay between tension and release. This is the basic rhythm that controls our life. If we
are unable to make this switch it can result in long-term stress. Stress of this kind can lead to disorders linked to high blood pressure, disturbed sleep, a weakening of the immune system and musculoskeletal disorders resulting from increased muscle tension.