I would like to propose an investigation on Stress and how it can affect a sufferer in their day to day life, in order to increase awareness and acceptance of the problem and design something to help the sufferer cope with it.
“I'm so stressed” is a familiar term to all of us. We have probably all said those words at some point in our lives, whether we have actually felt stressed or not, yet what about those who actually are suffering?
Nowadays, so many people claim to be stressed that it is commonly perceived as 'normal' and not something to be taken particularly seriously. I do not agree with this.
I believe that stress is a massively underrated problem especially in the workplace, affecting thousands of men and women all over the world. It can destroy a persons life, whether they are the sufferer or someone close to them. It can cause mental and health problems. It can cause the sufferer to lose their job. All in all, it is a huge problem so I would like to give people the opportunity to understand what people with stress go through on a daily basis.
Personally, I would argue that in order to really understand a mental health problem like stress you must identify with someone who has suffered or is suffering from it. This is why I feel that observing an individual with high stress levels at their work or at their home and then interviewing them is appropriate. Of course, the subject would have to give their permission as would their workplace/family. This could be carried out by one person as it may be daunting for the subject to be observed by numerous people. The interview could also be conducted one-to-one. I also think that it would be helpful to attach a heart rate monitor to the subject. It is known that a persons heart rate increases when exposed to stressful situations, so having this device attached would provide an opportunity to examine what the subjects heart is put through when stress levels rise.
The way in which I would carry out the observation of the subject is relatively simple. Quietly watching for tell-tale signs of stress - such as fidgeting, twitching, changing facial expressions and sweating - and noting what caused the subject to become stressed. For example, if the subject is in the workplace and is handed a massive pile of paperwork to have completed in a short amount of time, what is their reaction? Do they immediately get on with the work, or do they panic? Are they shaking? Does their heart rate increase? If yes, by how much? Then, maybe a less stressful situation arises – a conversation with a friend. What is the subject behaving like now? Are they still getting stressed? Does their heart rate remain calm or does it fluctuate again?
By doing something as simple as observing the subjects reactions to different situations we can clearly note what causes them to become highly agitated and stressed. It may also be helpful to observe more than one subject. If multiple subjects were observed it would present an opportunity to compare and discuss the findings. This would provide a more solid basis for the results and give the observer the chance to see how differently people suffering from stress react when presented with similar situations.
I think it would also be beneficial to speak to a family member/workmate of the subjects. Doing this would provide insight into what it is like coping with someone who is highly stressed, and show how it can affect those close to the sufferer. A questionnaire could be fashioned for these people, with questions such as 'Do you find the sufferer hard to deal with?', 'Has it changed your relationship with the sufferer?' and 'How has it affected you personally?'.
Once the observation had taken place, the interview process could begin. Firstly, the subject would have to be totally calm for the interview to start. Then, by asking them questions such as 'What was the most stressful part of your day?' and 'What did you feel during that time?' a table of results could be created. Measuring their heart rate at this time would also be useful to see if they get stressed by simply remembering something which upset them before or not. The results from the observation could also be shared and their reaction to them noted. Do they even notice when they get stressed all the time? Did they realise that they have a nervous habit that reoccurs during stressful situations?
I would also share with the subject what their family member/workmate wrote on their questionnaire (with their permission only) and note whether it comes as a shock to the subject or not. It would be interesting to see whether the subject realised that their condition could become perturbing to others or if they thought that it was only themselves who was feeling affected by it.
I feel that carrying out this research proposal could really benefit those suffering from stress and their loved ones as it would really show that stress is not something to be taken lightly. To show that even simple tasks in the workplace like placing a phone call can stress a sufferer out so much that their heart rate has increased dramatically and they can't stop panicking should also raise acceptance of the condition, and encourage people to be more understanding.
Overall, this would be an extremely essential piece of research to use in order to design something to support those who suffer with stress and show that they are not alone.
