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Chronic Stress Could Lead To Depression and Dementia, Scientists Warn (independent.co.uk)
schwit1 writes: A major review of published research suggests that chronic stress and anxiety can damage areas of the brain involved in emotional responses, thinking and memory, leading to depression and even Alzheimer's disease. Dr Linda Mah, the lead author of the review carried out at a research institute affiliated to the University of Toronto, said: 'Pathological anxiety and chronic stress are associated with structural degeneration and impaired functioning of the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, which may account for the increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and dementia.'
I like to remember that cortisol, a stress hormone, is also the one that kills salmon after their long stressful swim to their home river.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
Well, there's yet another thing to worry about.
I mean physiologically.
Anything that strains or exhausts the body. So there are 2 types of stress: eustress, or stress that has short-term benefits like exercise and sex. Then there's distress that has short term damage to the body like minor drug use or a panic attack. Modern living is fairly consistent in its demands on the body, which is usually a good thing allowing the problems of civilization to be structured and compartmentalized. The problem comes when all compartments of modern living cause stress. Then the body (and mind) cannot repair and refresh (and learn). Now people tend to say they're stressed even while doing minor activities, like talking to (polite) strangers. Scientists have determined that the brain in normal use is exhausted before the muscles are, in normal use. So the question becomes: Is this a misnaming of a minor activity which normal people can handle, or do mental tasks cause more distress than physical tasks?
Stress is known to cause systemic problems, ranging from weight gain, endocrine disruption, hair loss, and now neurodegernative conditions.
However, the actual costs of these ill health effects is not factored into the cost benefit analyses of major employers in nearly all conditions, as something other than just a potential source of losing valuable worker resources.
Seems to me that since the US has an endemic problem with stress and mental illness, at the same time also lacking good mental health infrastructure, that those causing the endemic problem (major employers who saddle on way more hours of work per employee than is sane or reasonable) should be made to pay this real cost, by being found culpable for causation of the very real health effects that thier high stress work environments induce, by means of having to pay for adult care in appropriate facilities for dementia patients, and for the costs of antipsychotics, psychoactive drugs, and mental health therapy for those they have harmed and are actively harming.
By introducing this new liability, the profit motive of forcing people into those situations will evaporate, and better working conditions should come forward naturally.
Of course, the reality is that these employers will seek radical outsourcing first, but if they all try that all at once, congress would have no choice but to intervene and introduce new labor and subcontracting laws.
Other than forcing employers to bear the weight of their own shit, (and thus reducing profits), I dont see the downside.
See subject: "Salt & Peppered" here because of it as a programmer-analyst/software-engineer & before it could ruin me I backed off "semi-retiring" early as far as working for others (had to, wasn't born rich etc.) deciding to start a business of my own (which has its stresses but it's not nearly as bad/constant as designing w/ analysis + coding & testing - plus, I get ALL the gravy minus overheads instead of "peanuts percentages" as compared to the entire cake that was possible by making others rich on my sweat... it's better this way).
* Now, my money works for ME, not the other way around as it was for me from 16-45... I'd recommend it to ANYONE in fact but it's not possible for everyone (again, wasn't for me until I had enough put away to do what I now that made it all possible)... it's not all "daisies & balloons", and you're NEVER "truly free" and do still have to account to others (just less of them), but your chains are a LOT less on you.
I tried contracting after full-time work for others (& still do in easier things than programming, more network-engineer/admin stuff now which is CAKE by comparison since you're working w/ things that DO work & have a roadmap way to get it done, just tedium & time consuming but NOT the stress of creation... working with already proven working things IS by far, easier than creating them from scratch - compounding it with a numbskull no-mind boss who has NO PLACE calling his subordinates, SUBORDINATES, when he can't do the job himself having had walked a mile in their shoes first (to be wise it's necessary and to be a GOOD leader that makes those sound decisions too), & who is of NO HELP since he's never done the job himself makes it worse (was lots of that in the CS/IT field in the 90's to early 21st, less now though))
APK
P.S.=> Stress kills - slowly: Come right down to it, imo @ least? It's not worth it looking back in hindsight, but it always looks that way looking back once the "ends have justified the means" for anyone/everyone who goes thru it and most us of do, & as I said, have to!
HOWEVER:
It's better than being part of the "Brotherhood of the Bell" ala the Glenn Ford film (living a lie that fronts you everything up front first asking for HORRIBLE prices later you have to live with & LIVE DOWN in your head and the eyes of others that know) ala the Glenn Ford film about fraternal secret handshaking type OR religious organizations of MANY kinds which I'd had offered to me 3 times in the former (can't figure out why either) circa 1994-2008 & I am GLAD I declined (see that Glenn Ford film to see what I meant here by analogy - I couldn't live w/ myself IF I took that route, & GLAD I didn't - it's for weasels, cheats, & sneaks who have NO consciences who "want it all fast" in a world of immediate gratifications, when the truth is you can 'grind it oout' & get it yourself w/ work & time (nothing truly good, comes easy))... apk
In case you want to read the real article: here it is
soylentnews.org
Secondly, nobody is forcing the employees to work in such condition. The stressed out employees are always free to use the door and switch employer.
People always make that sound so easy. For entire categories of workers, the ones often under the highest stress because they are being eaten up by not one but two jobs to keep themselves afloat, are the ones least likely to have the kind of job mobility that would result in any tangible improvement.
Back in the 90's when I was a young buck and had every employer convinced of my high technical prowess, combined with an employment market that was seriously in the engineer's favor, I used to think that way too. And for me, I did have that kind of freedom. Several decades later, along with many changes to my life circumstance and the job market in which I inhabit, I have a much greater appreciation for limitations of how much control one has over their career. And that's if you're lucky enough work in a field where "career" is an appropriate term
do mental tasks cause more distress than physical tasks?
2-3 hours of hard thinking can exhaust me more than a 12 hours of physical labor.
If you don't like Earth, find your own planet. Yep, entirely an "option".
Not surprising at all, especially the depression. A major component of stress is realizing or feeling like you don't have control over your life (due to your job, boss, spouse, financial situation etc.) so naturally that can lead to depression. What's the point of living without free will, feeling trapped? Gone on long enough, with cortisol eating at your innards, you'll gain weight too, which can just feed into more depression, as it lowers your health and self-esteem. Dementia seems a bit more complicated, but not I can't say I'm surprised, as paranoia and cynicism, an outcome of the depression, would be likely gateways.
Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.