Why are so Many People Stressed?

Stress is something that everyone encounters, but it seems that more and more people are struggling to deal with stress and are developing health problems as a result. From an early age, individuals are expected to work hard and perform well at school so they can go to university and get a decent career. This is so they can have a career that commands respect and pays well, and are then able to lead the kind of lifestyle they desire. At the same time, there is a great deal of pressure to have an active social life before settling down and having a family.

You're left feeling that if you haven't achieved all of this by the time you're in your thirties, you're somewhat of a failure. You find yourself comparing your accomplishments with those of your friends and you can never be happy with what you've got, because there is always more to strive for. There is always another promotion to go for; a bigger house or car to buy and people have certain expectations of you, which you feel you have to match. Plus, you may feel that you have to take a particular job in order to meet all your financial commitments.

Whether you have a high-flying career that requires you to work long, irregular hours or a low-paying job with very little security, there is often a lot of stress. If you run a company worth millions, there is obviously a great deal of pressure on you to keep the success going and other areas of your life could suffer if you're always working. Of course, you're going to get stressed if you never have time for anything other than work. If you're on a low income you may also find yourself working long hours, but you don't get to enjoy the big, expensive house or fancy cars.

Being on a low-income can be just as stressful, if not more stressful, than having a high-paying career, because you have to work harder to manage your finances and you miss out on the luxuries which those on a higher income are able to enjoy, which can make you feel rather down. It is obviously stressful to try to meet all your financial commitments when you aren't paid that much and you are unable to set aside some money for your future. Of course, those who earn a lot of money often have the lifestyle to accompany it and so they, too, can struggle to make ends meet.

For lots of people, the source of stress is finding the right balance between work and family life and earning enough money to lead the lifestyle they want. It doesn't help that you continually have it drilled into you that the best way to achieve happiness is to get a decent job and earn lots of money, because then you can buy whatever you want. Clearly, money doesn't buy you happiness, but even though individuals may recognise this fact, it doesn't stop them getting stressed, because they feel that they have failed to accomplish all that they should have and have not lived up to everyone else's expectations.