Stress Inside and Outside the Workplace
Part I of III: Excerpted from the forthcoming book Stress in the American Workplace
by Don DeCarlo and Deborah H. Gruenfeld
In the opening chapter, Dr. Hans Selye first defined stress as the “non-specific” response of the body to any demand made upon it. With the passage of time, Dr. Selye came to define stress as “the rate of wear and tear on the body. Still later in his career, Dr. Selye was again asked to define stress and responded, “Everyone knows what stress is, but nobody really knows.” These words sound vaguely familiar to the comment of “I know it when I see it” first used by United State Chief Justice Potter Stewart in 1964 to describe his threshold test or obscenity in Jacobellis v. Ohio.
Simply stated, stress is what we feel when we have to respond to a demand on our energy. Stress is a natural part of life, and occurs whenever there are significant changes in our lives, whether positive or negative. It is generally believed that some stress is okay (sometimes referred to as challenge or positive stress) but when stress occurs in amounts that individuals cannot cope with, both mental and physical changes may occur. Feeling stressed can feel perfectly normal, especially during exam time. One might notice that sometimes being stressed-out motivates the individual to focus on their work, yet at other times, one feels incredibly overwhelmed and finds it virtually impossible to concentrate on anything. While stress affects everyone in different ways, there are two major types of stress: stress that’s beneficial and motivating – good stress – and stress that causes anxiety and even health problems – bad stress.
Everyone has different stress triggers. Work stress tops the list, according to surveys. Forty percent of U.S. workers admit to experiencing office stress, and one-quarter say work is the biggest source of stress in their lives.
Causes of work stress include:
• Being unhappy in one’s job
• Having a heavy workload or too much responsibility
• Working long hours
• Having poor management, unclear work expectations, or no say in the decision-making process
• Working under dangerous conditions
• Being insecure about one’s chances for advancement or risk of termination
• Having to give speeches in front of colleagues
• Facing discrimination or harassment at work
Stress is also a fact of nature whereby forces from the inside or outside the workplace that affect the individuals emotional or physical well-being, or both. One responds to stress in ways that impact the individual as well as their environment. Routine stressors are related to the pressures of school, work, family, and other stressors we confront on a daily basis. There are also more serious stressors brought about by a sudden negative change, such as losing a job, divorce, or major illness. A third type of stress, traumatic stress, is one experienced during periods of armed conflict (war), a major accident, assault, or natural disaster where people may be in danger of being seriously injured or killed. People who experience traumatic stress may have very distressing temporary emotional and physical symptoms, but in many instances, manage to recover naturally soon after.
Everyone experiences stress from time to time. There are different types of stress – all of which carry physical and mental health risks. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long period of time. Some people may cope with stress more effectively and recover from stressful events more quickly than others.
A second thing to consider about stress is that we are all different and all perceive and respond to stressors differently in the events that are perceived as stressors and the coping abilities at our disposal. However, there are a number of situations which are generally identified as being stressful that include the passing of a loved one, financial worries, work overload, unemployment, a change in relationships, parenting, balancing work and family, caregiving, health problems, Christmas, competitiveness, peer pressure, exams, and not having enough time to do what one wants to do. When viewed from this perspective, stress is an ever present issue confronted by the majority of Americans today.
In a dangerous situation, stress sends signals to the body to prepare to face a threat or flee to safety. In these situations, ones pulse quickens, breath comes faster, muscles tense, and one’s brain uses more oxygen and increases activity – all functions aimed at survival and in response to stress. In non-life-threatening situations, stress can motivate people, such as when they need to take a test or interview for a new job.
Coping with the impact of chronic long-term stress can be challenging. Because the source of long-term stress is more constant than acute stress, the body never receives a clear signal to disengage and return to normal functioning. With chronic stress, those same lifesaving responses in the body can disturb the immune, digestive, cardiovascular, sleep, and reproductive systems. Some people may experience mainly digestive symptoms, while others may have headaches, sleeplessness, sadness, anger, or irritability. Over time, continued strain on the body from stress may contribute to serious health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses, including mental disorders such as depression or anxiety.
According to experts, stress is a burst of energy that basically advises one on what to do. In small doses, stress has many advantages. For instance, stress can help meet daily challenges and motivates an individual to seek and attain higher goals. In fact, stress can help accomplish tasks more efficiently and may even boost memory. Stress is also a vital warning system, producing the fight-or-flight response. When the brain perceives some kind of stress, it starts flooding the body with chemicals like epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol. This creates a variety of reactions such as an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Plus, the senses suddenly have a laser-like focus so one can avoid physically stressful situations such as jumping away from an on-coming car.
In addition, there are various health benefits with a little bit of stress. Researchers believe that some stress can help to fortify the immune system. For instance, stress can improve how the heart works and protect the body from infection. In one study, individuals who experienced moderate levels of stress before surgery were able to recover faster than individuals who had either lower or higher levels of stress.
Stress is a key for survival, but too much stress can be detrimental. Emotional stress that stays around for weeks or months can weaken the immune system and cause high blood pressure, fatigue, depression, anxiety and even heart disease. In particular, too much epinephrine can be harmful to one’s heart where it can change the arteries and how their cells are able to regenerate.
Signals of Too Much Stress
It may be difficult to distinguish when one is experiencing good or bad stress, but there are important ways that the body telegraphs that it is struggling with too much stress. The following is a short-list of warning signs to be aware of when considering whether a person is facing too much stress:
• Inability to concentrate or complete tasks
• Body aches
• Illnesses like autoimmune diseases flare up
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Trouble falling sleeping or staying awake
• Changes in appetite
• More angry or anxious than usual
It is important to keep in mind that stress can occur both inside and outside of the workplace. And there is also the distinct potential for overlap where a stressful situation away from work has repercussions on the job. Likewise, stressors stemming from work may impact family interactions and other non-work related situations.
The following material distinguishes between the two types of exposure and attempts to identify and briefly describe the more prominent types of stressors occurring within each.
FAMILY EVENTS AS STRESSORS
Stress can disrupt family functioning and may negatively influence the general well-being for all those involved. There are many possible sources of stress and a person may find themselves experiencing multiple stressors at the same time. Though some stress is inevitable in the family unit, too much can contribute to increased levels of dysfunction. Knowledge of some of the contributing factors underlying the stress may assist in preparing a person to adapt to stressful situations and to avoid some of the negative consequences.
Family stress is defined as disturbance in the steady state of the family system. The disturbance can emerge from the outside context (e.g., war, unemployment), from inside the family (e.g., death; divorce), or both simultaneously. In any case, the family system’s equilibrium is threatened or disturbed. Family stress is therefore also defined as change in the family’s equilibrium. Such change can be expected (as with the birth of a baby) or unexpected (as with winning a lottery).
For a person to experience stress, he/she must first encounter a potential stressor. In general, stressors can be placed into one of two broad categories: chronic and acute. Chronic stressors include events that persist over an extended period of time, such as caring for a parent with dementia, undergoing a long period of unemployment, or imprisonment. Acute stressors involve brief very focused events that sometimes continue to be experienced as overwhelming long after the event has ended; for example, falling on an icy sidewalk and breaking ones leg.
Whether chronic or acute, potential stressors come in many shapes and sizes. They can include major traumatic events, significant life changes, daily hassles, as well as other situations in which a person is regularly exposed to threat, challenge, or danger.
Below are just a few of the major types of stress situations associated with family situations.
Death of a Loved One – This form of stress can be associated with the passing of a spouse, parent, child or close friend or relative. Death is part of life, but the death of a loved one is something that causes significant stress. While grieving for the departed loved one, our lives are seriously disrupted. This is something which we can do little about unfortunately, and also something we all have to deal with, sooner or later. Many people recover from death of a loved one and continue with their lives without serious interruption or thought. Others never fully recover. Death of a loved one can cause a number of serious illnesses that include remorse and depression.
There is no such thing as an “easy” death, but some losses are more difficult to accept for those left behind. It has been often stated that there is nothing more devastating than the loss of a child. Researchers at the Columbia University School of Nursing surveyed 74 parents who had lost children. Even though nearly 20 years had passed since the deaths, more than 60 percent of parents were still actively grieving. Despite the fact that the death of a child is enough to put nearly every parent over the edge, there are those who have more of a life force and feel compelled to go on. However, this is one stress factor that can be completely devastating to someone emotionally and is one from which those who remain may never fully recover.
Despite the talk about the “stages of grief,” there’s no real guide for mourning. Each person reacts to the loss of a loved one in his or her own way. Still, there is one universal component of grief: Almost every loss, no matter how expected or unexpected, will be accompanied by stress and disorientation. In the words of a report from the National Mental Health Association, “The loss of a loved one is life’s most stressful event.”
Divorce/Separation – Even for those who appear to be jubilant to be out of an unhappy marriage, divorce is one of life’s major stressors. In addition to creating the feeling of stress, divorce encaptures the additional burden of stress where children are involved. Couples become so wrapped up with their own emotions during a divorce that they frequently fail to notice the impact of the situation on their children. Quite often the children are feeling much of the turmoil and stress even if they are too young to understand what is happening. In fact, younger children can experience even more stress than older children in the case of their parent’s divorce because they may take the burden of fault onto themselves and blame themselves for the actions of their parents. To a young child, everything in the world has something to do with them and therefore it is somehow their fault.
Similar to divorce, a separation creates the same feelings of stress. It raises the questions as why things did not work out, was it there fault that the separation took place, and will there be some form of reconciliation. Anytime there are such fundamental questions involving who or what is to blame, there is resulting stress. The end of a relationship is without question a stressful time and it is important for those going through the experience to recognize their feelings, the impact the separation may have on any children, and to act on them so as to prevent a deeper form of stress.
Major Illness – Any type of major illness or long-term health condition is a significant stressor for both the individual and for the entire family. A person being ill does not only affect just that one person, but affects everyone around him or her. Probably the worst experience and creator of stress for parents is to have a young child with a major illness or health condition. A major illness has the capability of going on for years, taking its emotional toll on everyone around them, especially children.
Many people who experience a major illness such as cancer or heart disease enter into a depression. This is usually due to the dramatic change in their lives. There are medical visits, pending medical tests and results, followed by unexpected medical expenses that further add to the stress. Others with whom one associates, including family members who are aware of the situation and share in the level of concern, will likely also enter into a state of depression or exhibit unusual behavior.
Financial Stress – Financial uncertainty can strain both the individual along with the family. Where children are involved, they pick up clues from their parents in terms of what is going on and will likely pick up on the parents stress and anxiety. In many instances the financial stress is associated with the loss of a job or the occurrence of some unanticipated expense. In addition to being humiliating, the loss of a job will most likely throw a family into financial turmoil.
Losing a job often results in depression as well as anxiety. Not only is the individual’s self-esteem affected, but there is that immediate worry about money and how bills will be paid. This feeling of worry and uncertainty will likely continue until a new job is obtained or the individual/family is reconciled to the fact that they will need to live on less. Until that occurs, there will be a disruption in lifestyle as well as financial status.
The uncertainty that surrounds obtaining a new job also affects those involved when it comes to stress. Losing a job and having to find another job is a very stressful experience. Even where one decides to leave one’s job on a voluntary basis in order to take a better position, there is stress. Starting any new job requires meeting new work associates, new management and learning new responsibilities. These changes represent a change in routine and anything that interrupts or modifies one’s routine cause’s stress.
Moving to a New Home/School – Whether moving from a shack to a palace or just moving from one comfortable setting to another, there is still stress involved. It may be a happy occasion, but it is still a disruption of the normal routine, and as noted previously, any disruption of the normal routine causes stress. Packing and moving disrupts the entire family and causes additional work, planning and inconvenience which all add to levels of stress. It takes time to become established in a new location. Until one does, one should try to maintain as much of their normal routine as possible, especially when there are young children involved.
While the reasons for moving vary, the ramifications for a child often are similar: new school, new teachers, new neighborhood, and new friends. Everything may be new. As exciting as it may be, it is important to recognize that this transition can be extremely stressful. To make the adjustment easier, children need to be empowered and they their self-esteem built up by letting them make some decisions about the move such as what items they will take, what items are to be donated, and what color to paint their new room. Being involved in a portion of the decision-making process helps to reduce stress associated with any move or change for both the parent and the child.
The above denote just a few of the more apparent potential stress factors associated with the family unit. There are other things that can lead to stress but these are among the worst. In some cases, happy events such as the birth of a child, an engagement, marriage, or even a joining a new organization can involve some level of stress. Even though these are joyous occasions, they are stressful because they involve change and an alternative or change from the normal routine.
Stress is an intrusion on a person’s peaceful existence. People strive to have orderly and peaceful lives and tend to operate well when aligned with certain routines. The objective of life is to feel safe and secure, but as one ages, there is the realization that we cannot always count on things being the same. We experience different incidents in our lives that turn ones world upside down and causes feelings of stress. Most of these incidents cannot be controlled; others can be controlled to a certain degree. It is a matter of coming to terms with which can be controlled and those that cannot be controlled.
Illnesses Caused By Stressful Events
This material concludes with a look at some of the types of illness and/or medical conditions that some of these major stressors may cause. They include:
• Chronic pain – such as lower back pain and neck pain
• Obesity – While not an illness in and of itself, obesity is the root cause of many other serious and lethal conditions. Excess levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that floods our body during stress, causes fatty deposits around the midsection when stress becomes chronic.
• Diabetes – Stress raises the glucose levels of those with Type 2 diabetes directly. It also seems to increase unhealthy types of eating and lowered levels of physical activity.
• Depression and anxiety – Stress increases the chances of developing depression and anxiety by as much as 80 percent.
• Gastrointestinal disorders – Contrary to popular belief, stress doesn’t cause ulcers. It can, however, make gastrointestinal issues worse. It also contribute to the development of chronic heartburn (or gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
• Accelerated aging – One study found that chronic stress can accelerate the pace of aging. This may be due to stress’s effect on telomeres, a structure at the end of each chromosome that protects against deterioration of that chromosome. Stress shortens telomeres, in effect offering less protection.
• Alzheimer’s disease – Stress causes the brain to form lesions more readily. This can accelerate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
FINANCIAL STRESSORS
One of the most unwanted and unfortunate occurrences in life are financial stress. Financial stress can destroy ones mental peace, relationships, and motivation for living. Our lives are not static and financial stress can arise at any point in the course of one’s lifetime. While one may feel financially secure at one point in their life, loss of a job, serious injury or illness, unexpected expenses or some other unexpected occurrence may move one from the feeling of being financially secure to that of being completely financially insecure.
According to a survey from the Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI) funded in part by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), only slightly more than a quarter (28 percent) of Americans are “financially healthy,” More than half (55 percent) of those surveyed are just “financially coping” – described as struggling with some aspect of their finances – while 17 percent are “financially vulnerable,” meaning they are struggling with all or nearly all aspects of financial life.
In addition to the percentage of families just “financially coping”, the majority of people in this country today struggle when it comes to managing money properly. According to a report by the Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI), 48 percent of people agree that their income is not sufficient to provide for their needs. Their expenses are increasing and becoming greater than their income, thus, they are struggling to meet their needs and that situation is causing tremendous financial stress.
The SunTrust Bank has reported that nearly one-half of employed Americans are running out of money between paychecks. It is necessary for them to use their credit cards or take out payday loans to cover basic expenses and manage their lifestyle. Thus, they are accumulating debts and struggling to get out of it. Any traumatic event or financial interruption simply exacerbates the problem.
MAJOR FACTORS BEHIND FINANCIAL STRESS
Among the general population, and especially among those at the lower end of the financial spectrum, there is a serious problem with people having constant financial concerns and stress. The following illustrate some of the major contributors to that financial stress:
Unemployment/Underemployment – Unemployment refers to the economic situation in which an individual who is actively seeking for employment is unable to find work whereas underemployment is a situation where there is a mismatch between the employment opportunities and the skills and education level of the employee. In other words, in underemployment the employee is over-qualified for the job or position.
Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in February of 2020, the unemployment rate stood at 3.6 percent. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that as of January 2020 there were 164.6 million workers in the labor force and 5.9 million unemployed. While the 3.6 percent represents a small statistical number, it does mean that there are nearly 6 million workers, and their families, who are not receiving a regular income. Following the onset of the pandemic, reports indicate that more than 30 million workers have filed for unemployment benefits due to factory, restaurant and other shutdowns. Those are just starling numbers and reflect the stress that these families are undergoing.
It is an interesting twist of our current economy that where we had a situation of low unemployment, those who had a higher education degree and those who had no degree were frequently earning the same. Many students who had a degree were unable to find a well-paying position due to changes in our employment structure where more and more jobs are associated with the service economy. These college educated graduates are accepting low paying positions in order to simply manage their basic expenses. With the level of current unemployment, that scenario is unlikely to change.
Credit Card and Household Debt – Personal debt levels are rising faster than both incomes and assets and these debt levels are expected to rise dramatically in the coming years with so much uncertainty with changes in this country and in the world economy. To this point, never has it been easier to access debt in all forms – lines of credit, mortgages, credit cards, etc. Credit card debt and home mortgages created a lot of the economic problems and were the biggest factors in the world financial crisis in 2007. Total U.S. household debt reached a record $14.15 trillion at the end of 2019 after increasing by $193 billion, or 1.4%, in the fourth quarter, according to the Federal Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit.
Through mass media and advertising, our society has become our own worst enemy because we’ve been programmed to spend even if it means spending money we don’t have. 35 percent of Americans are embarrassed to admit they have credit card debt. The shame associated with poor financial standing can lead to isolation, which is often the beginning stage of stress and serious mental illness.
• Student Loan Debt – Today there are many people who are struggling to pay off their student loan debt. Education costs along with college tuition continue to rise at an alarming rate. Due to skyrocketing tuition cost, students who want to pursue a higher degree have to take out a student loan. However, after completing their studies, these same former students are unable to pay off the loan due to either no job or a low paying position.
Our nation owes over $1.48 trillion in student loan debt, spread out among about 44 million students. Unfortunately, most of the students had very little time to save during their college and post-graduate years. Thus, they have no savings to pay for basic expenses let alone address their student loan. This issue is further compounded where you have two college graduates marry and both continue to be responsible for paying off a student loan. Dreams for a home and family are often delayed because of this debt burden.
• Medical Insurance and Expenses – For many Americans, their own health issues and/or those of a family member are a major source of stress. When asked to consider the specific health issues that cause them stress, two-thirds of responders cited the cost of health insurance for themselves, their loved ones or in general. Uninsured adults reported an average stress level of 5.6 in the previous month (on a 10-point scale, where 1 is “little or no stress” and 10 is “a great deal of stress”), while those with health insurance reported a significantly lower average stress level (4.7).
An individual’s current health status may be associated with his or her stress levels. For the more than six in 10 Americans living with chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, health care issues and concern with medical costs may contribute to higher-than average stress levels.
56 million Americans have trouble paying medical bills, inhibiting many from seeking medical help even when needed. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans say they either considered skipping or have skipped going to a doctor because of the inability to pay medical bills. With the rising cost of healthcare, it’s easy to fall into the cycle of debt, poor health, and then more debt.
• Low savings rates – The rates paid on savings have been steadily declining since a peak in the early 1980’s when it was almost 18 percent. Today, the rates on savings are pretty much non-existent hovering around 1percent to 2 percent. With inflation exceeding the rate on savings, is it any wonder that Americans are not saving.
This year, GOBankingRates asked more than 5,000 adults, “How much money do you have saved in your savings account?” Respondents could choose from one of seven options. The survey found that 58 percent of respondents had less than $1,000 saved. Only 5 percent had $10,000 to $19,999 saved. 10 percent had $50,000 or more. This is far from what is needed to be saved to be financially secure in the future. This is a real serious problem because our financial future is largely dependent upon how much we save today.
• Pending Retirement – The baby boomers (those born between 1944 and 1964) are a huge demographic force that has shaped social and economic patterns since the day they were born. These baby boomers have either reached retirement age or are now becoming serious about retirement as it is happening in the next 5 to 10 years. This is serious because the closer one approaches retirement, money and finances become extremely relevant and as a result really stressful.
Retirement is supposed to be “the best years of your life” but instead, it is stressing people out because of lack of planning. Today there are fewer pension plans, low savings rates, high debt levels and fear about the foundation of government benefits. All of these factors point to a stressful retirement for many and the fear that they will need to continue working just to meet normal living expenses.
• Volatility in Financial Markets – For a large part of the 1990s and again from 2010 to 2019, wealth was created by the stock market as investors experienced one of the strongest and longest financial booms in history. Unfortunately, stock markets do not move in a straight line and they experience cycles just like everything else. For most investors, the decade from 2000 to 2010 was not very prosperous and the experience in today’s markets is no different. The stock market was a bull market – one of increasing prices – through the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020.
However, to demonstrate the more recent market volatility, on Monday March 9, 2020, the Standard and Poore’s 500 plunged 7 percent just minutes into the trading day. The S&P ended the day down 7.8 percent which marked the worst trading session for stocks since the 2008 financial crisis. Following some recovery over the next several days, on Thursday March 12, the market dropped 10 percent to be followed by a degree of recovery the next day. In point of fact, for many, the stock market has destroyed wealth as opposed to creating it due to some major bear markets – market of decreasing prices. No one has a crystal ball to predict what the markets will do in the future but that does not reduce the anxiety and stress for many from worrying as to what will happen to their investments.
• Too Much Financial Information – There is a ridiculous amount of information available on the subject of finances. There is truth in the adage that more information is not always a good thing. Too much information often results in conflicting information. To compound the problem, there are more financial products than ever before along with more choices. Money fraud is big business and people are also losing a portion of their hard earned dollars to Ponzi schemes, pyramid programs and other types of fraud. Not only is it difficult to know what information to trust but it has also become difficult to know whom to trust.
It is important to add that not only has the stock markets contributed to the ups and downs of financial stability but so has real estate. Those who owned real estate during the financial boom loved their investment. Real estate booms create situations where people become over leveraged and over extended. When the boom stops, slows down or experiences a correction, it becomes a problem for those who have over-extended. Because real estate is largely leveraged (which means you don’t pay cash but you borrow the money to buy real estate), the period after booms can create massive problems like the financial crisis following the “crash” in 2007. Recovery from a “housing boom” takes many years to be realized and for those who have lost homes, that recovery may never be realized.
Financial Stress and its Effects on Physical Health
As part of an individual’s wellness-centered lifestyle, attention should be directed at ones finances and establishing a prosperous future. Here are some of the most common ways poor money management manifests itself physically.
• Raised Diastolic Blood Pressure – High blood pressure is the precursor to a myriad of health problems, including but not limited to heart attacks and strokes.
• Greater Muscle Tension – Muscle tension, including back pain, was reported in over half of those with high debt stress. In addition, nearly one-half had migraines or other headaches, compared to just 15 percent without debt stress.
• Worsened Digestive Symptoms – The digestive system is often referred to as the center of health. When under heavy financial stress, many individuals do not follow regular eating habits. Similarly, healthy food may not even be accessible or affordable for those in financial trouble.
• Anxiety and Depression – 29% of adults with debt suffer severe anxiety compared to just 4% without. Feelings of anxiety and panic caused by finances can be the catalyst for an all-around unhealthy lifestyle. 55 percent of adults in lower-income households say they handle stress through sedentary or unhealthy habits such as watching TV, drinking alcohol, smoking, and stress eating. The uncertainty of being able to pay bills keeps many people in a state of panic and fear.
For those with a great deal of debt or for those who have lost their job or are under-employed, things can turn bleak very quickly. Feelings of despair are common. One study found 23 percent of those with debt reported having severe depression compared to just 4 percent without. Another study found a 14 percent increase in depression symptoms with every 10 percent increase in personal debt.
SECURITY CONCERNS AS A STRESSOR
Security may be generally defined as freedom from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others. Beneficiaries of security may be persons and social groups, objects and institutions, ecosystems or any other entity or phenomenon vulnerable to unwanted change. Maintaining one’s self and family safe from harm is a priority of both the individual and the family.
Today the context of security has been expanded to include information security matters. With data breaches and cyber-attacks making headlines in mainstream news outlets and other media every week, cyber-security is becoming a topic of conversation as routine as the outcome of last week’s football game. Regrettably, cyber-threats are becoming more and more of a threat in today’s smart electronic world.
But what exactly is a cyber threat? A cyber-attack is an act or possible act which intends to steal data (personal or otherwise), harm data, or cause some sort of digital harm. Cyber-attacks can cause electrical blackouts, failure of military equipment and breaches of national security secrets. They can result in the theft of valuable, sensitive data like medical records. They can disrupt phone and computer networks or paralyze systems, making data unavailable. It’s no exaggeration to say that cyber threats may affect the functioning of life as we know it. On the personal front, security breaches resulting in identity theft represents one of the most inconvenient and disturbing intrusions for the individual.
These threats are growing more serious and the potential for security breakdowns pervade every individual, business and industry. In the meantime, business leaders are moving forward with their digital business initiatives and those leaders are making technology-related risk choices every day. Even the United States government has experienced numerous crippling data breaches in the last few years. Examples include the massive breach of the Federal Office of Personnel Management and the theft of secret United States Naval codes. Both attacks have been attributed to Chinese state intelligence.
The following is a listing of some of the more common forms of cyber-threats that may have the potential to affect both business and personal computer systems:
Malware – Malware is software that performs a malicious task on a target device or network, e.g. corrupting data or taking over a system. Mobile devices are vulnerable to malware attacks just like other computing hardware. Attackers may embed malware in application downloads, mobile websites or phishing emails and text messages. Once compromised, a mobile device can give the malicious hacker access to personal information, location data, financial accounts, etc.
Virus – This is a specific type of malware that spreads itself once it is initially run. It differs from other types of malware because it can either be like a parasite that attaches to good files, or it can be self-contained and search out other machines to infect.
Trojans – Named after the Trojan horse of ancient Greek history, the Trojan is a type of malware that enters a target system looking like one thing (e.g. a standard piece of software), but then lets out the malicious code once inside the host system
Phishing – Phishing is the fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card information by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication such as e-mail or downloading malware by clicking on a hyperlink in the message. Phishing campaigns don’t target victims individually but rather they are sent to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of recipients.
Spear Phishing – Spear-phishing is a more sophisticated form of phishing where the attacker learns about the victim and impersonates someone he or she knows and trusts. In contrast to phishing, spear phishing targets a single individual by pretending to know who they are attacking.
Ransomware – Ransomware is an attack that involves encrypting data on the target system and demanding a monetary ransom in exchange for letting the user have access to the data again. These attacks range from low-level nuisances to serious incidents like the locking down of the entire city of Atlanta’s municipal government data in 2018.
Internet of Things (IoT) – The IoT includes everyday devices capable of sending and receiving information via connection to the internet. These devices could be a television, car, coffee maker, smartwatch, etc. Attacks on IoT devices would include hackers taking over the device to allow it to make unauthorized access to data being collected by the device. Given their numbers, geographic distribution and frequently out-of-date operating systems, IoT devices are a prime target for malicious actors.
Another form of threat is through a data breach. A data breach is theft of data by a malicious actor where the motive includes crimes such as identity theft; a desire to embarrass an institution.
There are a variety of forms of personal identification that a thief may have an interest in stealing. These data breaches may obtain sensitive personally identifiable information (PII), which could put victims at risk for identity theft or bank fraud.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any data that can be used to identify a specific individual and includes mailing or email addresses; phone numbers and IP addresses. Sensitive PII is information that could result in direct harm to an individual if it is transmitted in unencrypted form. Includes:
• Medical information
• Addresses and address changes
• Biometric data
• Bank account numbers
• Social Security numbers
• Credit and debit card numbers
• Passport or driver’s license numbers
As people increasingly think and talk about cyber-security, consumers are becoming progressively more anxious that they will become the next victim of a data breach or personal identity theft. When internet users were asked about the stresses that they feel relating to cyber-security, a vast majority of respondents – 81 percent of Americans and 72 percent of Canadians – said that news of data breaches cause them personal stress.
Data breaches are not the only source of cyber-stress. With the average consumer managing at least 16 username and password combinations, choosing secure passwords and keeping track of login information for dozens of on-line accounts can be quite the headache. For millennials (those 16- to 24-year olds), who may be conducting more of their daily activities online, nearly one-half of those surveyed agreed that they often find it stressful to manage the number of passwords they have. This compares with just over a quarter of people aged 55 and over who expressed similar concern.
It is important to remember that cyber-security threats are never static. Millions are being created every year and they are becoming more and more powerful. For example, there is a new generation of “zero-day” threats that are able to surprise defenses because they carry no detectable digital signatures. That is the threat for today, what lies in state for tomorrow?
Another worrisome trend is the continuing “improvement” of what experts call “Advanced Persistent Threats” (APTs). As Business Insider describes APTs, “It’s the best way to define the hackers who burrow into networks and maintain “persistence” – a connection that can’t be stopped simply by software updates or rebooting another computer.
Stress is generally considered as a reaction to a major life change or strenuous event, like losing a job or becoming the victim of a crime. However, it is actually the impact of smaller, ongoing pressures that causes the majority of stress-related reactions. According to the American Institute of Stress, chronic stress is that which is caused by “the cost of daily living,” such as pressure from work, raising children, or media overload. This is the form of stress that can cause physical symptoms and reduce quality of life, when these everyday aspects are not managed appropriately.
The ongoing anxiety of protecting a variety of devices and data from unknown threats underlies our long-term cyber-stress issues. “Research has shown that it’s not the big, acute, one-time challenges that cause the majority of stress-related disease and disorder, but the everyday, nagging, accumulating pressure and tension we feel when we don’t have enough capacity to cope with the demands of life,” explained Heidi Hanna, Ph.D., executive director of the American Institute of Stress.
Many consumers are experiencing cyber-security issues affecting their personal devices, including malware infections, ransomware attacks or having their accounts breached. In addition to high-profile breaches, such as Equifax and Verizon consumers also became the target of a number of massive fraud scams that affected everyday applications, such as the Google Docs phishing attacks or ransom ware laced spam emails that appeared to be sent from Dropbox.
Becoming the victim of a cyber-attack can be a stressful experience that can add to the anxiety people feel around cyber-security. A third of people surveyed claim that they often find it stressful protecting all their devices when they have experienced a cyber-security issue in the last five years. With new cyber-attacks and scams barraging consumers, protecting devices and data from these threats is a stressor that doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.
For some consumers, the stress stemming from a cyber-attack on a personal device or news of a data breach may prompt them to download security software. However, in response to increased levels of cyber-stress, some consumers have lost trust in the companies and technologies with which they share their data. When asked about which industries they would trust to protect their data (such as finance, healthcare or education), Kaspersky Lab found that more than one-in-five survey respondents would not rely on any sector.
Cyber threats, sadly, are becoming more and more of a threat in today’s smart world. A cyber threat is an act or possible act which intends to steal data (personal or otherwise), harm data, or cause some sort of digital harm. Today, the term is almost exclusively used to describe information security matters. Because it’s hard to visualize how digital signals traveling across a wire can represent an attack, we’ve taken to visualizing the digital phenomenon as a physical one.
Cyberspace, a virtual space that doesn’t exist, has become the metaphor to help comprehend the digital weaponry that has the potential to cause harm. What is real, however, is the intent of the attacker as well as the potential impact. While many cyber-attacks are merely nuisances, some are quite serious, even potentially threatening human lives.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Environmental pollution is one of the most serious problems facing humanity and other life forms on our planet today. Environmental pollution is defined as “the contamination of the physical and biological components of the earth/atmosphere system to such an extent that normal environmental processes are adversely affected.” Pollutants can be naturally occurring substances or energies, but they are considered contaminants when in excess of natural levels. Any use of natural resources at a rate higher than nature’s capacity to restore itself can result in pollution of air, water, and land.
Stated slightly differently, environmental pollution is an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of air, land and water that may harmfully affect our environment and those residing on this planet. In most instances, pollution is an unfavorable adjustment of the environment largely as a result of human activities. It is caused by various pollutants which are substances foreign to the medium such as air, land or water in which they are present. It results in problems to the animal and human world.
The most prominent forms of environmental pollution include:
• Air Pollution– Air pollution is defined as an imbalance in the quality of air so as to cause adverse effects on the living organisms. The air we breathe has a very exact chemical composition where 99 percent of it is made up of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases. Air pollution occurs when things that aren’t normally there are added to the air. A common type of air pollution happens when people release particles into the air from burning fuels. Another common type of air pollution is dangerous gases, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and chemical vapors. These can take part in further chemical reactions once they are in the atmosphere, creating acid rain and smog. Other sources of air pollution can come from within buildings, such as secondhand smoke.
The health hazards associated with air pollution are well known. It is believed that 50-90 percent of cancer cases are due to air pollution. Other health related issues possibly stemming from air pollution include epilepsy, memory disturbances, visual and auditory impairments coughs and asthma. Air pollution is caused by the excessive presence of certain gases and suspended material particulates (SPM). These not only cause irritation but also result in diseases like respiratory problems, cardio-vascular problems, hypertension, asthma, eye-related and neurological problems and result in early deaths too.
• Water Pollution – Water is a basic necessity for life. Water pollution happens when chemicals or dangerous foreign substances are introduced to water, including chemicals, sewage, pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural runoff, or metals like lead or mercury. Water pollution isn’t just a problem for the United States. According to the United Nations, 783 million people do not have access to clean water and around 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation. Adequate sanitation helps to keep sewage and other contaminants from entering the water supply.
If water pollution is not checked, clean water will not be available and we will need to purchase water even for taking baths and cooking. As a result of domestic and human waste, industrial waste and agricultural run-off, poor water quality results in various diseases like diarrhea, intestinal worms and hepatitis.
• Land Pollution – Land can become polluted by household garbage and by industrial waste. Commercial or industrial waste is a significant portion of solid waste. According to a study conducted at the University of Utah, industries use 4 million pounds of materials in order to provide the average American family with needed products for one year. Much of waste material is classified as non-hazardous, such as construction material (wood, concrete, bricks, etc.) and medical waste (bandages, surgical gloves, surgical instruments, discarded needles, etc.).
Hazardous waste is any liquid, solid or sludge waste that contain properties that are dangerous of potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Industries generate hazardous waste from mining, petroleum refining, pesticide manufacturing and other chemical production. Households generate hazardous waste as well, including paints and solvents, motor oil, fluorescent lights, aerosol cans and ammunition.
• Noise Pollution – Noise pollution can be defined as the intensity, loudness, timbre or pitch of sound which causes us physical discomfort. Even though humans are not able to see or smell noise pollution, it still affects the environment. Noise pollution happens when the sound coming from airplanes, heavy equipment, industry or other sources reaches harmful levels. The degree of noise intensity is an important dimension yet the extent of annoyance is not necessarily related to intensity alone. Factors like familiarity and attitude often influence the degree of annoyance.
In many instances people become accustomed to noise and experience a lower degree of discomfort. It has been observed that traffic noise is related to certain symptoms such as nervousness, sleeplessness, undue irritability, depression and asthma. Studies have also demonstrated that noise pollution triggers aggressive behavior and reduces altruism and helping behavioral traits. Research has shown that there are direct links between noise and health, including stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss. For example, a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) Noise Environmental Burden on Disease working group found that noise pollution may contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths per year by increasing the rates of coronary heart disease.
Environmental stress refers to physical, chemical, and biological constraints on the productivity of species and on the development of ecosystems. When the exposure to environmental stressors increases or decreases in intensity, ecological responses result. Stressors can be natural environmental factors, or they may result from the activities of humans. Some environmental stressors exert a relatively local influence, while others are regional or global in their scope. Stressors are challenges to the integrity of ecosystems and to the quality of the environment.
Along with identified stressors associated with the various forms of environmental pollutants, there is discussion and concern relative to the subject of global warming. Is global warming real and if so, is it caused by human intervention? It is generally agreed by the scientific community that the gradual increase in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans is being brought about partly as a result of various human activities. Human beings have for some time been involved in anti-environmental behaviors on an ever growing scale. In the opinion of many scientists qualified in the field, global warming is taking place as a result of the abuse of our environment through the production of waste-matter, burning of fossil fuel (petrol, diesel etc.) deforestation, burning of coal, forest fires, the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) for refrigeration, etc.
With registered concern for global warming, air pollution represents one of the primary causes underlying global warming. Air pollution can take the form of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide or sulfur dioxide, which are warming the planet through the greenhouse effect. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the greenhouse effect is when gases absorb the infrared radiation that is released from the earth, preventing the heat from escaping. This is a natural process that keeps our atmosphere warm. If too many gases are introduced into the atmosphere, though, more heat is trapped and this can raise the planet’s temperature artificially.
The change in climate (global warming) is closely related to the “greenhouse effect”. It is referred to as greenhouse effect’ because in cold regions where sunlight is needed for developing plants, a glass house is made which is called a greenhouse. The greenhouse has a glass roof that lets in warming sunlight but prevents the escape of warm air.
In the same manner the gases released into the atmosphere (carbon dioxide, methane, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)) trap the sun’s heat that turns the earth into a vast greenhouse by not letting the heat escape, thus increasing the temperature of the atmosphere. The increase in the levels of the three gases began about the middle of the 18th century. If this trend continues, it is estimated that it will result in an average warming of the earth’s surface air temperature by about 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit by the beginning of the next century.
Global warming has far reaching consequences on the ecology and our environment. These include increase in storms and other weather extremes, melting of ice caps at the North and South Poles that has resulted in raising the sea levels. These effects have been observed in several parts of the world resulting in our oceans rising about one inch every five years. Where all of this is leading too is unknown, but in the meantime, it is causing stress for many who focus on the subject.
Climate change, together with other natural and human-made health stressors, influences human health and disease in numerous ways. Some existing health threats will intensify and new health threats will emerge. Not everyone is equally at risk. Important considerations include age, economic resources, and location. In the United States, public health can be affected by disruptions of physical, biological, and ecological systems, including disturbances originating here and elsewhere. The health effects of these disruptions include increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease, injuries and premature deaths related to extreme weather events, changes in the prevalence and geographical distribution of food- and water-borne illnesses and other infectious diseases, and threats to mental health.
