Ability vs. Inability to cope with Stress
The two pictures below illustrate how we deal with stress:
picture 1, below shows a man carrying 4 big loads
Picture: 1
Each of the loads the man is carrying pertains to the following problems in life:
- Daughter neglecting studies
- Quarrels with spouse
- Ill son
- Financial difficulties
The subconscious mind can accommodate anxiety only up to a certain level. This depends on the quantity, intensity and duration of the problems being faced. As shown in the picture 1 this person is able to maintain his demeanour with the amount of problems/issues in life that he is currently facing.
- Daughter neglecting studies
- Quarrels with spouse
- Ill son
- Financial difficulties
- Straw that broke the camel’s back – Not getting a promotion / Misplacing one’s mobile
Picture: 2
As shown in the second Picture 2, when anxiety builds up beyond a level, due to additional problems, such as not getting a promotion, clinical manifestations of stress become obvious. Here ‘not getting a promotion’ becomes the proverbial ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ thus pushing a person into a negative state of mind such as depression. The event which proves to be the proverbial last straw can differ from person to person based on their personality. It may be something bigger such as not getting a promotion or something smaller such as misplacing one’s mobile. Both events can lead a person to a tipping point thus pushing him into a state of depression. An outsider may think, that the person’s reaction is disproportionate to the event. However, what they don’t see is the series of events and the layering of problems that took place before the ‘last straw’, which ultimately pushed the person over the brink into depression.