Stress, debility, chronic fatigue, aches and pains, loss of function: read this

Debility and stress

Bullying (and harassment, discrimination, abuse etc) cause negative stress which causes injury health. When the negative stress is prolonged, as it is with bullying, the injury to health can culminate in a psychiatric injury. However, because people don't like the word "stress" appearing on their health record, some GPs use the word "debility". Unfortunately this gives some employers the opportunity to say they didn't know that the employee was stressed, therefore they are not responsible for the injury to health of the employee.

Debility is defined as: generally, weakness in function, loss of ability. Used commonly of organic and motor functions, occasionally of cognitive.

Extracts from web sites which mention debility

http://chubba.whatuseek.com/index.shtml

Nervous debility

http://www.paul_smith.doctors.org.uk/n.htm#nervous_debility

Often a euphemism for depression or other emotional or mental disorders.
Depression is an illness where a person's mood is inappropriately low or saddened. Depression is an illness or disease in the same way as angina, cancer, anaemia and malaria are regarded as an illness or disease. Depression is very common, yet it is still poorly understood by victims and their families It is a genuine psychiatric illness and does not mean simply unhappy or weak spirited.

Effects of stress

http://www.killeen-psychology.com/stress.htm

Prolonged and severe stress has serious physical and psychological consequences. Cortisol is the stress hormone that washes through the brain, affecting behaviour. If we are producing cortisol regularly because of reactions to stress, dangerous health problems can arise such as a heart attack, stroke or a debilitated immune system. If you continue to ignore the alarm signals of stress it may kill you.

Assessing Physical Stress

http://www.dr-jane.com/chapters/Jane103.htm

First, you have to become aware of your stress level. Is it positive and helpful? (Many of us do thrive of stress). Or is it draining and destructive? (Others are debilitated by it). I am a person who thrives on a certain amount of stress. It keeps me motivated and productive. But an overload of stress causes me to catch cold, feel nervous, pressured or tired. Other people report headaches, depression, chest pains, difficulty sleeping, over-eating and anxiety attacks. Become aware of the amount of stress you are comfortable with, and begin to recognize your symptoms of overload.

Stress management

http://www.dr-jane.com/chapters/Jane102.htm

The first task in stress management is to become aware of your stress level. Is it positive and helpful? or Is it draining and destructive? Some of us thrive on stress... others are debilitated by it.

Books

Dictionary of Psychology, Arthur S Reber

Stress, injury to health, trauma and PTSD
How bullying, harassment and abuse damage health and cause trauma
Stress, trauma and PTSD Home Page
The cause of stress revealed
Stress at work, injury to health, fatigue, depression, suicide
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and Complex PTSD
Bullying, stress and self-harm | Stress and debility
Bullying and suicide | Cases of suicide caused by bullying
Bullying shame | Bullying fear | Bullying embarrassment | Bullying guilt
Bullying and denial | Trauma | Shell shock: PTSD in WW1
David Kinchin's book Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: the invisible injury
validates and relieves the silent unseen suffering of trauma
Profile of David Kinchin | PTSD workshops by David Kinchin
Neil Marr and Tim Field's book Bullycide: death at playtime reveals the
secret toll of children who attempt or commit suicide because of bullying