Stress: Bengaluru pays for its success
Nearly 42.5 per cent of employees in the private sector suffer from stress and anxiety disorders
By : joyeeta chakravorty
Update: 2015-08-24 07:34 GMT
Bengaluru: You may have a fancy car, plush apartment and loads of disposable income, but strict deadlines, tough targets and long working hours at your workplace could be taking a heavy toll on your health.
A recent survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) in Bengaluru reveals that nearly 42.5 per cent of employees in the private sector suffer from stress and anxiety disorders. The IT City is only second in the list, which is topped by New Delhi.
The survey states that demanding schedules, high stress levels and performance-linked perquisites are the reason behind the disorders. The survey, which was conducted in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehra Dun, and other cities, selected little over 200 employees from each city. Delhi ranked first, followed by Mumbai (3rd), Ahmedabad (4th) Chandigarh (5th), Hyderabad (6th) and Pune (7th).
Dr Anand Jayaram, psychiatrist, Vikram Hospital, said, “Such conditions are mainly because of the occupational lifestyle and the amount of work pressure each employee goes through. High work pressure leads to a host of diseases, like depression, general anxiety disorder and high blood pressure.” Dr H. Chandrashekar, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Victoria Hospital, said, “Many patients complain that because of stress, they become short-tempered and irritable, affecting their married lives. Some of the common diseases that follow occupational lifestyles include Alzheimer's disease, arteriosclerosis, cancer, chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, nephritis/CRF and stroke."
The survey revealed that obesity is the second most common disease among the respondents, with 23% of the corporate employees suffering from the disorder. High blood pressure and diabetes are the third and fourth largest diseases with a share of 9 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively. Spondylosis (5.5 per cent), heart disease (4 per cent), cervical problems (3 per cent), asthma (2.5 per cent), slip disk (1 per cent) and arthritis (1.5 per cent) are the other diseases that are common among corporate employees.
Releasing the survey results, Mr D.S. Rawat, Secretary General, Assocham, said, “Corporate employees have to survive the stiff global competitive environment to save their jobs, adding pressure on their health, which is leading to silent diseases."
“Work pressure is a killer these days. Biological, psychological and environmental factors play a role. Both genetic and neurochemical changes have been linked to depression, caused by the underactivity in neurotransmitters, which play an important role in the brain”, said Dr B.K. Rao, Chairman, Assocham Health Committee Council.