Too many assignments to complete before knock-off, too little time for ‘self time’ and it’s adding up to affluent western society’s mostly hidden affliction: stress. Anthony Loncaric spoke to a few sufferers and to the people who study stress and treat its effects.FOOTSCRAY detective senior constable David Woolfe’s job follows him wherever he goes.
The $1.4million betting fraud case he has been working on for a year is being tried in court, but he still has a ton of work to do.
Most uniform police officers work in eight-hour shifts, but David is usually at his desk at 7am and won’t leave until 2 the next morning.
His case involves more than 100 victims, many of whom live interstate.
Some of them lost their life savings in the betting scam and David needs to compile statements from each of them.
“I have to go through all the local police officers around Australia to get the statements, which is no easy task,” he says.
“Some days I get into the station knowing I’ve got so much work in front of me and it does get you down from time to time. It’s a very stressful job and I often think about it when I’m at home.”
David Woolfe isn’t the only person in the west struggling to cope with stress.
Maria Mercuri runs 16 psychology centres across Melbourne and says she’s noticed a rise in the number of people turning up to her clinics with work-related stress and anxiety issues.
“There are so many people out there who are just not happy at work and are stressed all the time but who only seek help when their backs are against the wall,” she says.
“I’ve seen many people who have developed a psychological condition because of stress and we now know people who often feel stressed out are 10 times more likely to experience illnesses and viruses.”
Although stress isn’t always bad and is seen as a normal part of life, Maria says that if people suffer chronic stress it can decrease productivity at work and home.
“People get so used to stress that they can’t tell when it’s becoming chronic; it can creep up on you.
“Early intervention is vital. People need to talk to someone if they aren’t coping, and they need to balance work with things like exercise and activities which help to de-stress.”
Williamstown’s Yola Barbounis has her hands full looking after her two young children.
If she’s not taking them to kinder or to swimming and drama classes she’s at home washing dishes, vacuuming or preparing dinner in time for her husband’s arrival from work, usually after 6pm.
And she works two days each week in a part-time administrative role for the Conscious Chocolate company.
“At times it can be extremely demanding managing the things I do and I don’t have a moment to think or re-connect with myself,” she says.
“I have to be mentally prepared all the time and make sure my day runs to plan. It becomes a challenge when I’m having an off day and I often feel really tired.”
Despite her exhausting schedule, Yola manages to find time to attend a yoga class at least once a week.
“I started yoga almost a decade ago and it has helped me in many different stages in my life,” she says.
“I tend to go into a session feeling tense and edgy and come out feeling calm and replenished. Once you enter the centre you forget whatever bothers you. I love doing the stretches and movements and meditative practice that comes with it.”
In Moonee Ponds, eight local residents have taken to a less conventional form of stress relief.
Each Wednesday, the Moonee Ponds Laughter Club gathers at the staging area in Queens Park to share some quick laughs.
On this occasion, ice-cold wind blows through the nearby trees, and rain clouds are beginning to form overhead, but all eight members seem happy to be there.
They start the session by clapping to the rhythmic chant, ‘Ho, ho, ha, ha ha’ which is followed by two slow, deep in-and-out breaths.
The routine is repeated three more times.
They ignore curious stares from other visitors to the park and proceed to rub imaginary laughter lotion over their bodies.
After the ‘lotion’ runs out it’s time for a gulp of the addictive laughing gas. A draw by one of the group’s members on an imagined can of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or sweet air, triggers a hearty chuckle that evokes a response of maniacal laughter from the rest.
The session ends in the most appropriate way. Water from a domestic shower — also imagined and acted out — soaks them, again prompting fits of laughter.
“Laughter, whether fake or real, releases endorphins in your brain, which makes you feel really, really good,” says club member Ursula Tursky.
“Some of our members work with the tax department and are under pressure all the time. They come here to unwind. It’s a great stress buster.”
Laughter Clubs Victoria was formed in 2002 and there are about 30 registered clubs statewide.
“The club gives you a chance to forget about your daily troubles because you are just focussed on laughing,” Ursula says.
“Laughter has so many health benefits like enhancing memory and lowering blood pressure and we have a lot of fun doing it.”
Catholic Regional College Sydenham students Stephanie Murdaca and Matthew Sirgiovanni, both 17, play soccer in their spare time to get their minds off their VCE studies.
Stephanie began playing the sport three years ago and now plays competitively with Sunshine-based club Melbourne Knights.
“We train on Tuesdays and Thursdays and play a match on Sunday,” she says. “I have exams coming up at the end of the year, which will be really scary so it’s great to go out and play with my friends and forget about it all.”
Matthew is aiming for an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank score of 70 plus and says he’s already feeling the pressure.
“I’m studying pretty hard and my parents want me to do well, but it can sometimes be hard to keep focussed,” he says.
“I go to the gym a few times a week and play soccer on the weekends. I can’t see myself studying hard without any sport in my life.”
Erica Frydenberg, a professor of psychology at the University of Melbourne, says it’s great for teenagers going through VCE to do extra curricular activities.
“Years 11 and 12 are generally a stressful time because of the stakes involved,” she says. “It’s important young people spend time with people who are more relaxed and take things in their stride. And it’s not healthy to only focus on your studies.”
As for David Woolfe, he maintains a work-life balance by finding humour in his job and spending time with his two young children.
“I deal with certain situations with humour because if you don’t you’ll go mad in this job.
‘‘You walk up the street in Footscray and it’s a circus up there,” he says. “I spend my spare time playing with my kids, which helps me unwind because they don’t care about my job and just want me to play with them.”
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