How Stressful Is Your Life… REALLY?

Today, I'm going to share a stress assessment with you.

It was created back in… 1967.

You might wonder, ‘What did they know about stress in 1967?’

Turns out, quite a bit.

Humans have long noticed the link between stress and well-being.

For instance, written records of what we might now call post-traumatic stress from military service date back to the ancient Mesopotamians, around 1300 BCE.

Our modern understanding of stress emerged in the early 20th century with the pioneering work of Hans Selye, who gave us the phrase “stress response.”

By the 1950s and 1960s, several scientific papers were published that showed the connection between stressors—specific “life events” that interrupted the smooth flow of daily existence—and the onset of illness.

Evidence suggested that when these events “clustered,” they coincided with negative health changes.

Or put another way: People were more likely to get sick when their life was a three-alarm boat fire.

But there was something missing.

While scientists had identified the types of events that contributed to stress, they hadn’t differentiated between them.

So, with that approach, a parking ticket would conceivably have the same impact on stress (and thus on health) as a jail sentence. 😑

Two psychiatrists, Thomas Holmes, MD, and Richard Rahe, MD, set out to change that. In 1967, they published The Social Readjustment Rating Scale.

This landmark paper assigned a number value to 43 different stressors.

Essentially, they had 394 adults rank the items in terms of how hard they thought it would be for the average person to “readjust” their life after an event. (This is an oversimplification, but it gives you the gist.)

At the top of the list: death of a spouse. It was given a value of 100.

And at the bottom? Minor violations of the law (a parking ticket!). It received an 11. (Jail term was a 63.)

Interestingly, having a mortgage of more than £10,000 (lol) was assigned a 31. Which underscores just how long ago this rating scale was originally published.

Over the next few years…

Subsequent research found that a person’s total score could be used to predict the likelihood of a major health event.

According to the Holmes-Rahe statistical prediction model, if you score:

▶ 150 points or less: You’re unlikely to have stress-related health issues.

▶ 150 to 300 points: There’s about a 50 percent chance of a major health breakdown in the next two years.

▶ 300 points or more: Your odds of having a major health event in the next two years from cumulative stress are about 80 percent.

Now here’s the fascinating part: Many scientists and clinicians still use this scale today.

It’s usually referred to as the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory.

And it can be valuable for helping you better recognise the magnitude of stressors you’ve been under—and how they might affect your overall health.

“Can we get to the stress assessment?!”

Okay, a couple of notes before you dig in.

1. Why are fun things on this assessment?

You may notice some odd stressors on the assessment. For instance: “holiday/vacation.” There’s a good explanation for that.

Although a holiday/vacation is usually thought of as a stress reliever, it can also increase stress (the week before can be a flurry of panic-packing and “where did I put our passports??”) and require a “readjustment” to life afterward (re-entry can be brutal).

So don’t let this throw you off.

Just check the box if it applies. (The researchers have done their… research.)

#2. The original questionnaire has been updated to include stressors that are a larger part of the conversation in the 21st century, such as:

► pandemic-related stressors

► political events and upheavals

► experiencing social discrimination (racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, and so on)

Full transparency: No, the update hasn’t been scientifically validated.

But it’s based on solid and current data about the relationship between stressors like discrimination or social and political uncertainty, and how humans respond.

And importantly: It’s not a diagnosis.

Think of it as an awareness exercise.

One client scored a 300.

After considering it for a few moments, though, she realized it made sense. In fact, it made a lot of sense.

“Over the last couple of years, I’ve really been challenged with not only the pandemic but other big life stressors,” she says.

“And I kept telling myself, ‘I should be able to handle this.’”

But the reality?

“Maybe that’s not actually true, and I should give myself a break.” she says. “It really hit home how important it is for me to focus on this aspect of my wellbeing, instead of just trying to ‘tough it out.’”

This is why the assessment can be really useful.

It gives you a way to measure your cumulative stress load and better acknowledge what you’re dealing with.

Your takeaway…

If you score over 300, it’s not “bad.” (Although it probably does indeed suck that you’re dealing with so much.)

Instead, your score simply highlights that you may need to better prioritize your stress management and recovery.

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Blog Written by Tanvir Heer Coaching

Weight Loss Health and Fitness Personal Trainer Online | Harrow on the Hill | Sudbury Hill | Rayners Lane | Wealdstone | Kenton | Pinner | Hatch End | Wembley | Alperton