Everybody has days when they dread going into work, but stress caused by our jobs is now so bad it's making us feel like our lives are at risk, according to new research.
The racing heart, palpitations and sweaty palms which would be our reaction to physical danger now occur when we're in a jam in the workplace.
This is because the way we feel about ourselves and our performance at work are now inextricably entwined, says new research.
Pressure is on: New research reveals that people are getting so stressed at work, they feel it is a matter of life or death
We pile more and more pressure on ourselves to excel in the office - to outperform - in order to maintain our sense of self-worth.
Writing in a new book, Psychologist and PhD student Malene Friis Andersen from the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, said: 'Some reach what may seem like an obvious conclusion; that, in our modern world, the saber-toothed tiger is our boss or the deadlines that we have to meet.'
'If you have an unpleasant boss, he or she will rarely go so far as to kill you. Yet work becomes a question of life or death to the people who get caught up in stress,' explains Andersen.
Her new tome, 'Nye perspektiver på stress i arbejdslivet' (New Perspectives On Work Related Stress), sheds a light on the effects of stress in the workplace.
In it, Anderson questions the modern remedies for workplace anxiety. She also believes that employers need to accept responsibility for employes pushing themselves too hard.
Anderson explains: 'Perfectionism must be regarded as behaviour brought about by the demands made by the labour market on the employee.
'Therefore, if you are suffering from stress, it is important for the outside world not to blame you for being a perfectionist.'
During the course of her research, Anderson interviewed workers who had been forced to take time off work due to stress.
The employees questioned all had jobs where creativity, knowledge, and personal commitment were key to their roles.
Malene found that people working within this sector, where employers made higher demands, were more affected by stress.
Sense of self: The study revealed that we now tie our identity to work, which puts pressure on ourselves to maintain our sense of worth by doing well in the workplace
She found that the tools these companies use to measure an employee's performance actually make the employee more insecure, inflexible and more vulnerable to stress.
She says: 'The parameters for success become too narrow.' People may feel unable to trust their own judgement which adds to their anxiety.
She emphasised that it's not just about saying no to your boss or lowering your expectations because once the symptoms of stress strike, you end up in an impossible situation 'in which your life depends on you succeeding at work'.
'This is why today stress poses an existential threat to us. The place of work has become a potential arena for fighting many major battles and achieving recognition,' she added.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2449533/Stress-jobs-makes-work-feeling-lives-stake.html#ixzz2h9HvwgMG
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
