Not Complaining Does Not Mean Strong, Psychologist Reveals the Dangers of Work Stress

Illustration of work stress. (Freepik)

JAKARTA - Target pressure, performance demands, and the increasingly faster work rhythm make stress an integral part of professional life.

In many work environments, stressful conditions are often considered normal, even normalized, so that not a few workers go about their days without realizing that their mental health is slowly eroded.

Psychologist at the University of Indonesia, Ayu S. Sadewo, S.Psi., assessed that stress in the workplace often goes unnoticed because it is considered a natural consequence of job responsibilities. As a result, the condition is often ignored until it develops into a more serious mental health problem.

According to Ayu, many workers still force themselves to be active as usual even though their bodies and minds are already in a depressed state. Stress is often only recognized when the impact begins to feel disruptive to work and social relationships.

"Many people don't feel stressed. They only realize it when they are easily angry, defensive, withdrawn, or feel tired all the time," said Ayu, as quoted by ANTARA.

He explained that in the work culture, stress is often perceived as something that must be accepted. Mental resilience is often misunderstood as the ability to withstand pressure without complaint, not as an ability to recognize one's limits.

This view, continued Ayu, makes many workers reluctant to admit the mental fatigue they experience. As a result, stress is not managed early on and actually builds up in the long run.

Ayu added that stress in a short duration is still considered normal and can even help a person stay alert and productive. However, stress that lasts continuously without being noticed is at risk of developing into burnout, a condition of physical and mental exhaustion that has an impact on decreased motivation and performance.

Burnout, according to him, does not appear suddenly. This condition is usually preceded by stress that is allowed to linger, lack of recovery time, and lack of a safe space to express the perceived pressure.

In her presentation, Ayu also emphasized that stress does not always come in the form of complaints that are directly expressed. Small behavioral changes, such as decreased concentration, increased work errors, or a tendency to withdraw from social interactions, are often early signals that are overlooked.

He invited workers to start being more sensitive to signs of stress early on, both in the body, emotions, and mindset. This awareness is considered important so that stress can be managed before it has a further impact on mental health.

Through this activity, Ayu emphasized that maintaining mental health does not mean avoiding pressure completely, but understanding when pressure needs to be faced and when the body and mind need time to stop and recover.