Stress is one of today's biggest killers and yet many people are unaware of what stress is and what type affects our health.  Stress is an adverse reaction to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them.  Psychological stress results from the imbalance between the  demands placed on the individuals and their capacity to cope.   You can read some of the tell-tale signs below. Researchers tell us that happy people can reduce their chances of having a heart attack by 50% and that by avoiding emotional stress we can reduce breast cancer by up to 40% so removing emotional stress can only have positive benefits.  These benefits are now evidenced and Healthcare professionals are actively seeking training in the area of mind/body medicine.  Under European Law, employers are under a legal obligation to manage stress in the workplace. Unresolved stress at work affects business performance and increases sick absenteeism.   Dr Sarno has written a book which describes how emotional tension is pushed out of awareness by the mind into the unconscious.  This unconscious tension causes changes in the body's nervous system. These changes result in muscle tension, spasm and back pain experienced by the patient.  Imagine being able to reduce sick absences caused by back pain just by offering your employees therapy?Unfortunately employers say they can't afford therapy and yet they can't afford not to either.   It's a sad fact that over one fifth of Maltese workers claimed that work had caused them some form of emotional or mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. This emerges from a survey conducted among 591 replies employed or self-employed workers in 2010, by the Richmond Foundation – a non-governmental organisation offering community services to those with mental health problems. The study found that the people working longer hours were more likely to feel stressed. In fact, 71.5% of those who worked for 60 hours a week consider their job to be either ‘stressful’ or ‘very stressful’.7 March 2011: "......Malta is one of four EU member states whose social partners have failed to introduce anti-stress measures for workers under a 2004 agreement, a situation the European Commission has described as “worrying”...." Due to stress or burnout in the last five years, 10.5% of respondents had to take leave of absence as a result. In the majority of cases (75%), the leave  lasted up to one week, but in 10.5% of cases, the leave taken was for longer periods of time.The study – which included interviews with stakeholders – refers to the lack of awareness of employers on how to deal with workers presenting mental health problems. Awareness and understanding were also low among the general public.The study (compiled by the Centre of Labour Studies and published on European Working Conditions Observatory (ECWO)'s website recommended the introduction of a helpline to assist employers, human resource managers and line mangers in dealing with employees who have mental health problems.Telltale Signs of StressInability to make decisions - even minor onesEmotional and irrational behaviour - crying, sulking, restlessness, twitching, fidgetingFeelings of inadequacy and constant tirednessLack of concentration and lapses of memoryWorrying insomnia and/or early wakingHoarding work and not being able to delegateUncharacteristic errors in workRecurring health problemsPalpitations, shortness of breath, shaking, short temper,aggressionObsessive behaviour