Health issues due to stress - Beware of IT Profession

Beware of IT Profession

Six software professionals under the age of 33 have died and 2 top executives from renowned software companies have become paralysed because of stress-related heart ailments in the last six months in Chennai, says a study by Mitran Foundation, a Bangalore-based voluntary association of practising doctors.
"All the six who died, and the two who became invalid, had no family history of heart attacks or any pre-history of heart ailments or paralysis. They were all in their prime, between 27 and 33 years, and handled challenging projects at work in their respective companies. They worked long and continuous hours. The end struck them very suddenly, and it looked as if their hearts refused to take any more stress," said Dr Dwarakanath, director of Mitran Foundation, who has studied stress components in 40 software companies in Chennai during the last six months.

The study, conducted at a cost of Rs 45 lakhs, covered more than 4,000 software professionals from 80 companies who were in service for a minimum of three years. The email responses were scientifically tabulated and the findings were ready in 2002. Dr Dwarakanath, who was the late Dhirubhai Ambani's personal stress management consultant, said questionnaires extracting every minute detail were sent to the respondents. The personal background, family history and personal characteristics of these individuals were assessed and it was found that the stress in these professionals was only due to work pressure. All other factors were eliminated.

"Our study confirmed that the number of suicides, divorces, heart ailments, BP and diabetes patients and mental depression are the highest in the software industry. The fancy salaries of software professionals are no longer something to rejoice about," Dr Dwarakanath said. "We found that the software industry has simply no routine. Deadlines hang before them and every day they chase new problems. During weekends more than 60 per cent of the vehicles are found parked in the office complexes. There is no physical exercise and new food habits favoured by pizza culture fuel the problem. Cervical spondilitis and wrist problems due to uncomfortable handling of the computer mouse, eye problems and discomfort in bowel movements are common. The stress for couples where both are employed in the IT industry is the worst. The simple step of taking time off from work for three months allowed an IT couple wanting a child for years to conceive one," Dr Dwarakanath said.
M.T.R. Venukopalan, senior training coordinator, Covansys India, acknowledged that IT professionals were the most stressed individuals. "Even if the company sponsors a movie or self-care lecture, not many attend them," he said. Jyothsana, a travel coordinator for Temenos India Pvt Ltd, expressed concern for the young employees who complain of back and knee pains. She acknowledged that IT professionals require a specific eating and physical exercise routine to ease their stress. "Our lives are becoming mechanical, guided only by deadlines," she said.

So think again if you are staying late in the office regularly. Think again
about your family. Think again about your social life and health.
Please forward it to your friends too...

Work is essential. Your contribution to the goal should be great. But, please don't make it a habit to stay late.
Don't skip your Break Fast /Lunch/Dinner. None of these are equated by
Pizza, Biscuits / Wafers / Chat items

Thanks,
Santhisree

hi Santhisree,
Extremely right on target! The IT field is very demanding and I have been in touch with it since quite a few years. I have seen some of my friends literally work sometimes for 2-3 days on end! With no sleep or max a couple of hours of sleep.

Having been part of it, but not so intensely, I am aware of how easy it is to forget time when working to meet deadlines! Just sitting and working (even from home), the stress levels can increase.

Working in companies on high posts, having to manage huge projects coupled with deadlines, can be very taxing on the physical health of a human being. It's like, we work to make money, but for what and at what cost?

A very good article, a must read especially for those in this field! We have to realize that work is not everything in life, there is so much more..
hasita

Dear Santisree,

A very relevant and a very timely reminder. I was almost sure of this, seeing their life-styles and their work-styles. You work for 8 hours it is work. More than that it is labour, servitude, imprisonment.

Close on the heels of software guys come the call centre guys. These people take a lot of emotional stress by doing a work which is much below their mental faculties. Added to that is the stress of talking to an irate foreign customer on the other side of the globe. Plastic conversation, plastic courtesy and violent recreation during week-ends with no moral values - these are a lethal combination to spell doom to our younger generation caught in the call-centres.

Santisree, I know two Microsoft employees who were doing the coding for their premier products. These people got retired when they were 32. They started to work when they were 20. They had a few millions with them and were debating whether to spend their retired life (at 32!) at Vienna or Luxomberg. But they were so mentally depressed that they had to be on continuous psychological treatment for a long time.

At times I wonder that the software industry is worse than the sweatshops of the last century.

Thanks for posting a powerful article. You made all of us think, Santisree.
regards,

hi Shanthi,

nice post, that's true now yougsters in IT field really stressing them like hell no routine no personal life just project project. I saw in Apollo Blor so many young s/w boys consultin dr. neerup for stress depression and their face look so gloomy at this age. Some are really clever who give quallity time for their health but some are making their life a hell even they don't want to marry.

padma

It is a scary scenerio.
~Punitha

Hi shanthi,

A wonderful post which will make us think .

thanxs for sharing

-sreelatha

hi,

it was a timely post. there are lot of workshops going on in city about this stress management. these people need to do small small exercises in between their working hours which make them fresh again.

the study is really scary. it is a great loss to the nation to loose young talented men.

regards,

Vanaja

A very informative post. I am forwarding it to my husband. Thanks for sharing.

Regards
Priya