Muscle tension, stomach aches, palpitations… Stress can manifest itself in many ways. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines it as “a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. It is a natural human response that inspires us to rise to the challenges and face the threats we face in our lives.” The latter can creep in daily, causing sleeping troubles and increasing the risk of addictive driving. But what are the main sources of stress for the French?
A *survey, carried out by Pollfish for the Preply site, questioned 1,500 people across major cities in France. The goal ? Highlight the origin of stress and the way the French express it on a daily basis.
Finance, relationships, work: here are the main sources of stress in France
For this survey, 1,500 people agreed to respond across 10 large French cities spread across France. We find in particular Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Lille and Toulouse. According to the results of the survey, the main sources of stress for the French are as follows:
- financial concerns (59%)
- health problems (50%)
- interpersonal relationships (43%)
- work-related challenges (42%)
THE financial concerns are thus at the origin of the stress of 59% of respondents, the latter citing money or debt problems. Then, we find the health problems which cause stress in one in two respondents. THE interpersonal relationships complete the podium as a source of tension for the French. In this category, we find loneliness, romantic breakup or even family conflicts. Finally, 42% of French people experience stress due to work-related challengessuch as high job demands, conflicts at work, and fear of losing your job or having to find a new one.
Stress: how do the French express it on a daily basis?
The state of stress being particularly uncomfortable, it negatively impacts the behavior of a majority of respondents. In fact, 52% admit to preferring withdraw into themselveswhile almost one in two French people (49%) say lose confidence in him. Finally, 42% of those questioned say become aggressive.
It is also not uncommon for respondents to admit to actions or words that they later regret. Indeed, “the study then reveals that stress can sometimes lead to hurtful words : 69% of participants admit to having already said something hurtful to someone under stress”we can read.
Since speech can be a vector of stress, the authors noted the sentences most likely to cause stress in the interlocutor. So, “I have bad news” (68%) et “We need to talk” (61%) are “are a real source of anxiety” for respectively 68% and 61% of French people.
Stress: what to do to reduce it?
To combat stress, Dr Anne-Christine Della Valle, general practitioner, advised in a previous interview given to Current wife some exercises to manage itlike yoga, mindfulness meditation or even the cardiac coherencewhich allows you to better control your breathing, and thus regulate your emotions while reducing blood pressure.
*Methodology: Survey carried out with Pollfish, in February 2024, on a base of 1,500 participants aged 18 to 54, men and women residing in the following cities and in equal proportions: Paris, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, Bordeaux, Toulouse , Strasbourg, Lille, Lyon, Nice.
Sources :
- Preply Study: How is stress expressed among the French?
- World Health Organization (WHO) – Stress
