Executives prone to stress and diseases: Expert

Executives prone to stress and diseases: Expert

JAKARTA (JP): Executives are prone to stress-related illnesses
such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or liver disease due
to job pressure, an expert said.

Sumakmur, a staff lecturer at University of Indonesia's School
of Medicine, said that executives generally suffer from stress
because of their high-pressure jobs.

Most executives, he said, work long hours and have to solve
their personal conflicts. In addition, they travel frequently and
do not get enough rest or vacations, he said.

"The condition makes most executives suffer from stress,"
Sumakmur told some 100 participants in a seminar yesterday.

The stress can develop into frustration if the executives are
experiencing a late promotion, the lack of opportunity to
progress or to develop themselves, and unclear responsibilities
or authorities, he said.

Stress, he said, will cause lack of sleep, headaches,
irritability or even impotence.

According to recent research involving 343 executives in the
United States, 34 percent had sleeping difficulties, he said.

The one-day seminar, titled Health and Executives, was
organized by Bisnis Indonesia daily newspaper and the Indonesian
Medical Association (IDI).

Among the speakers at the seminar, which was open by Minister
of Health Sujudi, were Ali Sulaiman, the dean of the University
of Indonesia's School of Medicine, IDI's chairman Azrul Azwar and
Sadoso Sumarsardjuno, a medical specialist on sports.

Dadang Hawari, chairman of the Indonesian Psychiatrist
Association, said that in addition to professional help, husbands
or wives can play a role in healing stress.

"The executives' husbands or wives can help them wipe out the
stress by listening, helping, caring and sharing," Dadang said.

Sumakmur also revealed that most of the wealthy executives are
overweight.

Executives, he said, have to attend many invitations, such as
lunch or dinner invitations, to maintain good relationships with
their business partners.

"This condition made most of the executives over-nourished,
overweight and prone to develop many diseases, especially
coronary heart disease," Sumakmur said.

The executives' condition will get worse if they also smoke or
drink alcohol, he added. (31)