Stress and the Gender Divide

Stress

‘Woman’ means ‘Of man’. When God made Adam HE wasn’t entirely sure if he could cope alone. HE gently removed a small little rib from Adam’s side to create Eve who, HE was sure, could do it better-COPE WITH STRESS!

Both men and women are on the threshold of evolving to suit present day demands, and are, therefore, subject to a, great deal of stress.

Typical Case History

Vineetha is a top executive at a leading law firm. She is back home from a grueling day at office. It is 9 p.m, she is exhausted and would like to crash right away, but her children are raving with hunger. They need help with their homework. Husband Tushar, also a top-notch IT professional, is back from a very challenging day’s work. He prefers to unwind before his favorite TV channel, before he can join his family for dinner. Vineetha would love to share her day’s experiences with Tushar. She would also welcome some help with the chores. Help does not arrive and she is piqued but goes about her chores quietly. Tushar, oblivious to her feelings, enjoys his dinner merrily, joking with the kids before he goes back to viewing his favorite sports channel. Vineetha retires to bed, feeling spent.

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This is a typical day in the life of a working couple of the present day. Women have left the warmth of home and hearth and conquered new bastions. They also continue to play the traditional role of caregiver and nurturer of the young. Men on the other hand, continue to stick to the traditional role of ‘breadwinner’ but continue to be exempt from the role of caretaker. Needless to say, the woman is subjected to a great deal of stress in her multi-tasking routine. There is mounting pressure on the man too, to share the household burden.

Is there a gender difference in the way they handle stress? Do men and women differ in the way they react to stress?