Stress and ethics

Under stress, there is a constant pressure to break the rules, to act unethically to get out of the stress. Since the human cortex is by-passed by the stress reaction and the reptilian fight/flight system is activated, there is a natural tendency to do things when stressed that one might never do in the relaxed, calm state. Under chronic stress, this can reach the point where the unethical can be rationalized into existence just to achieve relief from the stress. Unfortunately, unethical actions only add to the chronic stress burden of the individual, and plunge him or her into a worse situation than the one from which extrication was sought.

As hard as it is to do, the best strategy in chronic stress is to stay ethical. The simplest way to do this is to  have an active prayer life when stressed. If one asks for God’s help when stressed, then one is less likely to act unethically, for the simple reason that it is easy to mentally accept that God is less likely to help us when our actions are displeasing to Him. As a first step in dealing with chronic stress, I advise people to pray, and if the urge to break the rules arises, ask God for help in staying ethical while facing the challenge. People who have done so under immense stress are justifiably famous for their self control, and those who have succumbed to ethical lapses under stress later wish they had been stronger.