Stress-induced psychological and physiological disorders top the list of health problems in industrialized nations, and fire departments should be proactive with stress management to avoid firefighter burnout — this according to a clinical psychologist who spoke at Fire-Rescue International last month.

“Psychosocial stress has become a dangerous phenomenon,” said Dr. Larry Iverson, a psychologist with the Institute for Advanced Development, said in his presentation, “Thrive! (Don’t Just Survive) — Managing Stress & Pressure So You Don’t Burnout.”

Iverson said that four disorders have become especially prominent in the United States in recent years — cardiovascular disorders, cancer, arthritis and respiratory diseases, including bronchitis and emphysema — and described these as “afflictions of civilization.”

“Stress-related psychological and physiological disorders have become the No. 1 social and health problem in the last decade,” he said. “Stress-induced disorders have long since replaced epidemics of infectious disease as the major medical problem of the post-industrial nations.”

Iverson said that there is a “staircase effect of stress.” Each stressful incident spikes then plateaus, and stressors stack on top of each other until a person reaches the top level of stress. He cited a Harvard study that showed that 40% to 60% of major illnesses result from stress and burnout.

“We have to remember to chill ourselves throughout the day,” Iverson said. “According to research, the only thing that worked for every single person was relaxation techniques — deep breathing, meditation, tai chi, yoga — which can turn that brain-strangling pattern back into normal brainwave pattern.”

Iverson said that taking a moment to relax after each stressful incident lowers the starting point for the next stressful incident and helps avoid dangerously high peaks.

“You need to get a handle on your brain, so you calm yourself repeatedly throughout the day,” Iverson said.

Iverson also said the fire service can follow the lead of Olympic athletes, who are able to find small wins throughout the day and find fulfillment in those wins rather waiting for one big achievement.

“Ask yourself, ‘Have I done anything that is of benefit to me or someone else in the last [pick a period of time]?’” Iverson said. “If you answer ‘yes,’ that’s a win.”

E-mail Iverson for a free copy of his burnout test at Larry@DrLarryIverson.com.