re: Scientists Say It’s More Stressful to Be a Waiter Than a Neurosurgeon

Only women and weird guys stress over their jobs.
At any level.

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I believe it. Typically the dumber you are, the more stressful your life will be.

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Don't think so

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Typically,
The more money you make,
The more stress you encounter.

Not for all, but just in my experience

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Ok P-Diddy! For real though I do know what you are talking about but that is only if you try to live beyond your means, don't pay your taxes or do something else dumb like that. The post I was replying to said the dumber you are the more stressful your life will be and I agree with that 100% no matter if you make $10,000 a year or $10,000,000 a year.

I waited tables and worked in the restaurant business in college, and I can attest to the fact that it can be incredibly stressful.

Dealing with brains is less stressful than dealing with assholes.

Neurosurgeons don't get in the weeds.

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The startling result was that they suffered the least amount of stress when they were in surgery

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Lawyer here. I am at ease the most when I am actually on my feet in front of an audience in court. Don't have to worry about phones ringing or emails or clients, I can just focus and execute.

Edit: just to clarify, I know neurosurgery is harder than what I do.

Hopefully, the waiter that doesn't put a thumb into my mashed potatoes and the neurosurgeon that doesn't put a thumb into my thinker are both smarter than the scientist that wrote this stupid study.

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Is this real life?

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Yes and no.

Folks are often able to reset their stress level in accordance to their job. A low stress individual will reset toward that lower stress point over time, even in a much more stressful environment. Likewise, a high stress, stressed-out individual will often eventually stress-out in what should be a low key situation.

It usually boils down to coping mechanisms, either innate or learned (TM, meditation, yoga, etc) E.g., lower stress equates to higher focus on the task at hand.

In neurosurgery, working a quarter millimeter from delicate vessels equates to high risk. Damaging the vessel can be catastrophic. So can inadequately completing the task at hand. There is no room for distraction. So focus is directed not at what might happen, but what is happening -- the task at hand. Everything else including stress is distraction.

Now understand too, there is a high degree of sample self-selection in the neurosurgery vs waitress stress level equation. An individual unable to manage stress won't end up as neurosurgeon. Just won't happen. They will either realize the field is not for them, or they will be promptly weeded out. On the other hand, an individual who is self-destructive d/t being continually stressed out is far more likely to engage unhealthy habits noted in the OP (smoking, drinking, drugs, etc), and underperform in the workplace as a result of stress and associated behavior.

Years ago in an attempt to restructure medicare payments away from surgery and toward primary care, the same kind of stress related questions were asked of Heart Surgeons and Family Practitioners. The Family Practitioners claimed more stress. The salient question . . . what would respective stress levels be if the jobs were switched?

So "is this real life" is kind of a chicken or egg question.