Stress

1. Stress

2. Perception How you think about a challenge determines whether you will experience positive or negative stress. • Perception is the act of becoming aware through the senses • How much the stress of an event in your life affects you depends in part on your perception of it. • What stresses out one person may not stress out another, depending on their perception.

3. Negatives or Positives Stress can have both positive and negative effects. • Positive stress can motivate you • Negative stress can interfere with your ability to perform, making you feel overwhelmed, frustrated or angry.

4. Stressors Stressors activate the body’s nervous system and specific hormones. • A stressor is anything that causes stress. • When you perceive something dangerous, difficult or painful your body will automatically begin a stress response • What stresses you out Worksheet

5. Bodies Alarm Response to Stress Alarm Initial Fight or Flight Response • Hypothalamus gets activated and sends signal to pituitary gland • Pituitary Gland sends a signal to the adrenal gland • Adrenal gland releases adrenaline

6. The Alarm Response- “Fight or Flight”

7. Bodies Response to Stress- Stage 2 Resistance - The body adapts to the stressor and can perform at a higher level for a brief period of time. (2-3 days max)

8. Bodies Response to Stress- Stage 3 Fatigue – Usually occurs in 2-3 days of constant stress • A psychosomatic response is a physical reaction that results from stress rather than an injury or illness. – head aches, weakened immune system, & more • Chronic stress is related to long-term problems that are beyond a person’s control in which stress has become a constant burden that can last for months.

9. Signs of prolonged Stress • Physical Signs • Head aches • Fatigue • Unable to Sleep • Upset Stomach • Muscle Tension or pain • Hives or rashes • Increased heart rate • Sweating • More frequent illness

10. Signs of Stress • Emotional Signs • Restlessness • Lack of Focus or motivation • Anxiety • Panic Attacks • Irritabliltiy • Anger • Sadness • Depression • Memory impairment • Feeling constantly pressured hassled or hurried

11. Signs of Stress Behavioral Signs • Overeating • Under eating • Outbursts of emotion • Alcohol, tobacco or other drug use • Withdrawal from others • More disagreements with others

12. How to Avoid/Limit Stress 1. Relax & Pray 2. Redirect It 3. Seek support 4. Get sleep 5. Get regular physical activity • Eat Nutritious Foods • Plan Ahead • Use Refusal Skills to cut down on the number of activities you commit to

13. Refusal Skills • Say no in a firm manner- do this calmly and clearly. Use expressions such as “No thanks, I’d rather not” • Explain why- State your feelings. Tell the other person that the suggested activity or responsibility is too much right now. • Stand your ground- Make it clear that you don’t intend to change your mind.

14. Make a Decision STEP 1 • Describe the decision or problem the person is having in the scenario. STEP 2 • Identify what you want to happen. STEP 3 • Brainstorm optional ways to get what you want to happen. STEP 4 • Omit ideas that don’t check out and ideas you don’t want to try. STEP 5 • Select an idea to try. STEP 6 • Act on the idea. STEP 7 • Evaluate how it turned out.

15. Decide if you have time…? • You are a high school student in California named Rebecca. You are a standout volleyball player who is looking to play in college so you are on a club team that plays games every other weekend. You are actively involved at your church in youth group on Wednesday nights and you are on the worship team that practices once a week and plays on Sunday’s. You are also in your toughest work load semester in school and prepping for the ACT. A friend asks you if you’s be willing to help her be on a team to build a house for Habitat for Humanity, this would happen on Sunday afternoons and Monday after school for one month. • What would you do if you were Rebecca?

16. Decide if you have time….? Part 2 • You are a high school senior in Colorado named Blaine. You play on the varsity basketball team and are in season. You have practice or a game everyday but Sunday. You are also every close to the playoffs and your team has a great chance of having a run at the state championship. You hope to attend Colorado State University and need at least a 3.5 this semester to keep a scholarship hope alive. You are active in your churches worship band playing guitar. Your family also really values spending quality time almost every night around the dinner table. • A friend asks you to join them in running a canned food drive for a food bank that helps needy families. You will need to make flyers and promote this all over school any way possible. The deadline date, will be the day you and your friend take all the donations and go to the food bank to help serve needy families by giving them the food you collected. This is the day after the State Championship. • Will you decide to help your friend? – use decision making worksheet.

17. Practice Saying No • With a partner practice saying no to taking on too much. • The other partner be convincing and try to get them to “crack” and give in to helping you. Use sympathy as a tactic.