Managing Stress in Your Life

1. Managing Stress in Your Life

2. Lesson 1 – What is Stress? • Stress – body and mind’s reaction to everyday demands or threats • Kinds of Stress • Distress – negative stress (results from too much pressure or trauma) • Eustress – positive stress (can help you achieve goals)

3. Kinds of Stressors • Biological –biochemical imbalances, mental or physical illness • Environmental – poverty, pollution, noise, crowding, natural disasters • Cognitive – way you perceive a situation • Personal behavior- tobacco, alcohol, drugs, lack of exercise • Life Situations – trouble in relationships or experiencing loss

4. The Body’s Stress Response • The endocrine and nervous system are active during the body’s response to stress • The body’s response is involuntary or automatic

5. Alarm • 1st stage in the stress response when the body and mind are on high alert • Adrenaline is secreted by the adrenal glands. It is the emergency hormone that helps the body respond to a stressor

6. Resistance • 2nd stage in the stress response when the body tries to repair its damage from a stressful situation and return to its normal state • The body functions at a higher than normal level

7. Fatigue • 3rd stage of the stress response that results in a tired feeling • Prolonged exposure to stress causes the body and mind to wear down • Types of Fatigue • Physical –soreness and tiredness • Pathological – overworking the body’s defenses in response to disease • Psychological – constant worry, depression, boredom

8. Lesson 2 – Stress in Your Life • Several factors affect a persons level of stress • Stress can have a negative impact on health • You can learn to recognize signs of stress • Stress can be controlled by how you view the stressor

9. Stress and the Brain • Stress can affect neurotransmitters • This can cause sleep disturbance, panic attacks, and low enjoyment of life • Stress tolerance – amount of stress you can handle before you reach a state of too much

10. Stress and Your Personality Type • Type A – competitive and high achieving and most likely to develop heart disease • Type B – laid back and less likely to suffer from heart disease • The hardy personality – able to stay healthy despite traumatic stressors

11. Characteristics of Hardy Personalities • Resilience - Characteristic found in people with hardy personality’s • Change – view it as an opportunity for growth • Commitment – committed to things that bring meaning to life • Control – feels an influence and can control what happens in his life

12. Problems Resulting from Stress • Mind and Body Connection – stress can raise blood pressure, weaken the immune system, and can lead to premature death • Blood pressure – stress increases levels of cholesterol which causes blocked arteries. This could lead to heart disease and stroke.

13. Problems Resulting from Stress • Headaches – tension causes contraction of the muscles in the head and neck. This results in a headache for many people. • Asthma – stress can trigger an attack. It is important for people with this condition to identify stressors and prevent them if possible

14. Problems Resulting from Stress • Immune response system – prolonged exposure to stress can weaken the immune system which prevents the body from fighting off disease. • Psychosomatic response – physical disorder that results from stress rather than injury (skin disorders, stomach aches, digestive problems)

15. Signs of Stress • Physical – headaches, trembling, upset stomach, sweating, dry mouth • Emotional – frustration, boredom nervousness, worrying • Mental – trouble thinking, obsessive thoughts, forgetting • Behavioral – not eating, overeating, high risk behavior, fidgeting, forgetting values

16. Lesson 3 – Managing Stress • Identifying the problem – get to the source and know your personal stressors

17. Stress Management • Eliminate or reduce exposure to the stressor • Change the way you perceive or react to the stressor • Ways to handle stress – physical activity, re-channel energy, relax, laugh, plan ahead

18. Ways to Handle Stress • Planning – being well prepared helps you feel confident and comfortable • Re-channeling energy – put negative energy to use for positive gains • Relax and laugh • Relaxation response- state of deep rest from using relaxation techniques • Laughter instantly relieves stress

19. Ways to Handle Stress • Seek Support – parents, teachers, coaches, friends, peer helpers • Support Groups – informal gathering of people with similar problems in order to share experiences

20. Ways to Handle Stress • Time management – strategies to use time in effective ways • Prioritize – deciding what is important and making sure you take care of these things first

21. Responding to Loss • A person needs to talk about the loss (maybe over and over) • Closure – end of the most intense grieving • Delayed grief response – putting off the intense stages of grief • Grief counselors can help people work through their problems

22. The Grieving Process: • Denial-it may be difficult to believe the loss has occurred. • Emotional Release-The loss is recognized. This stage often involves periods of cyring. • Anger- The person uses anger because he or she feels powerless and unfairly deprived.

23. The Grieving Process • Bargaining-As the reality of loss sets in, the person may promise to change if what is lost can be returned. • Depression-Beyond the feelings of sadness, feelings of isolation, alienation, and hopelessness may occur.

24. The Grieving Process • Remorse- The person may become preoccupied with thoughts about how the loss could have been prevented. • Acceptance-The person faces the reality of the loss, and experiences closure, or the acceptance of a loss. • Hope-remembering becomes less painful, and the person begins to look ahead to the future.

25. Kubler-Ross 5 Stages of Grief • Denial • Anger • Bargaining • Depression • Acceptance