Chapter 4: Developing Mastery over Stress

1. Chapter 4: Developing Mastery over Stress Dr. M. Davis-Brantley

2. Understanding Stress • Difference between Stress Mastery and Stress Management • Stress Management—dealing with stress is just another thing we have to learn to do; includes exercises that you must do. Takes too much time. • Stress Mastery—should become part of your life and is not work and understanding stress can help you to master it. Increases awareness

3. What is Stress? • Positive and Negative Stress • Eustress is referred to as positive stress • Some of stress can help motivate you to perform and meet the challenges of life • The physiological and psychological aspects of the arousal produced by stress can be useful but also can harm you • Over arousal leads to the negative stress of anxiety • Under arousal leads to the negative stress=boredom • Life Readjustment Scale

4. Physical Consequences of Stress • Glucocorticoid is a stress hormone • High levels of this hormone cause white blood cells to migrate to the bone marrow and so they are not available later to combat disease

5. Physical Consequences Cont’d • Hypertension is a stress related which afflicts ~50 million • Cholesterol levels rise during periods of stress • Overproduction of ACTH (result of stress) can impede endorphin production which is a natural pain killer

6. Psychological Consequences • Stress is a major factor in the development of anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc… • Depression is the #1 cause of disability in the U.S. • Correlation between stress and alcohol/drug problems

7. Fight or Flight Response

8. Physiology of Stress • Fight or Flight Response • A survival mechanism in humans and most animals which prepares us to deal with physical danger • Importance of Homeostasis

9. Fight or Flight Limitations • System should only be elicited in the event of actual physical danger • Daily stressor begins to elicit an autonomic response • Heart rate increases when boss calls you into their office • Past stressors used to have a clear beginning and end this is not the case recently

10. Body Part Heart Lungs Muscles Stomach Sweat Glands Adrenal Gland Immune System Stress Response Faster pulse/ stronger contraction Faster/Shallow Breathing Tightened & Stiff Decreased Digestion Increased Perspiration Increased Adrenaline Decreased Resistance to Disease Fight or Flight Physical Responses

11. Stress Sensitization • General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) explains the current phenomenon of how we cope with stress (See figure 4.4, p. 77) • Stage 1: Alarm Reaction • Activation of the fight/flight response • Stage 2: Stage of Resistance • Fight/flight response should deactivate but with modern day stressors, subtle signs of the stressor persist • During this time our neural/glandular systems remain active and leave us overstimulated • Stage 3: Stage of Exhaustion • When the stressor has existed for chronic period and body begins to harm itself I.e., immune system, heart, brain • Stress Sensitization • The body becomes sensitive to stress and the smallest amount of stress leads to chemical reactions in our brain/body which results in the triggering of a physiological response • Book example: running late for an appointment, calls the body to react as if this was a life or death situation

12. Mind-Body Connection • Placebo Effect • Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) • The study of the relationship between stress, our immune system and health • Research and PNI • Biopsy wounds healed more slowly in women who were under high levels of stress • HIV/AIDs patients with high cortisol levels (stress hormone) have been found to have more illness as a result of their disorder

13. Chapter 5: Part II Techniques to Master Stress

14. Mind-Body Connection • Mind and Body were previously believed to be completely separate entities • Later discovered to be extremely interconnected and interdependent • as historically thought • Our bodies trigger our thoughts (mind) and our minds trigger bodily reactions

15. De-Stressing • First step is to change the way we view stressful situations and then learning to actually relax the body • Several strategies and techniques which can be beneficial in allowing the body to de-stress

16. How Do We Change Our View of Stressful Events By Changing our Perception

17. Relaxation • Active Relaxation vs. Passive Relaxation • Active Relaxation is necessary relaxation aimed at reducing the fight/flight response • This restores the body and returns the body to homeostasis • Actually must be aware of your body and the body’s physiological reactions • Passive Relaxation involves simple inactivity and temporary distraction from stress • Active relaxation has been found to be significantly more effective at reducing stress levels than passive relaxation

18. Diaphragmatic Breathing • Natural antidote to stress • Physiologically the body utilizes oxygen to react and function adequately • Breathing allows the body to have a balance between the carbon dioxide and oxygen • One hand on your diaphragm and one on your chest. Focus on allowing the hand on your stomach to rise (like a balloon) not the chest (Practice) • Be in the moment, focus on your breathing ad nothing else

19. Self-Awareness • Self-awareness involves the ability to focus on the self and be in the moment • Often times, we attempt to be in the moment however, often get distracted by the other areas of our lives • Since we are allowed to choose our responses to stressors, being self-aware can provide an individual with the opportunity to step away, recharge, and think of the stressor in a different way • Witnessing Stance involves stepping out of yourself, as a witness to your own life, and gather a new perspective on life • View of self from the outside of the self • Metacognition-the ability to think about your thinking • Being aware of your thinking and how you think can significantly influence your ability to change the way we think about situations

20. Stress Hardiness • Researcher Kobasa outlined attitudes possessed by individuals who appeared to be resistant to negative stress. These individuals exhibited the following: • Control—these individuals believe they are in control of their lives and do not allow the stressor to control their lives • These individuals recognize that they don’t have direct control over events, but they know they can control their reaction to the stressor • Involves engaging in proactive behavior and possessing an internal locus of control • Commitment—this involves believing that what you do is of value and importance • These individuals have a “zest for life” and realize that “Happiness is not about getting what you want, but about appreciating what you have” • Challenge—Although we all encounter difficulties, these individuals see difficulties as challenges and the opportunity to improve oneself

21. Other Relaxation Strategies • Progressive Muscle Relaxation • Intuitive Stretching • Guided Imagery • Staying Healthy—Not just a technique but a way of life • Exercise releases pent up energy and muscle tension and helps the body return to homeostasis • Benefits of Exercise include: Decrease in stress hormones (cortisol), Decrease in Depression, Increase in self-esteem, Increased sense of well-being, and Decease in Anxiety • Vitamins & Diet can impact the effect of stress on the body, in that stress demands an increase for vitamins