Stress

1. Stress What do you know about stress?

2. Definition Stress is nothing but a normal physiological response of the body to situations or stimulus which are perceived as 'dangerous' to the body.

3. Types of Stress • Eustress • Distress • Acute Stress • Chronic Stress

4. Eustress • Helpful type of stress. • Stress you experience right before you have the need to exert physical force. • Prepares the muscles, heart, and mind for the strength needed for whatever is about to occur. • Extra energy or creativity (Example: An athlete will experience the strength that comes form eustress right before they play a big game or enter a big competition.) • Prepares the body to fight with or flee from an imposing danger. • Causes the blood to pump to the major muscle groups • Increases the heart rate • Blood pressure increases

5. Positive Side Effects • Can actually be healthy for your body. • There are also positive ways to relieve stress that allow you to help cope with your bad stress. • Example: • Fight or Flight • Threatening conditions • May even be triggered in our body during illnesses or traumas like bites and scrapes • Helps provide a defense again infection.

6. Signs and Symptoms • Can help motivate individuals to accomplish something good. • Helps an individual to make any necessary changes in their lives. • Many discoveries and creative solutions that an individual comes up with will be the result of positive stress. • Something that has products that are good and useful.

7. Distress • Negative type of stress • When the normal routine is constantly adjusted and altered. • The mind is not comfortable with this routine, and craves the familiarity of a common routine. • Two types of distress: • Acute stress • Chronic stress

8. Acute Stress • Comes immediately with a change of routine. • It is an intense type of stress, but it passes quickly. • Acute stress is the body's way of getting a person stand up and take inventory of what is going on, to make sure that everything is OK.

9. Chronic Stress • Occur if there is a constant change of routine for week after week. • Affects the body for a long period of time. • Experienced by someone who constantly faces moves or job changes.

10. Negative Side Effects Short Term Effects • This is a physiological response seen in all people exposed to stress: • Diversion of the blood from less vital to more vital organs. • Increase in the heart rate to supply more blood quickly. • Increase in the blood pressure to supply blood efficiently. • Increase in the respiratory rate to get more oxygen from the atmosphere. • Breakdown of glycogen stores in liver and muscle to get more glucose. • Formation of more glucose from non carbohydrate substances.

11. Signs and Symptoms • Palpitation • Chest pain • Frozen shoulder • Cold clammy skin with gooseflesh • Flushing and feeling of warmth • Breathlessness • Dry mouth with difficulty in speaking and swallowing • Abdominal discomfort • Aggravation of Peptic Ulcer • Loose stools • Increased blood glucose levels • Headache, back ache and neck pain • Depletion of energy stores

12. Signs and Symptoms • Flare up of diseases like eczema, psoriasis, arthritis • Difficulty in concentrating • Memory disturbances • Sleeplessness • Decreased sexual drive • Loss of appetite • Anxiety • Depression • Outbursts of anger • Example: • A student preparing for an exam (If he is not able to cover all the topics or if he finds the topics very tough, then preparation for the exams acts as a trigger for stress. If he is able to complete all the topics and if he is able to understand what he studies, then the trigger is gone)

13. Negative Side Effects Long Term Effects • When stress is persistent or repetitive • Body keeps secreting the stress hormones • Blood levels remain continuously at a higher level • Some irreversible physiological damages of the brain

14. Signs and Symptoms • Organ damage • Chronic head ache • Mood swings • Anxiety disorder • Substance abuse • Memory disturbances • Heart attack due to increased blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol • Stroke due to similar reasons • Weight loss • Exacerbation of allergies including asthma

15. Signs and Symptoms • Irritable Bowel disease • Ischemic Bowel disease like Crohn's disease • Decreased sexual drive • Sleeplessness • When the stress factor is absent, some persist unless steps are taken to treat them. • Example: • Student fails exam. (He loses the opportunity to pass the class. The stress factor persists as he must retake the class and causes financial insecurity.)

16. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • A delayed reaction to an exceptionally stressful situation or a life threatening event where the person feels helpless. • Stages: • Dormant period • Re-experience past traumatic event as 'flash backs', or dreams • Person tries to avoid any stimuli or situation which reminds of the past trauma

17. Signs and Symptoms • Psychological numbing • Amnesia of certain aspects of the stressful event • Inability to experience pleasure • Isolation • Reduced interest in activities • Sleeplessness • Agitation

18. Stress Management Techniques Acknowledge Stress • Ignoring stress causes more harm. • Acknowledge that stress has a good effect on you. • Stress helps your body respond correctly. Avoid Stress “Sneezers” • A stress sneezer is someone who spreads stress in his environment like the germs that spread when someone sneezes. • Stress is infectious! • Help them learn stress management techniques. Deep Breathing Exercises • Most commonly thought of stress relief techniques. • The flow of oxygen to your brain releases the hormones that help you calm down and deal with the stressful event. • Slowly breathe in while you count to seven. Then release the breath while you count to eleven. Repeat.

19. Stress Management

20. Get in groups of 3 or 4: • Classify your stress type • List 3 stressors you have and techniques to reduce this stress.

21. Review • 4 types: • Eustress • Distress • Acute Stress • Chronic Stress • Positive vs. Negative Stress • Stress Management Techniques

22. Activities -Test Your Stress -Yoga

23. Which of the following is NOT a type of stress? • Distress • Post Traumatic Stress • Acute Stress • Eustress

24. Good stress does not causes… • Sleeplessness • Fight or Flight • Increased Motivation • Fight Infection

25. Distress happens… • Right before you need to exert physical force. • After a traumatic event. • When the normal routine is constantly adjusted or altered. • After a extended period of no stress.

26. Stress management techniques include all of the following except: • Smiling • Deep Breathing • Healthy Diet • Drinking with Friends

27. Stress is a positive response of the body to situations or stimulus which are perceived as 'dangerous' to the body. • True • False

28. Stressed spelled backwards is desserts!