stress. the body’s and mind’s reaction to everyday demands or threats. real or imagined
TRANSCRIPT
Stress
Stress• The body’s and mind’s
reaction to everyday demands or threats.
• Real or imagined
• Stress can be minor and go unnoticed
• Can be useful or harmful, energizing or exhausting
• Key-learn to handle it in healthful ways
Distress
• Negative stress
• Too much pressure or trauma and you don’t know how to deal with it
Eustress
•Positive stress
•Can help you achieve your goals
Kinds of stressors
Stressor
• Any stimulus that produces a stress response
• People, objects, places, events, or situations
5 general categories of stressors
Biological stressors
• Biochemical imbalances
• Mental or physical illness
• Disabilities or injuries
Environmental stressors
• Poverty• Pollution• Crowding• Noise• Natural disasters
Cognitive or thinking stressors
• Perceive a situation
• What you expect
Personal behavior stressors
• Tobacco
• Alcohol
• Other drugs
• Not exercising
Life situations
• Relative or pet die
• Parents separate or divorce
• Trouble with relationships
The body’s stress response
• Perceive a situation or event to be a threat, your body begins a stress response
• Nervous and endocrine systems are active during reaction to stressors
• Involuntary• Occur whether physical or
emotional, positive or negative
Alarm stage
• 1st stage in the stress response, when the body and mind go on high alert
Adrenaline
• “emergency hormone”• Secreted by the adrenal
glands to prepare the body to respond to a stressor
• Sweat and tears – only way to get rid of
Fight or flight
• Heart speeds up• Breath faster• Throat muscles contract• Sweat• Arms and legs tighten • Mind on high alert
Resistance
•2nd stage in the stress response, body tries to repair the damage and return to normal
Fatigue•3rd stage, resulting in a tired feeling that lowers one’s level activity
Three kinds of fatigue
Physical fatigue
•End of long day
•After exercise
Pathological fatigue
• Overworking
• Sick, overweight, poor nutrition
• Alcohol or caffeine
Psychological fatigue
• Constant worry• Overwork• Depression• Boredom• isolation
•Prolonged or repeated stress can lead to stress-related illnesses.
Stress and the brain
• Thrive on challenge or frighten you
• New experiences unafraid or change scare you
• Neurotransmitters – brain chemicals
Stress tolerance
•Amount of stress which you can handle before you reach a state of too much stress.
Stress and your personality type
Type A personality
• Competitive
• High-achieving
• Develop heart disease or other health problems
Type B personality
• “laid back”
• Non-competitive
• Less likely to suffer heart disease
Hardy personality
• able to stay healthy despite major or traumatic stressors
• Resilience• Change• Commitment• control
Psychosomatic response
• Physical disorder that results from stress rather than from an injury or illness
Signs of stress
Physical signs
• Headaches
• Trembling
• Upset stomach
• Sweating
• constipation
• Diarrhea
• Trouble sleeping
• Grinding teeth
• Dry mouth
• Back pain
Emotional signs
• Frustration
• Nervousness
• Feeling powerless
• Impatience
• Mood swings
• Edginess• Quick to anger• Confusion• Crying• Low self-
esteem
Mental signs
• Trouble reading• Not thinking
clearly• Constant worry• Obsessive
thoughts
• Inability to make decisions
• Forgetting• No sense of
humor• No perspective
Behavioral signs
• Not eating• Overeating• Compulsive
talking• Fidgeting• Tapping feet
• Withdrawing
• Hurrying
• Drumming fingers
• Smoking
• Reckless behaviors
Managing stress• Identify the problem
• Stress management
• Planning
• Rechanneling energy
• Relaxing and laughing
• Seeking support
• Time management
Relaxation response
• State of deep rest that can be reached if one or more relaxation techniques are practiced regularly
Support group• Informal or formal gathering
of who people who meet and share experiences, feelings, and trust, can also be helpful
Time management skills
• Specific strategies for planning and using time in effective, healthful ways
Priorities
• Goals, tasks, or activities that you judge as more important to do than others
Coping with loss
Grief reaction
• Individual’s total response to a major loss
Stages of loss
Stage 1: Denial
• Initial reaction
• Cannot believe the loss has occurred
Stage 2: Anger
• “why me” stage
• Critical, demanding,or uncooperative
Stage 3: Bargaining
• Pray or promise to change if only the lost person or object can be returned, even for a while
Stage 4: Depression
• Silence and withdrawal
• Sense of quiet sadness
Stage 5: Acceptance
• Sense of power
• Person facing reality in constructive ways
Closure
• Coming to an end of the most intense parts of the grieving process
Delayed grief response
• Putting off stages of grief until the shock wears off
• Cover up feelings with drugs
• Assuring everyone they are fine