STRESS

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STRESS

• COPING W/
• EMOTIONS

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WHAT IS STRESS?

• Stressor something that causes tension
• Distress internal feeling caused by stressor
• Biological response measurable physiological
  effects of stressor

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WHAT IS STRESS?
FIGHT OR FLIGHT SYNDROME
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TYPES OF STRESSORS

• Mental/Emotional
• Physical
• Environmental

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LIFE EVENTS

• MINOR STRESS
• Moving
• Beginning college
• Change in eating habits
• Taking out a loan
• Change in work hours
• Vacation

• MEDIUM STRESS
• Pregnancy
• Sexual problems
• Death of a friend
• Change in work responsibilities
• New job
• Child leaves home

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LIFE EVENTS

• MAJOR STRESS
• Death of spouse/partner
• Divorce
• Marital separation
• Marital reconciliation

• Jail sentence
• Mortgage foreclosure
• Marriage
• Retirement
• Personal injury/illness

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Internal Ways of Handling Stress

• Life Factors happy or unhappy?
• Behavioral Factors
• - Internalize problems
• - Unclear about goals in life
• - Need to achieve
• - Anger easily
• - Cry easily
• - Not able to cope

• Physiological Factors
• - poor appetite
• - crave food
• - have addictions
• - sleep problems
• - skin trouble

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Psychological Effects of Stress

• SLEEP PROBLEMS
• ANXIETY
• ANGER
• DEPRESSION

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TEST ANXIETY

• PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNS
• Sweaty palms
• Accelerated heartbeat
• Loss of concentration
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Blank mind
• Shallow breathing

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TEST ANXIETY

• PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
• Educational self-concept
• Competence
• Expectations of success
• Self-talk

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TEST ANXIETY RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

• Deep breathing slowly breather in and breathe
  out
• Take a wad of paper toss it from hand to hand.
  This will free up your brain and facilitates
  memory retrieval.
• Concentrate on your thumbnail for 2 minutes.
• Move your feet and hands in circles.
• Close one nostril and breathe deeply through the
  other. Alternate nostrils.
• Write down the directions to your house.
• Recite your telephone number to yourself.

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ANXIETY CONTROL DURING A TEST

• Tell yourself I can be anxious late now is the
  time to take the exam.
• Focus on answering the question, not on a grade
  or others performances.
• Counter negatives thoughts w/other more valid
  thoughts like, I dont have to be perfect.
• If allowed, get a drink or go to the bathroom.
• Think about a post-exam reward for yourself.

• Tense and relax muscles throughout your body
  take a couple of slow deep breaths and try to
  maintain a positive attitude.
• Ask the instructor a question.
• Eat something.
• Make sure you are well-hydrated.
• Break your pencil lead then go sharpen it.

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ANGER MANAGEMENT

• The Dos and Donts of Managing
• Our Anger

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WHAT IS ANGER/

• Anger is an emotional state that varies in
  intensity from mild irritation to intense fury
  and rage. Charles Spielberger, Ph.d.
• It is accompanied by biological and physiological
  changes.
• Can be caused by both external internal events.

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Expressing Anger

• The instinctive, natural way to express anger is
  to respond aggressively.
• We respond like this when we feel threatened.
• A certain amount of anger is necessary for our
  survival, however, how we express our anger is
  vitally important.

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Three approaches to Anger

• EXPRESSING
• SUPPRESSING
• CALMING

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Expressing

• This is the healthiest way.
• Should be done in an assertive not aggressive
  manner
• Make needs known w/o hurting others
• Be respectful to self and others

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Suppressing

• Anger is suppressed, then converted and
  redirected
• Aim is to convert it into something positive
• If anger turned inward, can cause high blood
  pressure, depression, passive-aggressive
  behavior, be critical of others

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Calming

• You calm self on the outside inside
• Take steps to lower heart rate
• Calm self down and let feelings subside

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People who are easily Angered

• Have low tolerance for frustration
• Feel that they should not be subjected to
  frustration, inconvenience, annoyance
• Can become infuriated if the situation seems
  somehow unjust

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What causes this?

• May be genetic or physiological some children
  are born more irritable and are easy to anger
• May be socio-cultural. We are taught expressing
  anger is wrong, but we are not taught how to
  express our anger.
• May be caused by coming from a disruptive and
  chaotic household.

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ANGER MANAGEMENT

• Keeping Anger at Bay

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Ways to keep anger in check

• Relaxation yoga, meditation, deep breathing,
  exercise
• Cognitive restructuring replace irrational
  thoughts w/ rational ones. Realize it is not the
  end of the world.

• Communication when angry, try not to say the
  first thing that pops into your head. Slow down
  think about what you want to say in a
  constructive, non-judgmental way
• Listen to what lies beneath the anger

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Ways to keep anger in check

• Use humor the underlying message of highly angry
  people is that things ought to go my way.
  Imagine a scenario that brings up humor.
• EX. Imagine that you are a king or goddess and
  all others defer to you in every way..isnt that
  a bit farfetched?

• Change your environment try to stay away from
  environments or situations that you know bother
  you.
• Take time to relax or enjoy a hobby
• If traffic triggers your anger, try a different,
  less stressful route to work

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Stress and Health

• Stress LOWERS white blood cell counts which lead
  to illness
• A persons thoughts, emotions, life experiences
  may affect outcome of illness
• Stress can RAISE blood pressure
• Stress can INCREASE heart rate
• Stress can RAISE LDL cholesterol levels.

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STRESS MAKES YOU FAT

• Insulin blood sugar
• Fat storage cortisol
• Food Cravings

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Stress Illness

• Hypertension
• Coronary heart disease
• Digestive tract ailments acid reflux, IBS
• Headaches
• Arthritis

• Fibromyalgia
• Psoriasis
• Eczema
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Autoimmune diseases
• Back pain

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WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS
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Stress Management Options

• Relaxation
• Meditation
• Exercise
• Massage
• Hypnosis

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Relaxation/Meditation

• Progressive relaxation
• Mindfulness meditation
• Deep breathing

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Exercise

• Positive impact on moods
• Can decrease depressive symptoms
• Can decrease rates of heart disease/cancer
• Can lower cholesterol levels
• Increases endorphins

• Yoga
• Tai Chi
• Chi Gong
• Walking

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Massage

• Decreases stress hormones
• Raises seratonin levels
• Decreases blood pressure
• FEELS GOOD!!

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CLOSING THOUGHTS

• DONT WORRY,
• BE HAPPY!!