Dealing Effectively with Stressful Environments

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Dealing Effectively with Stressful Environments

• Nevada
• Reno 18 Las Vegas 19, 2007

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Anxiety and AlzhelmersA lifetime of stress
could lead to memory problems and
disease.(Robert A. Rissman, Salk Institute for
Biological Studies, 2007)

• Chronic exposure to emotional stressors, such as
  anxiety or fear, can make a person more
  susceptible to Alzheimers disease.
• The stress incident modified the tau protein,
  which gives neurons structural support, rendering
  it unable to fulfill its role.
• After a single stress episode, tau morphed back
  into its original state within 90 minutes.
• When the stress was every day for two weeks, the
  tau remained in its modified state long enough to
  allow the individual protein molecules to clump
  together (the first step associated with
  Alzhelmers.

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Fight or Flight Response

• Stress sets off an alarm in the brain, which
  responds by preparing the body for defensive
  action.
• The nervous system is aroused and hormones are
  released to sharpen the senses, quicken the
  pulse, deepen respiration, and tense the muscles.

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Fight or Flight Response

• This response (sometimes called the fight or
  flight response) is important because it helps us
  defend against threatening situations.
• The response is preprogrammed biologically.
  Everyone responds in much the same way,
  regardless of whether the stressful situation is
  at work or home.

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What is the "fight or flight response?

• This fundamental response forms the foundation of
  modern day stress medicine.
• The "fight or flight response" is our body's
  primitive, automatic, inborn response that
  prepares the body to "fight" or "flee" from
  perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival.

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• When we are overwhelmed with excessive stress,
  our life becomes a series of short-term
  emergencies.
• We lose the ability to relax and enjoy the
  moment.
• We live from crisis to crisis, with no relief in
  sight. Burnout is just around the corner.

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Proactive Attitude

• It means you are responsible for our behavior
• Your behavior is a function of your decisions,
  not the conditions

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REACTIVE PROACTIVE

• Reactive people are often affected by their
  physical and social environment
• If the weather is good, they feel good. If it
  isnt it affects their attitude and their
  performance
• Reactive people focus on the weakness of others,
  the problems in the environment, and
  circumstances over which they have no control

• They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or
  conditioning for their decisions and behaviors
• Proactive people carry their weather with them.
  Whether it rains or shines makes no difference to
  them. They are value driven
• Proactive people focus on things they can do
  something about. The nature of their energy is
  positive

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REACTIVE PROACTIVE

• When things are going good everything is great.
  When things are not they become defensive and
  protective
• They build their emotional lives around the
  behavior of others
• They often feel victimized and out of control,
  not in charge of their life or work
• They take energy from you

• They act before they are acted upon, they take
  the initiative.
• They are open to change, in fact they are able to
  anticipate change
• They are responsible for their own behavior and
  they are a team player
• They are in control of their lives. Planning and
  re-planning
• They give you energy

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Self-Knowledge
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Whats It All About?

• More than 46 of men vs 40 of women say they
  are still trying to figure out the meaning and
  purpose of their lives.
• 18 31 56
• 32 50 42
• 51 and older 28

Source Barna Research Group
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Data on Happiness-National Opinion Research
Center, University of Chicago-

• The percentage of Americans who describe
  themselves as Happy has remained stable at one
  third over this period.
• Despite being far better off financially than
  previous generations, people report that we are
  no happier.

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Data on Happiness(National Opinion Research
Center, University of Chicago)(Harris Copper,
University Missouri-Columbia)

• The happiest people seem to be those who are
  fully engaged in the present
• There is research showing a lack of correlation
  between wealth and happiness

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Data on Happiness(National Opinion Research
Center, University of Chicago)(Harris Copper,
University Missouri-Columbia)

• Personality traits that are associated with
  happiness seem to be the characteristics that are
  also related to personal success and achievement.

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Five things youll find every successful person
has in commonJeffrey J. Mayer (2007)

• 1. They have a dream
• 2. They develop a plan
• 3. They have specific knowledge or training
• 4. Theyre willing to work hard
• 5. They dont take no for an answer

• Remember Happiness and success begins with a
  state of mind. You must believe youll be
  successful in order to become a success.

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Psychologists have discovered a number of
personality traits that seem to be common in
people that are the happiness(Harris Cooper,
Kristina DeNeve)

• Extroverted
• Friendly
• Trusting
• Planning skills
• Control over their lives
• Less prone to anxiety and mood swings
• Proactive Attitude

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Unhappy Personality Traits

• Lack of focus goals
• Lack or no Self-knowledge
• Lack of proactive behavior (attitude)

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Work and Personal Stress Creates Unfocused
Thinking Behaving
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Unfocused Thinking Behaving

• I find it ironic that some people feel
  unsuccessful but,
• at the same time, they have no idea what would
  make them feel successful.

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Unfocused Thinking Behaving

• These individuals have no plan for their personal
  or professional life and no idea in what
  direction they are moving.

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Competencies for Success-American Society for
training and Development

• self-awareness
• clarity of personal values
• purpose and vision
• know and trust yourself

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Circle of Success

• Check Your ID
• Before anything happen you must decide what you
  want
• You must first understand who you are
• What influences are on your life
• Create Your Vision
• You have to decide what you want, this involves
  exploring the possibilities (dreams, and
  aspirations)
• Evaluating your unique characteristics, talents
  and skills
• The final step is developing realistic goals
• Develop Your Travel Plan
• Next you need a plan to pursue your vision
• Master the Rules of the Road
• You will encounter distractions that might slow
  you down self-motivation will help you to get
  back on track

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Circle of Success

• Step Into the Outer Limits
• There are a risk factors when you explore and
  change you must leave your comfort zone and
  enter unknown territory
• Pilot the Seasons of Change
• You need to embrace change, its a natural
  process
• Build Your Dream Team
• Your must build a support team
• Win By A Decision
• You must make wise decisions this is your
  greatest challenge
• Commit to Your Vision
• Having a commitment involves pledging your time
  and energy to the pursuit of your vision and
  making a top priority in your life

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The section on Clarifying Your Values will help
you to develop Self-Knowledge
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What is Stress?

• In General

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When Stress is Positive

• When it forces you to adapt, thus increasing our
  coping skills
• When it increases our awareness of problem areas

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When Stress is Negative

• When it exceeds our ability to cope
• When it fatigues our system
• When it results in behavior or physical problems

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What is Stress?Dictionary of Medical
Terms(Barrons Medical Guide)

• Its when physical or emotional factors requires
  a change in response or effects health in any way
• Having an adverse effect on the functioning of
  the body or any of its parts
• Continual stress brings about widespread changes
  in functioning of the body

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What is Stress?Websters II, Desk Dictionary

• A force that tends to strain or deform
• Mental, emotional, or physical tension, strain,
  or distress

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Stress Definition(General Research Studies)

• Strain, pressure, or force on a system
• When used in relation to the body, it describes
  the effects of the body reacting, that is, the
  build up of pressure, the strain of muscles
  tensing

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StressWorking Definition

• Stress is taken to mean a fairly predictable
  arousal of psychophysiological (mind/body) system
  which, if prolonged, can fatigue or damage the
  system to the point of malfunction and disease

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Management Working Definition

• A major factor in the management of our health is
  the ability to live in harmony within society,
• while keeping to a minimum the detrimental
  effects of modern society (excess stress and
  tension).

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Proactive Outlook Working Definition

• We all posse the ability to reduce stress arousal
  and thus prevent stress related illness.

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What is a Stressor (Stress Trigger)

• Events Outside the Individual
• A demanding supervisor, heavy traffic, financial
  problems, family fights
• Events Inside the Individual
• The re-stimulation of past stressful events

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The Impact of Stress

• How stress can affect your mind
• How stress can make you feel
• How stress can affect your body
• How stress can affect your behavior
• What are the different types of stress?
• Acute Stress
• Episodic Acute Stress
• Chronic Stress
• Traumatic Stress

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Intellectual Symptoms How stress can affect
your mind

• Memory problems.
• Difficulty making decisions.
• Inability to concentrate.
• Confusion.
• Seeing only the negative.
• Repetitive or racing thoughts. 
• Poor judgment.
• Loss of objectivity.
• Desire to escape or run away.

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Emotional SymptomsHow stress can make you feel

• Moody and hypersensitive.
• Restlessness and anxiety.
• Depression.
• Anger and resentment.
• Easily irritated and on edge.
• Sense of being overwhelmed.
• Lack of confidence.
• Apathy.
• Urge to laugh or cry at inappropriate times.

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Physical Symptoms How stress can affect your
body

• Headaches.
• Digestive problems.
• Muscle tension and pain.
• Sleep disturbances.
• Fatigue.
• Chest pain, irregular heartbeat.
• High blood pressure.
• Weight gain or loss.
• Asthma or shortness of breath.
• Skin problems.
• Decreased sex drive

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Behavioral SymptomsHow stress can affect your
behavior

• Eating more or less.
• Sleeping too much or too little.
• Isolating yourself from others.
• Neglecting your responsibilities.
• Increasing alcohol and drug use.
• Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).
• Teeth grinding or jaw clenching.
• Overdoing activities such as exercising or
  shopping.
• Losing your temper.
• Overreacting to unexpected problems

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What are the different types of stress? Acute
Stress

• Acute stress is the most common and most
  recognizable form of stress, the kind of sudden
  jolt in which you know exactly why youre
  stressed you were just in a car accident the
  school nurse just called a bear just ambled onto
  your campsite. Or it can be something scary but
  thrilling, such as a parachute jump. Along with
  obvious dangers and threats, common causes of
  acute stressors include noise, isolation,
  crowding, and hunger.
• Normally, your body rests when these types of
  stressful events cease and your life gets back to
  normal. Because the effects are short-term, acute
  stress usually doesnt cause severe or permanent
  damage to the body.

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Episodic Acute Stress

• According to the American Psychological
  Association, those prone to episodic acute stress
  include driven, hard-charging Type A
  personality types and worrywarts, always anxious
  about the next disaster theyre sure lurks around
  the corner.
• While the Type A tends to seem angry and hostile
  and the worrier more depressed, both are
  frequently over-aroused and tense, and both are
  susceptible to the physical manifestations of
  extended stress, including high blood pressure
  and heart disease.
• If youre prone to episodic acute stress, you may
  not know it or admit to it. You may be wedded to
  a life style that promotes stress.
• Unfortunately, people with episodic acute stress
  may find it so habitual that they resist changing
  their lifestyles until they suffer severe
  physical symptoms.

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Chronic Stress The APA Help Center describes
chronic stress as unrelenting demands and
pressures for seemingly interminable periods of
time. Chronic stress is stress that wears you
down day after day and year after year, with no
visible escape. It grinds away at both mental and
physical health, leading to breakdown and even
death.

• Poverty and financial worries
• Long-term unemployment
• Dysfunctional family relationships
• Caring for a chronically ill family member
• Feeling trapped in unhealthy relationships or
  career choices
• Living in an area besieged by war or violence
• Bullying or harassment
• Perfectionism

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Traumatic Stress

• Severe stress reactions can result from a
  catastrophic event or intense experience such as
  a natural disaster, sexual assault,
  life-threatening accident, or participation in
  combat.
• After the initial shock and emotional fallout,
  many trauma victims gradually begin to recover.
  But for some people, the psychological and
  physical symptoms triggered by the trauma don't
  go away, the body doesnt regain its equilibrium,
  and life doesnt return to normal.
• This is a condition known as post-traumatic
  stress disorder (PTSD).
• Common symptoms include flashbacks or nightmares
  about the trauma, avoidance of places and things
  associated with the trauma, hypervigilance for
  signs of danger, chronic irritability and
  tension, and depression. PTSD is a serious
  disorder that requires professional intervention.

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Research has demonstrated within minutes of
exposure neurons became hypersensitive.Charlotte
Mathis, M.D. Stress Causes Lasting Brain Change
(2002)

• The change lasted for several weeks -- long after
  the stress was gone.
• The researchers saw that a specific brain
  molecule had changed in a subtle but important
  way. This molecule normally produces a protein
  that removes a certain neurotransmitter from the
  spaces between neurons.
• In this case, when the molecule in question
  changed in response to stress, the protein it
  produced was also changed -- in such a way that
  it no longer removed its target neurotransmitter.
  And this led to communication problems in the
  brain -- problems that looked very similar to the
  behavior and memory symptoms of posttraumatic
  stress disorder.

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ANXIETY

• An anxiety involves an excessive or inappropriate
  state of arousal characterized by feelings of
  apprehension, uncertainty, or fear.

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ANXIETY

• The anxiety response is often not related to a
  real threat.
• Nevertheless it can still paralyze the individual
  into inaction or withdrawal.

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It's just DNA.  It has nothing to do with
anything you ever had any choice about.Avshalom
Caspi, Multdisciplinary Health development
Research Unit, University of Wisconsin (May 2006)

• You were just born this way.
• What I want you to see is just how much impact a
  gene can have on a person's experience of the
  world. 
• Although it appears that one gene has a lot of
  influence on what happens to people when they are
  stressed, you should not conclude "see, there's
  nothing I can do about it!"  Just because we know
  a part of the cause of depression is beyond your
  control does not mean that the solution is beyond
  your control.  Indeed, perhaps knowing, at a
  biological level, that a big part of the problem
  is "not your fault", might actually be part of
  the solution for you. 

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Social Engineering Strategies

• Adaptive Stress
• Establish routines when possible
• Use time blocking techniques
• Remember that a vacation doesnt always mean
  relaxation
• Overload
• Practice time management and set priorities
• Avoid over commitments by learning to say no
• Delegate responsibility
• Reduce the task into manageable parts
• Enlist the aid/support of others
• Determine optimal stress levels
• Stress from Frustration
• Use the goal alternative System model to find new
  alternatives to your frustrated goal

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Relaxation Training

• Breathing
• Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR)
• Meditation
• Imagery

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Breathing

• A useful method may be to focus your attention on
  your breathing.
• Concentrate on breaths in and out.
• You can accompany this by counting your breaths
  using the numbers 0 to 9.
• You can visualizing images of the numbers
  changing with each breath.
• Alternatively you could visualize health and
  relaxation flowing into your body when you
  inhale, and stress or pain flowing out when you
  exhale.

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Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR)

• Progressive muscular relaxation (PMR) is a purely
  physical technique for relaxing your body when
  muscles are tense.
• The idea behind PMR is that you tense up a group
  of muscles so that they are as tightly contracted
  as possible.
• Hold them in a state of extreme tension for a few
  seconds.
• Then relax the muscles to their previous state.
• Finally you consciously relax them again as much
  as you can.

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Meditation

• Meditation is a very effective method of
  relaxation.
• The idea of meditation is to focus your thoughts
  on one relaxing thing for a sustained period of
  time.
• It gives your body time to relax and clear away
  toxins that may have built up through stress and
  mental or physical activity.
• Meditation can have the following effects

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• lowers blood pressure  
• slows breathing  
• helps muscles relax  
• gives the body time to eliminate lactic acid and
  other waste products  
• eliminates stressful thoughts  
• helps with clear thinking  
• helps with focus and concentration  
• reduces stress headaches

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Imagery

• One common use of imagery in relaxation is to
  imagine a scene, place, or event that you
  remember as peaceful, restful, and happy.
• You can bring all your senses into the image,
  with sounds of running water and birds, the smell
  of lavender, the taste of cool spring water, the
  warmth of the sun, etc.
• Use this imagine as a retreat from stress and
  pressure.
• Your image can be anything that works for you, as
  long as it feels peaceful.

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Frequent exercise is probably one of the best
physical stress-reduction techniques available.
Exercise not only improves your health, it also
relaxes tense muscles and helps you to sleep.
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• It improves blood flow to your brain, bringing
  additional sugars and oxygen which may be needed
  when you are thinking intensely.

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• When you think hard, the neurons of your brain
  function more intensely.
• As they do this, they build up toxic waste
  products that cause foggy thinking.
• By exercising you speed the flow of blood through
  your brain, moving these waste products faster.

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• It can cause release of chemicals called
  endorphins into your blood stream.
• These give you a feeling of happiness and
  well-being.