STRESS MANAGEMENT

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• MANAGING STRESS IN YOUR LIFE
• A PERSONAL APPROACH
• J.P. PECORELLI, PH.D.
• Behavioral Health Services of Sharon Regional
  Health System
• 724-983-5454

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• IS A PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE
• IS NECESSARY
• TIME, MONEY, AND RELATIONSHIPS ENSURE THAT STRESS
  WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• STRESS
• DOES NOT HAVE TO BE NEGATIVE OR OVERWHELMING

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• DEFINITION
• THE NON-SPECIFIC RESPONSE OF THE BODY TO ANY
  DEMAND
• Hans Selye, MD

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• DR. HANS SELYE WROTE
• STRESS IS ESSENTIALLY REFLECTED BY THE RATE OF
  ALL THE WEAR AND TEAR CAUSED BY LIFE.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO US?
• IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE STRESSOR IS PLEASANT OR
  UNPLEASANT, OR THE RESULTS ARE GOOD OR BAD

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• NOT ALL STRESS IS NEGATIVE
• EUSTRESS POSITIVE STRESS
• RESULTS FROM EXHILARATING EXPERIENCES
• WINNING THE LOTTERY
• UNEXPECTED PROMOTION
• AWARD

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• DISTRESS
• STRESS OF
• LOSING, FAILING, OVERWORKING AND NOT COPING
• CAN BE HARMFUL AND IT IS NORMAL FROM TIME TO TIME

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• OUR RESPONSE TO STRESS
• IS THE AUTOMATIC STATE THAT RESULTS WHEN THE BODY
  ATTEMPTS TO MAKE CHANGES IN ORDER TO ADAPT TO ANY
  DEMAND

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• CAUSES OF STRESS FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES
• EXTERNAL
• INTERNAL

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• EXTERNAL STRESSOR
• MAY BE MAJOR LIFE EVENTS
• (REFER TO HOLMES-RAHE SCALE)
• MOVING
• DEATH OF SPOUSE, FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND
• DIVORCE

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• MAY BE CAUSED BY EVERYDAY PRESSURES SUCH AS
• FINANCIAL
• DEADLINES
• ARGUMENTS
• FAMILY CONCERNS
• LACK OF SLEEP

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• INTERNAL STRESSORS
• INSIDE OURSELVES
• THIS TYPE OF STRESSOR MAY PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN
  THE STRESS OF DAILY LIFE

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• EXAMPLES ARE
• VALUES AND BELIEFS
• FAITH
• GOALS
• SELF-IMAGE
• EXPECTATIONS OF SELVES OTHERS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• STRESS
• DRIVEN BY HORMONES
• HORMONES ACT LIKE A CONDUCTOR
• HORMONES INNERVATE BODY SYSTEMS/ORGANS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE STRESSED
• HYPOTHALAMUS STIMULATES PITUITARY
• PITUITARY RELEASES ACTH INTO BLOOD
• ACTH STIMULATES ADRENAL GLANDS TO SECRETE FURTHER
  CHEMICALS THAT AFFECT OTHER ORGAN SYSTEMS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• STRESS
• WHAT YOU NOTICE
• HEART RATE SPEEDS UP
• BP RISES
• BREATHING SPEEDS UP
• BLOOD TO MUSCLES
• SWEATING
• BLOOD SUGAR INCREASES

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• MANY PEOPLE HAVE SYMPTOMS OF DISTRESS EVERYDAY.
• WE ACCEPT IT AS PART OF A NORMAL DAY.
• TO REDUCE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON OURSELVES, WE MUST
  INCREASE AWARENESS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• COMMON SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
• PHYSICAL
• MENTAL EMOTIONAL
• BEHAVIORAL
• COGNITIVE

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS INCLUDE
• MUSCLE TENSION
• NAUSEA, VOMITING
• HEADACHES
• JAW, NECK BACK PAIN
• DIARRHEA
• SLEEP DISTURBANCES
• DRY MOUTH, SWEATY PALMS
• UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
• COLD HANDS
• BREATHING CHANGES (E.G., SHALLOW, SIGHING)

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• EMOTIONAL/MENTAL SYMPTOMS
• ANXIETY, WORRY, GUILT, NERVOUSNESS
• ANGER, FRUSTRATION
• MOODINESS
• DEPRESSION
• APPETITE VARIES
• RACING THOUGHTS
• NIGHTMARES
• DIMINISHED CONCENTRATION
• IMPAIRED MEMORY OR FORGETFULNESS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• INDECISIVENESS
• CLOSE TO TEARS OR CRYING
• LONELINESS
• FEAR OF GETTING CLOSE
• SUICIDAL THINKING
• TROUBLE LEARNING NEW INFO
• CONFUSED/DISORGANIZED

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS
• TARDINESS
• SERIOUS APPEARANCE
• NERVOUS BEHAVIOR/HABITS
• RUSHING/PACING
• ON EDGE
• INCREASED FRUSTRATION/IRRITABLE
• MORE ACCIDENTS
• OVERREACTING

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY
• SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL
• DEFENSIVE
• SLEEP PROBLEMS/TIREDNESS
• INCREASED USE OF OTC DRUGS
• INCREASED TOBACCO
• INCREASED ALCOHOL
• INCREASED RECREATIONAL DRUGS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• LONG TERM EFFECTS ARE HARMFUL.
• MOST OF US BOUNCE BACK. UNDER LONG-TERM STRESS
  HOWEVER
• OUR PERSONALITIES CHANGE
• MAY BECOME DEPRESSED
• FEEL HELPLESS/HOPELESS
• BECOME EXPLOSIVE/IMPULSIVE

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• HAVE EXAGGERATED FEARS
• DEVELOP ANXIETY/PANIC
• DEVELOP PHYSICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING CV DISEASE,
  HBP, ULCERS OR HEADACHES

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• QUESTIONS?

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• NOW THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH
• SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS,
• HOW DO YOU MANAGE IT?
• SIMPLE, RIGHT?

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• COPING SKILLS FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT
• DEEP BREATHING
• EXERCISE
• RELAXATION
• GUIDED IMAGERY

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• GET ORGANIZED
• USE CALENDERS OR TO DO LISTS
• KNOW YOUR LIMITS
• BE REALISTIC
• CHANGE ATTITUDE
• LEARN TO SEE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS AS
  CHALLENGES
• TALK IT OVER
• TALK THE SITUATION OVER WITH A FRIEND

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• LEARN TO SAY NO
• THERE ARE SOME DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL
  OVER. SEPARATE THOSE FROM ACTIVITIES OVER WHICH
  WE HAVE SOME CONTROL, AND LEARN TO SAY NO TO
  DEMANDS.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• POSITIVE SELF TALK
• LEARN THAT YOU CAN MANAGE A STRESSFUL SITUATION
  BY WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, I CAN HANDLE THIS
  ONE STEP AT A TIME.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• TAKE CHARGE
• TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING YOUR LIFE WHAT
  YOU WANT.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• DEEP BREATHING
• PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION
• BIOFEEDBACK
• MEDITATION
• BEGIN AN EXERCISE PROGRAM
• REAPPRAISE YOUR LIFE AND PRIORITIES

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• LOVE, PRAY, FORGIVE
• REALIZE THAT MOST STRESS COMES FROM WITHIN,
  NOT WITHOUT.
• TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS AND TASTE THE
  STRAWBERRIES.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• QUESTIONS?
• THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTIVENESS