Chapter 3 Managing Stress Ms Fitchwell Health Education

Chapter 3: Managing Stress Ms. Fitchwell Health Education

Chapter 3: Managing Stress • What Causes Stress? • How Stress Affects the Body • Stress and Personality • Managing Stress

So just what is stress and what causes it? ? ? • STRESS: is a reaction of the body and mind to threatening or challenging events in one’s life. • You experience stress when situations, events, or people make demands on your body and mind

What Causes Stress? • STRESSOR: something that causes stress – Major life changes: new school, moving to a new town – Everyday problems: lost shoe, missing keys, etc. – Physical surroundings: crowded bus, weather, jammed locker • At moderate levels, stress can improve your ability to concentrate and perform at your best.

Stress can be positive!!! • Positive Stress – Promotes growth and accomplishment • Also called EUSTRESS – Examples: • Feelings before athletic event/ musical performance • Does it help you to perform better?

Stress can be Negative • Negative Stress – Decreases ability to concentrate and perform – Also called DISTRESS – Examples: • Nervous to the point of being sick to your stomach • Difficulty doing every day tasks Boo for negative stress.

How Stress Affects the Body: Stages of Stress 1. Alarm Stage: Body releases adrenaline into the – FIGHT OR FLIGHT bloodstream: – – – Burst of energy Heart beats faster Increased rate of breathing Muscles tighten Pupils widen Mind more alert to take in information RESPONSE: a series of physical changes that prepare the body to react to stress – Either “fight” the stressor OR “take flight” and escape

Stages of Stress 2. Resistance Stage – Body tries to recover from alarm stage and go back to normal • Your body adapts to the continued presence of the stressor • As a result you body may become: – – – Tired Irritable Less able to handle added stress

Stages of Stress 3. Exhaustion Stage: Body is worn down and no longer has enough energy to fight off the stressor – – More susceptible to illness, because body remains in unbalanced state Most likely to enter this stage if stressor is out of your control, or if stressor continues for a long time

How Stress Affects the Body: Recognizing the Signs of Stress • Physical Signs – – – Muscle tension Headache Upset stomach Pounding heart Increased sweating Trembling/ twitching • Emotional Signs – – – – – Irritability Anger Impatience Nervousness Forgetfulness Negative thinking Excessive worrying Loss of interest Begin to cry easily

How Stress Affects the Body: Recognizing the Signs of Stress • Behavioral Signs By recognizing these signs early, you may also be able to prevent some of the more serious effects of stress. – – – Loss of appetite Overreacting Drug abuse Sleep problems Hurrying Withdrawing from relationships – Criticizing others – Fidgeting

Stress and Illness • Severe or prolonged stress can affect health • Illness can be brought on or made worse by stress – Body less able to fight off infection – Makes some conditions more difficult to control • Asthma: attacks more likely • High Blood Pressure: increased blood flow • Heart Disease: heart must work harder when under stress

Stress and Personality • How you react to a stressor could depend on…. – Is this situation a threat to my well- being? – Do I have the necessary resources to meet the challenge? • • Time Skills Experience Energy • Just as your personality is unique, so is the way you react to potentially stressful situations

Stress and Personality: Optimism VS Pessimism Optimism: The tendency to focus on the positive aspects of a situation Pessimism: The tendency to focus on the negative and expect the worse. Do you look at the glass at half full or half empty?

Stress and Personality Perfectionist: A person who accepts nothing less than excellence. • Sets goals that are impossible to attain and never satisfied with what they have accomplished

How to break the cycle of perfectionism • It’s not easy!!! Ø Accept that you cannot be perfect Ø Take pride in the things you do well Ø Don’t focus on your mistakes

Stress and Personality • Resilience: The ability to recover or “bounce back” from extreme or prolonged stress • Key factor in resilience is having the support of family and friends

Coping with Stress • Managing stress helps to restore the balance in you life • Managing stress prevents the stressors from taking control and making you ill • Additional ways to handle stress – – Eat well Exercise regularly Express your feelings Say “NO” to alcohol and drugs

Coping with Stress • Time Management – Do you often wish there were more hours in the day? – Do you put things off until the last minute? – Poor time management is one of the BIGGEST contributors to stress

Coping with Stress • Mental Rehearsal: To practice an event in your mind without actually doing the event ØImagining yourself performing at your best • Have you used mental rehearsal before an event? • Did it help your performance?

Managing Stress: Stress Management Techniques • Physical Activity – Provide the body with an outlet for built up energy – Take your mind off problems – Give yourself a chance to relax – Do activities that you enjoy

Coping with Stress • Relaxation: A state when the mind and body are resting – Deep breathing relaxes muscles, take in more oxygen which helps the body function better – Progressive relaxation: concentration on each group of muscles in the body one at a time • Lets try!!! – Read a book, take a nap, listen to music, stretching, take a hot shower, etc.

Coping with Stress • Humor – Laughter helps to relieve feelings of stress – Deal quickly with stressor – Can be harmful if laughter is used to cover up true feelings or if used inappropriately • Getting Help When You Need It – Recognize when stress is becoming overwhelming – Sharing your problems often helps you to see them more clearly