Health Chapter 4 Notes Managing Stress Coping with

Health Chapter 4 Notes Managing Stress & Coping with Loss

Understanding Stress l Stress is the reaction of the body and mind to everyday challenges and demands l Often, situations associated with stress are often unavoidable l Perception - the act of becoming aware through the senses n Often determines how much stress something puts on you

Understanding Stress l Your reaction to stress also depends on prior experiences l Two types of stress… n Eustress (“good”) - can motivate you n Distress (“bad”) - can harm your health l Stressor - anything that causes stress n Can be real or imagined, anticipated, or unexpected n What causes stress for you might not cause stress for someone else

Understanding Stress Your body automatically begins the “stress response” when something is perceived to be dangerous, difficult, or painful l Includes both your nervous and endocrine systems l Three main steps include… l Alarm - mind/body on high alert n Resistance - mind/body adapts and reacts to stressor n Fatigue - prolonged exposure lends to less effective adapting n

Understanding Stress l Prolonged exposure to stressors can lead to psychosomatic response (physical reaction resulting from stress rather than illness/injury) n Headache n Weakened immune system n High BP n Bruxism (jaw clenching) n Digestive disorders

Managing Stress l l l When you know the source of stress, you can work to resolve problem People often don’t realize they’re stressed until it’s began to affect their health Effects of stress are additive/cumulative Chronic stress - “stress” associated with longterm problems that are beyond a person’s control While you can’t eliminate all stress from you life, you can manage it

Managing Stress l Easiest way to reduce the effects of stress is to avoid situations that cause it l If unable to avoid a stressor, you should try to restrict/limit the amount of stress you’re exposed to n Use refusal skills n Plan ahead n Think positively (can’t control everything in our lives, but can control how we respond to events)

Managing Stress l For those stressors that may be completely unavoidable, you should focus on reducing their negative effects as much as possible n *Relaxation techniques n Redirecting energy n Seek support

Managing Stress l Along with stress-management skills, developing habits that maintain general health will also help reduce the effects of stress in your life n Adequate rest (~8 hours with consistent sleep schedules) n Regular physical activity (30 -60 minutes daily of moderate-to-vigorous activity) n Nutritious diet (limited fats/sugars, lots of h 2 o, quality foods)

Coping with Loss & Grief l Grieving is a common and natural reaction to any loss that brings on strong emotions l Acknowledging and understanding your grief will help you begin the healing process l Everyone grieves in their own way

Coping with Loss & Grief l Stages of grief - variety of reactions that may surface as an individual makes sense of how a loss affects him/her n n n n n Denial/numbness - difficult to believe it happened Emotional release - periods of crying Anger - at feeling powerless or deprived Bargaining - promising change for return of loss Depression - isolation/alienation/hopelessness Remorse - “How could I have prevented this? ” Acceptance - closure (the acceptance of a loss) Hope - looking ahead to the future *not everyone experiences each stage (or same order)

Coping with Loss & Grief l l l Experiencing and accepting your feelings during grieving are necessary for healing These feelings are part of the coping process (dealing successfully with changes in your life) Mourning - the act of showing sorrow or grief Dwelling on things that cannot be changed with only add to your hurt (or that of others) The friendship and support of others can also help alleviate some of the pain of the grieving process (being sympathetic/empathetic)

Coping with Loss & Grief l Traumatic event - any event that has a stressful impact sufficient enough to overwhelm your normal coping strategies n Accidents, violent assaults, suicides, natural disasters, etc. l Seeking support from family members, friends, community groups, and/or other agencies can help you manage shock/grief from traumatic events

Questions for Thought… l What are a few environmental stressors? l A negative way of redirecting your energy? l What is the needed outcome of grieving? l Easiest way to reduce the effects of stress? l How has stress had positive effects on you?