STRESS STRESS Stress is the response of your

STRESS

STRESS Stress is the response of your body and mind to being challenged or threatened You experience stress when situations, events, or people make demands on your body & mind

TYPES OF STRESS Most people think of stress as a negative experience, but stress can be positive as well. Stress is positive when it helps you escape from a dangerous situation, promotes your personal goals, or helps you accomplish your goals Positive stress= eustress Negative stress= distress

STRESSORS An event or situation that causes stress is called a stressor There are four major types of stressors: � Major life changes (moving, graduating, break ups) � Catastrophes (natural disasters) � Everyday problems (losing keys, phone dies) � Environmental problems (messy locker, sirens)

HOW STRESS EFFECTS YOUR BODY The body’s response to stress occurs in 3 stages: � Alarm Stage: body releases adrenaline & your heart beats faster & muscles tense; ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ response � Resistance Stage: body adapts to the continued presence of stressor; you think you’re okay, but body is still using a lot of energy so you may feel tired & irritable � Exhaustion Stage: your body can no longer keep up with the demands placed on it; occurs only if a stressor continues for a long time; extreme stress

WARNING SIGNS The warning signs of stress include changes in how your body functions & changes in emotions, thoughts & behaviors Stress can trigger certain illnesses, reduce the body’s ability to fight an illness & make some diseases harder to control

GUYS VS GALS! 57 % of female teens & 36 % of male teens report having one headache a week because of stress!!

PERSONALITY & STRESS Your personality has a lot to do with how you respond to stressors Optimism: the tendency to focus on the positive aspects of a situation Pessimism: the tendency to focus on the negative & expect the worse A perfectionist is a person who accepts nothing less than excellence. Because they set goals that are impossible to obtain, they are never satisfied with what they accomplish!

RESILIENCE Some people can tolerate high levels of stress The ability to recover or ‘bounce back’ from extreme or prolonged stress is called resilience

COPING WITH STRESS Time management: Get more done during your day & will feel more in control of your life Mental Rehearsal: Practice event without actually doing the event - imagine yourself performing at your best! Build Resilience: � Take care of yourself � Take action � Confide in yourself � Put things in perspective � Find a hassle-free zone � Build a support system � Help someone � Go easy on yourself � Stick to your routines