StressHELP ME, PLEASE!

Objectives

• Describe what causes a person to experience stress.

• Identify four general types of stressors• List in order the three stages of the body’s

response to stress.• Identify the physiological and psychological

effects of stress.

What is Stress?• Is the response of a person’s mind or body to

stressors.• You experience stress when situations, events, or

people make demands on your body and mind.• What happens to your body or how your body

reacts.– Ex: Hair falling out, headache, tight muscles, etc…

• At moderate levels, stress can actually improve your ability to concentrate and perform at your best.

• Beyond that level, however, it begins to take a negative toll on performance.

What is a Stressor?

• An event or situation that causes stress is called a stressor.

• A physical, mental-emotional, social, or environmental demand.

• Whatever is causing the stress. – School-Tests, Teachers, Projects– Home-Parents, Siblings, Boy/Girlfriends,

Friends, Curfew, etc…

The Many Causes of Stress:

• Four general types of stressors are – Major life changes– Catastrophes– Everyday problems– Environmental problems

Major Life Changes:

• Being accepted to college• Breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend• Having a parent loose their job• Learning you were adopted• Not making a team• Being elected to student government• Being recognized for an achievement• Leaving home for college or job

Catastrophes:

• A catastrophe is an event that threatens lives and may destroy property.

• A person who experiences a catastrophe may deal with the psychological effects for years after the event.

Everyday problems:

• Some of the most common stressors are minor, but frequent, everyday events.

• Conflict—disagreements with family members, friends, or others—is another common source of stress.

• For many people, the pressure to succeed is a major source of stress.

Environmental problems:

• Conditions in your immediate surroundings affect your level of stress each day.

• A major stressor that occurs all around you but is often overlooked is noise.

• Living in unsafe or crowded conditions also tends to increase feelings of stress.

Eustress & Distress:

• Eustress:– Good or positive stress

• Ex: tests, getting married, etc…

• Distress:– Bad or negative stress

• Ex: divorce, death of a loved one, etc…

Stages of Stress:

• The body’s response to stress occurs in three stages– Alarm Stage– Resistance Stage– Exhaustion Stage

Alarm Stage:

4) Breathing rate increases.

5) More sugar released into blood. Ability of blood clot increases.

6) Flow of blood to skin reduced. Sweating increases.

8) Pupils open wide.

10) Lump forms in throat as muscles contract.

3) Flow of blood to brain increases.

2) Heart rate and blood pressure increase.

7) Flow of blood to digestive system reduced. Digestion slows. More stomach acid produced.

1) Adrenaline released into blood.

9) Muscles tense. More energy produced by cells.

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Fight-or-Flight Response

Resistance Stage:

• During this stage, your body adapts to the continued presence of the stressor.

• The work that your body does during the resistance stage uses up a lot of energy. As a result, you may become tired, irritable, and less able to handle any added stress.

Exhaustion Stage:

• Your body can no longer keep up with the demands placed on it.

• Your physical and emotional resources are depleted

• Exhaustion occurs only if a stressor continues for a long time—usually weeks, months, or even years.

Physiological and Psychological:

Stress and Illness:

Stress can trigger certain illnesses, reduce the body’s ability to fight an illness, and make some diseases harder to control.

•Stomachaches•Asthma•Headaches•Lowered Resistance to Disease•Heart Disease

Vocabulary:stress The response of your body and mind to being

challenged or threatened.

eustress Stress that produces positive effects.

distress Stress that produces negative effects.

stressor An event or situation that causes stress.

catastrophe An unexpected event that threatens lives and may destroy property.

fight-or-flight response

The initial reaction of the body to stress during the alarm stage.

Video:

Don’t Pop Your Cork on Monday’s!

Activity 1:

Progressive Relaxation

Try This

Sit quietly in a comfortable chair or lie down and close your eyes. Make sure that your arms and legs are uncrossed.

You can use progressive relaxation to release the tension that builds up in your muscles.

Tighten each muscle group in your body, hold for 10 seconds, and relax.

Finally, tense all the muscles in your whole body. Hold for 10 seconds and relax.

Progressive RelaxationThink and Discuss

Compare how you felt before doing this activity to how you felt after doing the progressive relaxation.

Think back to what you learned about the alarm stage of your body’s response to stress. Why do you think progressive relaxation is an effective stress-reduction technique?

List some times during a typical week when it would be helpful to use progressive relaxation.

Activity 2:

BalloonsPlease wait for instructions!!!!

Dear Advice Line,

When I have to speak in front of a group, I panic. I begin to sweat and my heart pounds. My mouth gets so dry that it’s hard to speak. Is there anything I can do about this problem?

What advice would you offer to someone who is afraid of speaking in public?

Activity 3:

Websites:

http://phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.gotoWebCode&wcprefix=ctd&wcsuffix=1034

http://www.cmhc.utexas.edu/stress.html#tips