Stress Management

Anticipating and Monitoring Personal Stressors

What is a Stressor

A person, place or situation that places a demand on the mind or the body.

Common Stressors Moving Arguing with parents or friends Acne Overweight

Taking a test

Common Stressors Breaking up with girl/boyfriend Getting glasses/braces

Getting Arrested

Being sick or getting hurt

Common Stressors Death of a family member Getting in trouble at school Making a school team Peer pressure

Loud noises

How your body responds to stress

Your body prepares to fight the stressor or flee from it.

Adrenaline, (“the stress hormone”) is released when a demand is placed upon us. The release of adrenaline causes many physical changes in the body.

Physical Reactions of Fight or Flight Response

Become more alert Muscles tense Heart rate and blood pressure

increase More blood is sent to the brain and

muscles for quick movement Blood vessels carry less blood to skin

and digestive system Pupils dilate

Physical Reactions of Fight or Flight Response

Hearing ability increases Breathing increases Sugar in blood increases giving you

more energy Digestion slows down Amount of stomach acid increases Liver releases sugar for quick energy Immune system slows down, causing an

increased chance of becoming ill

What can trigger the Fight-or-Flight Response?

Fear

Severe Pain

Anger

What can trigger the Fight-or-Flight Response? Conflict

Embarrassment

Other threatening situations

How Your Body Responds to Stress

Not all stressors are bad stressors. Eustress – “good stress” or dealing with

the stressor in a positive way. Distress – “bad stress” or an unhealthy

way of handling a stressor. The body responds to all stress the

same way whether the stressor is a bad stress or a good stress.

How Your Body Responds to Stress

The key to getting the body changes to return to normal is to:

recognize it as a good stress determine a positive way to deal

with the stressor make the stressor less stressful

Stress Burnout When you have too much stress or

when the stress goes on too long.

Signs of stress burn-out: Can’t sleep (insomnia) Frequent headaches Eating patterns are affected: losing

your appetite or over-eating Chronic fatigue (tiredness)

Stress Burnout (continued) Difficulty concentrating Difficulty dealing with everyday tasks Nervous stomach Feeling tense Mood changes: irritability, feeling

overwhelmed, depressed, bored, not caring about anything

How Your Body Responds to Stress

Three-fourths (3/4) of all the doctor visits in the U.S. are due to stress-related illnesses or conditions.

This means that the condition was caused by stress (the way the body responds to stress) or not coping with the stress in a positive way.

How Your Body Responds to Stress

Headache Backache or neck ache Digestive system problems

Colitis Ulcers Gastritis Irritable bowel syndrome

How Your Body Responds to Stress

Skin rashes Increased chance of harmful blood clots Cancer

Other reactions to stress include: Depression, suicide Alcohol or drug use Development of eating disorders

(anorexia or bulimia)

Stress Management Techniques

Visualization – Imagine a quiet peaceful place and try to engage the senses as much as possible.

Stress Management Techniques

Progressive Muscular Relaxation – Starting at either the head or the feet, contract and relax each group of muscles for 3 to 5 seconds. Repeat the contraction/relaxation 3 times. Do this for all the muscle groups.

Stress Management Techniques Deep (diaphragmic) breathing –

Take slow, deep breaths. Place your hand on the abdomen. This is the part of the body that should be rising and falling when you are doing deep breathing.

When could you use deep breathing to calm down in a stressful situation?

Stress Management Techniques

Exercise – Strenuous exercise causes a release of chemicals, called endorphins, which keep energy levels up, make you feel good, and help you sleep.