Understanding Stress: Understanding Stress: Implications to Health & Implications to Health &

Human PerformanceHuman Performance Stress > Emotional Stress > Emotional

Reaction > Physical Reaction > Physical Reaction > ConsequencesReaction > Consequences

What starts it: YOU, yes, What starts it: YOU, yes, YOU, again YOU!YOU, again YOU!

What is it? The ‘Fight or What is it? The ‘Fight or Flight’ response. Flight’ response.

FAT storage is built in FAT storage is built in survival mechanism.survival mechanism.

Stress Reactivity: The body reacts with the movement and emotions dictated by our brain. The brain must perceive something to be stressful for the body to create the ‘fight or flight’ response. Our brain assesses the situation; searches for clarification and reacts accordingly.

PERCEPTION of the Level of “threat” is initiated within brain functioning.

The FlowThe Flow

Life SituationLife Situation Perceived as stressfulPerceived as stressful Emotional ArousalEmotional Arousal Physiological Arousal Physiological Arousal ConsequencesConsequences

ImplicationsImplications

Autonomic Nervous Autonomic Nervous System is activatedSystem is activated

Calls Endocrine System, Calls Endocrine System, via the adrenal cortex to via the adrenal cortex to secrete cortisol and secrete cortisol and aldosteronealdosterone

Cortisol: Fuel for battle, Cortisol: Fuel for battle, mobilizes free fatty acids, mobilizes free fatty acids, breaks down protein, breaks down protein, increases artery pressure, increases artery pressure, decreases production of decreases production of lymphocyte release thus lymphocyte release thus decreasing immune decreasing immune systemsystem

Aldosterone: Prepares Aldosterone: Prepares the body for battle by the body for battle by raising blood pressure by raising blood pressure by increasing blood volume.increasing blood volume.

Good or Bad?Good or Bad?Passing control to Passing control to

these systems on a these systems on a daily basis presents daily basis presents

significant risks. significant risks.

RisksRisks

Physical: Major and Minor Physical: Major and Minor Illnesses, Illnesses, Fat StorageFat Storage

Emotional: Anxiety, Emotional: Anxiety, depression, irritability, depression, irritability, mental fatiguemental fatigue

Behavioral: Avoidance, Behavioral: Avoidance, dependency problems, dependency problems, communication problems, communication problems, employment issuesemployment issues

Early Warning Signs: Early Warning Signs: PhysicalPhysical

Excessive worrying about Excessive worrying about or denial of illnessor denial of illness

Frequent illness, like a Frequent illness, like a recurring coldrecurring cold

Physical exhaustionPhysical exhaustion Over reliance on self Over reliance on self

medicationmedication Ailments: Ailments: Headaches, insomnia, Headaches, insomnia,

appetite change, weight gain or appetite change, weight gain or loss, frequent indigestion, nausea, loss, frequent indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, constipation…..diarrhea, constipation…..

Early Warning Signs: Early Warning Signs: EmotionalEmotional

Apathy: The blahs, feeling of sadness, Apathy: The blahs, feeling of sadness, recreation that is no longer pleasurablerecreation that is no longer pleasurable

Anxiety: Restlessness, agitation, insecurity, Anxiety: Restlessness, agitation, insecurity, sense of worthlessnesssense of worthlessness

Irritability: Feeling hypersensitive, Irritability: Feeling hypersensitive, defensive, arrogant or argumentativedefensive, arrogant or argumentative

Mental fatigue: Feeling preoccupied, having Mental fatigue: Feeling preoccupied, having difficulty concentrating, trouble thinking difficulty concentrating, trouble thinking flexibly.flexibly.

Overcompensation or denial: Grandiosity, Overcompensation or denial: Grandiosity, working too hard, denying that you have a working too hard, denying that you have a problem/s, ignoring symptoms, feeling problem/s, ignoring symptoms, feeling suspicious. suspicious.

Early Warning Signs: Early Warning Signs: BehavioralBehavioral

Avoiding things. Keeping to yourself, Avoiding things. Keeping to yourself, avoiding work, having trouble accepting avoiding work, having trouble accepting responsibility, neglecting responsibilitiesresponsibility, neglecting responsibilities

Doing things to extremes. Alcoholism, Doing things to extremes. Alcoholism, gambling, spending sprees, sexual gambling, spending sprees, sexual promiscuity.promiscuity.

Administrative problems. Being late for Administrative problems. Being late for work or classes, poor appearance, poor work or classes, poor appearance, poor personal hygiene, being accident pronepersonal hygiene, being accident prone

Legal problems. Indebtedness, shoplifting, Legal problems. Indebtedness, shoplifting, traffic tickets, inability to control violent traffic tickets, inability to control violent impulses.impulses.

Cognitive ApproachCognitive Approach

Expect StressExpect Stress Eliminate unnecessary Eliminate unnecessary

stressorsstressors Think more objectivelyThink more objectively Take ControlTake Control

Step 1. Expect StressStep 1. Expect Stress

Review expectationsReview expectations Life skillsLife skills Stress happensStress happens A good offense and a good A good offense and a good

defensedefense

Step 2. Eliminate Step 2. Eliminate unnecessary stressorsunnecessary stressors

EvaluateEvaluate MinimizeMinimize Re-evaluateRe-evaluate

Step 3. Think More Step 3. Think More ObjectivelyObjectively

Think before actingThink before acting Avoid irrational thinkingAvoid irrational thinking Avoid “awfulizing”Avoid “awfulizing” Change negative self-talkChange negative self-talk

Step 4. Take controlStep 4. Take control

The feeling of control is The feeling of control is crucialcrucial

Take just ONE step to feel Take just ONE step to feel more in controlmore in control

It’s Your LifeIt’s Your Life

““The greatest of all The greatest of all mistakes is to do mistakes is to do

nothing because you nothing because you can only do a little. Do can only do a little. Do

what you can.”what you can.”