November 17, 2016 Alexandra Johnson Old Dominion Home Care Managing Stress November 17, 2016 Alexandra Johnson Old Dominion Home Care

Stress What does this word bring to mind? Close your eyes. What image do you see? What words describe your image?

What’s In A Word? Write down the words that come to mind and describe your image. Now take a moment, open your eyes, and write down what came to mind when you had your eyes closed. Write down the adjectives in a list on the piece of paper in front of you. (give leaders a few minutes to write)

Perceptions: Positive or Negative? Put a + sign next to the positive words that came to mind Put a – sign next to the negative words that came to mind Now that you have written them down, put a plus sign next to every word that has a positive connotation, and a negative sign next to each word with a negative connotation. (give leaders a few minutes to mark each word) Let’s share some of your negative words and images. Who would like to share a visual image and some of your negative words that go with it? (Share as many as it seems appropriate).   So it seems that we didn’t have any trouble coming up with negative images around the word “disability.” Now let’s shift and look at the positive words. Who would like to share his/her visual image and the words that you thought of? (probably not as many).

What is the definition of stress? A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances

The Body and Stress Stress is a body’s way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. Chemicals are released into the blood which give more energy and strength

What happens when we are stressed: Blood pressure rises Breathing becomes more rapid Digestive system slows down Heart rate rises Immune system goes down Muscles become tense Sleep loss

Stress can contribute to: Heart disease High blood pressure Strokes Colds Alcoholism Obesity Drug addiction Depression

Possible effects on the Body, Your Thoughts/Feelings and Behavior: Sweating, back or chest pain, headache, loss of libido, stomach upset Anger, anxiety, depression, forgetfulness, sadness, fatigue Eating too much/little, drug/alcohol abuse, social withdrawal, frequent crying

The Body and Stress We decide if something is a threat, how we can deal with it and what resources we can use. It is important to know your limits when it comes to stress to avoid more serious health effects.

How to cope with stress: Seek help from qualified mental health care provider Get proper health care Stay in touch with people who give emotional and other support Recognize signs of body’s response to stress Explore stress coping programs – meditation, yoga, tai chi