Stress- whAt is it?

Stress & Anxiety

Definition of stress - Stress- What is it? “A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances” Stress is not avoidable but it is manageable -Identify stress-related problems/triggers as early as possible to prevent serious stress-related illnesses

Stage 5- Adolescence (12-18 yrs old) Stage: Adolescence (12 to 18years) Basic Conflict: Identity vs. Role Confusion Important Events: Social Relationships Outcome: Teens need to develop a sense of self and personal identity. Success leads to an ability to stay true to yourself, while failure leads to role confusion and a weak sense of self.

Stress Response: Physical: Chest pains, rapid heartbeat, body aches and pains, frequent colds, stomach pain, high blood pressure, headaches Cognitive: memory problems, poor judgement, inability to concentrate, brain fog, indecision, starting many tasks but achieving little, self doubt Emotional: Depression,moodiness, irritability, panic, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, frustration, feeling of hopelessness Behavioral: increase in risky behaviors, isolating yourself from others, sleeping too much or too little, unmotivated, loss of sense of humor Frustration

Stress is not a ‘bad’ thing Without the ability to feel stress humankind wouldn’t have survived. Stress is primarily a physical response- alert to danger When stressed the body thinks it is under attack and switches to ‘fight or flight’ mode, releasing a complex mix of hormones and chemicals to prepare the body for physical action.

Fight- Flight-Freeze Fight-When your body goes into a state of stress, you may feel agitated and aggressive towards others; this can be due to our bodies’ natural reaction being “fight”. This can be a helpful reaction to ward off predators, but in unnecessary situations, it can negatively affect relationships and ruin reputations. Flight- Some of us avoid our stressors, removing ourselves from the situation instead of tackling it. This can be a sign of the “flight” survival instinct; a function that can save our lives if we find ourselves in dangerous surroundings. However, in everyday life, this natural instinct can lead to a stressful situation escalating, and increase our stress levels when we realize that the stressor isn’t going away and we need to face it. Freeze-Unknown by many, there is a third mode that stress can cause; freeze. For some people, becoming stressed sets the stage for ‘dysregulation’. The energy mobilized by the perceived threat gets “locked” into the nervous system and we ‘freeze’. This response sometimes reveals itself when we breathe. Holding our breath and shallow breathing are both forms of freeze. The occasional deep sigh is the nervous system catching up on its oxygen intake.

How can stress be managed? -Sleep -Music -Laughter -Asking for help -Relaxation -Exercise/stay active -Healthy eating habits

Unhelpful Thinking Styles All or nothing thinking- Sometimes called ‘black and white thinking’ Over-generalizing- “everything, always, nothing, ever” Seeing a pattern based upon a single event, or being overly broad in the conclusions we draw. Mental Filter- Only paying attention to certain types of evidence. Noticing our failures but not seeing our successes Disqualifying the positive- Discounting the good things that have happened or that you have done.

Unhelpful thinking styles continued Jumping to conclusions- Mind reading- imagining we know what others are thinking. Fortune telling- predicting the future Magnification/Catastrophizing/Minimization- blowing things out of proportion, or inappropriately shrinking something to make it seem less important Emotional reasoning- assuming because we feel a certain way what we think must be true. Should/must- Using critical words like ‘should’, or ‘ought’, can make us feel guilty, or like we have already failed- Applying ‘shoulds’ to other people often results in frustration/resentment Labeling- Assigning labels to ourselves or other people- loser, idiot, useless Personalization- Blaming yourself or taking responsibility for something that wasn’t completely your fault. Conversely, blaming others for something that was your fault.