How to Manage Stress Lesson 6

The Stress Model Steps 1. A new or potentially unpleasant situation (the stressor) May trigger bodily response 2. You interpret the situation as threatening 3. Your emotional response You feel anxious, nervous, or insecure

The Stress Model 4. Your physical response You experience the physical response 5. Negative consequences Stressors can cause negative effects in your body if nothing is done to release the stress

Stress Intervention Any action that prevents a stressor from resulting in negative consequences

1. Eliminating some stressors If a list of stressors was made of every stressor that you face it would be huge. By anticipating stressors in your life it is easier to remove them from your life. Example: sleeping in and being late can be solved by going to bed earlier.

1. Eliminating some stressors By intervening stress at step one you are preventing the possibility of the stress from becoming a physical response. You have some control over the number of stressors in your life

2. Changing your interpretation of a stressor The way you interpret events in your life if often more important than the events themselves. Do not become distressed about insignificant things. Each person controls how they react to a situation

2. Changing you interpretation of a stressor Try to look at a unfortunate situation in a positive light Selective Awareness Focusing on the aspects of a situation that help a person feel better (thinking positively) Try to look at the positive side to everything

3. Using Relaxation Techniques – controlling emotional response These are to be used when you are past the point of changing your interpretation of the situation Relaxation techniques are used to take the persons mind off of the problem.

Effective Techniques Meditation Focusing on something that is repetitive and unchallenging Example: Sit down and close your eyes, In your mind repeat a word you find relaxing every time you breathe out.

Effective Techniques Progressive Relaxation A more active form of relaxation Steps Tense the muscles in a specific part of your body, think about how it feels to have those muscles tensed Relax the same part of your body that you just tensed. Notice how it feels to have those muscles relaxed. Move from one muscle group to another throughout the entire body. Start from the top of the head and work down.

Progressive Relaxation Some people also like to use deep breathing techniques while doing this. Start breathing from the bottom of your stomach so that you stomach area feels like it is filling up with air first before your lungs. This technique is very popular with athletes as it also teaches muscle control of each specific muscle.

Autogenic Training Relax by imagining that your arms and legs feel heavy, warm and tingly. When they have reached that point, you have let go of muscle tension and have dilated blood vessels in the limbs Think of peaceful images – picturesque scenes. Deep relaxation breathing also helps

Laughing One of the easiest and most natural forms of relaxation Laughing only works when it is true laughter Nervous laughter will not help in a stressful situation

Yelling or Crying For some people, a good yell or a good cry will help a person relax and feel more capable to deal with a stressor.

4. Using physical Exercise By the forth step the physical response has already happened. Take advantage of body being ready to move by doing something physical Doing this uses the stress to do something positive for you and helps to release the tension and anxiety.

Managing Stress for Life We have already looked at how to deal with stress in day to day situations. Today we are going to look at stress-management techniques that you can use throughout a lifetime.

Physical Health Engage regularly in physical activity Many negative consequences of stress can be prevented by taking the following steps to keep yourself physically well: Engage regularly in physical activity Eat a balanced diet

Physical Health Get enough rest and sleep Use the previous relaxation techniques Do not use tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs

A Support Group Effective stress management involves talking to other people about things that bother you Friends, family, guidance counsellors, teachers These people can be referred to as your support group

A Spiritual Life Many people find that having a spiritual life, a sense of a connection with something greater than oneself, helps them get through great times of stress. These connections can help to provide comfort, guidance, peace and a sense of being. Ways that spirituality can help: Guidance Sense of belonging to part of a community The act of helping others Belief that life has meaning

Getting Professional Help At times a person can feel overwhelmed by stress. If it reaches a point where you feel unable to cope with the stress in your life, you should get help from a professional This does not always have to be a psychologist.

Many stressors cannot be handled alone Physical, emotional or sexual abuse It is important to remember that there are always things that can be done to improve the situation no matter how bad it may appear.

Managing your time by setting goals and prioritizing A common stressor that almost everyone faces is the feeling that you do not have enough time to do everything you need and want to do, The key to using time wisely is to set goals and prioritize them.

The following also help with managing time Learn how to say NO. Do not take on task that you may have no time to complete Work on one task at a time. Do not go back and forth between tasks. Time is wasted reorienting yourself. Ask for help from others when you are pressured for time.

Review of SMART goals

Review of SMART Goals Specific Straightforward, clear and to the point How you are going to accomplish it

Review of SMART Goals Measurable The goal should be measurable with some form of measurement

Review of SMART Goals Attainable Set goals that are reachable but not too easy Set goals that are important to you

Review of SMART Goals Realistic Set short term goals that will help you attain long term goals

Review of SMART Goals Time Set a timeframe The goal must have a end date Time must be measurable, attainable and realistic