Stress, Health, and Wellness COL 103 Chapter 14 Professor Jackie Kroening 864-646-1430 864-646-1425 (PSY office) www.lifetour.com

Living with Stress Cataclysmic events Sudden, powerful events that occur quickly and affect many people simultaneously Personal stressors Major life events that produce stress Daily hassles Minor irritants of life that , by themselves, produce little stress, but which can add up and produce more stress than a single larger-scale event Virtually any event, good or bad, can cause STRESS if it presents you with a challenge. Noi ngd thin

Stressed Out Anxious Upset Fearful Body effects Long term effects are: Faster heart rate Breathing becomes rapid and shallow Produces more sweat Long term effects are: Ware down the immune system Common cold Headaches Strokes Heart disease

Stressed Out Class exercise: Ch. 10 Try it! #1 Page 368 15 Min.

Handling Stress PREPARE ORGANIZE WORK EVALUATE RETHINK Readying Yourself Physically Identifying what is causing you stress Developing Effective coping strategies Are your stress strategies effective Place stress in perspective

Prepare: Readying Yourself Physically Primary way to prepare for stress is good physical condition Good vigorous exercise program Vigorous exercise results in our bodies producing a natural coping response to stress through the production of endorphins in our brains, as well as contributing to our general physical health Drink healthy – stay away from: Coffee Soda chocolate Eat Healthy foods

Organize: Identifying What is Causing You Stress Must identify stressors in order to design a coping strategy and activity Class Activity 15 min: Write down the stressors that are in your life right now Prioritize your stressors from most stress to least stress

Work: Developing Effective Coping Strategies Take charge of the situation Don’t waste energy trying to change the unchangeable Look for the silver lining Talk to your friends. Social Support Relax Meditation Meditation exercise Progressive relaxation Remember that wimping out doesn’t work, Keep your commitments

Evaluate: Is Strategies Working Effectively Experience of stress depends on how you interpret circumstances Effectiveness depends on who you are If one coping strategy doesn’t work try another Don’t become paralyzed

Rethink: Placing stress in Perspective Don’t sweat the small stuff Put circumstances into proper perspective Make peace with stress Some stress is a good thing, it activates you to take action

Keeping Well Eating Right Eat a variety of “whole” foods Fruits Vegetables Grains Avoid foods that are high in sugar and salt Seek a diet low in fat and cholesterol Remember: less is more (moderation is key) Schedule three regular meals a day Be aware of hidden contents of various foods Beware of eating disorders Bulimia is the eating disorder in which individuals binge on large quantities of food and later vomit or take laxatives to get rid of it

Keeping Well Make Exercise Part of Your Life Choose a type of exercise that you like Incorporate exercise into your life (take stairs instead of elevator) Make exercise a group activity Very your routine

Keeping Well Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Exercise more Have a regular bedtime Use bed for sleeping and not as an all-purpose area Avoid caffeine after lunch (can last 8 to 12 Hr’s) Drink a glass of milk at bedtime Avoid sleeping pills Don’t try to force sleep on yourself

Keeping Well Drug Abuse (Alcohol) Alcoholics – Individuals with serious alcohol-abuse problems who become dependent on alcohol and continue to drink despite serious consequences Binge drinking – Having at least four or five drinks in a single sitting Heavy drinking damages liver and digestive system and effect brain cells

Keeping Well Drug Abuse (Nicotine) Remain smoke-free one day at a time Visualize the consequences of smoking Exercise Use nicotine patches or nicotine gum Avoid people when they are smoking Enlist the social support of family and friends Reward yourself Join a quit-smoking program Keep trying

Keeping Well Drug Abuse (Illegal Drugs) Addiction Warning Signs Feeling you need to be high to have a good time Being high more often than not Getting high to “get yourself going” Going to class or work high Being unprepared for class because you were high Feeling regret over something you did while you were high Driving while high Having a legal problem due to being high Behaving, while high, in a way you wouldn’t otherwise Being high in nonsocial, solitary situations Thinking about drugs much of the time Avoiding family while using liquor Hiding drug use from others

Keeping Well Drug Abuse (getting help) College health services, counseling center Drug treatment centers Government hotlines

Sexual Health Preventing Unwanted Pregnancy Abstinence - The only totally effective means of preventing pregnancy Birth control pills Implants IUD Diaphragms Condoms Contraceptive sponge Sterilization Withdrawal and douching is ineffective

Sexual Health Avoid Sexually Transmitted Diseases Know your sexual partner – well Prevent the exchange of bodily fluids during all sex activity Be faithful to a single partner

Sexual Health Date Rape Date rape often occurs because of the common — but untrue — belief that when women offer resistance to sex, they don’t really mean it Reduce rape by: Set limits – women have the right to set firm limits, and these should be communicated clearly, firmly, and early on No means no – When a partner says no, it means no – nothing else Be assertive – never accept being pressured into an activity in which you don’t want to engage Communicate – women and men should talk about their views on sexual behavior and what it is and is not permissible Keep in mind that alcohol and drugs cloud judgment