Pre-test on Stress Pre-test on Stress  What is stress?  What causes stress?  How can people deal with stress?  Is stress good or bad?  Does everyone have stress?  Is stress the same for teenagers and adults?  What are the types of stress?  What is the biggest cause of stress?

Let’s Not Stress Out About It! Stress Management for Middle School Students

What is Stress?  The inability to cope with a perceived or real threat to one’s mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being  Physical, mental or emotional tension or strain  An emotional or bodily reaction to physical, psychological or emotional demands.

People and events do not cause stress. Your reaction to people and events is what causes stress. You allow stress to happen! You allow things to bother you!

Key Points  Stress is a fact of life.  Stress is the response to the demands placed on us in our lives.  Stress can be positive/good. –Can serve as a motivator –Can help us reassess our lives –Can help us look at and reorganize our thoughts and plans. –Keep us at our best game plan

Key Points  Stress can be negative/bad!!! –Can cause health issues –Can cause persons not to perform at their highest potential –Can cause a person not to reach his/her goals –Can cause a person to give up

Stress and Adolescence  Adolescence represents the potential to be one of the most stressful developmental phases in life. –Physical changes –Emotional changes –Influence of peers and friends (peer pressure) –Feeling of wanting to belong –Transition from childhood to teenage years and then on to adulthood

Causes of Stress Among Adolescents  Problems with peers (friendships; bullying, not fitting in, relationships with boyfriends/girlfriends)  Family issues or problems with parents  School related pressures (grades, school work, organization, time management)  Personal thoughts, feelings, behaviors (getting into trouble, being depressed)

Other Causes of Adolescent Stress  Grades  Not making a team  Illness or family health issues  Death of a loved one  Moving to a new school/community  Trying to do too many activities  Financial problems  Unsafe living/learning environment

Adult Stress-Major events Below are the top events that cause adult stress (based on Holmes-Raye scale) –Divorce –Death of a spouse –Divorce –Marriage –Pregnancy –Purchasing a home –Christmas  Jail term  Death of close relative  Injury or illness  Being fired/terminated from a job  Marriage reconciliation  Retirement

Internal Causes of Stress Not all stress is caused by external pressures or demands. Some times stress is self-generated. Some internal causes of stress include:  Uncertainty  Pessimism  Self-criticism  Trying to always be perfect  Having a low self-esteem  Having unrealistic expectations of oneself  Frustrations  Decisions  Social life

Stressful Jobs Five Most Stressful Jobs (based on Jobs Rated Almanac)  President of the United States  Firefighter  Senior corporate executive  Race car driver  Taxi driver

Stressful Jobs Least Stressful Jobs (based on Jobs Rated Almanac)  Medical records technician  Janitor  Forklift operator  Musical instrument repairer  Florist

Signs of Stress  Mental Symptoms –Inability to concentrate –Constant worrying –Having trouble thinking clearly –Memory problems –Having trouble making decisions –Poor judgment –Academic pressures  Emotional Symptoms –Restlessness –Short temper –Impatience –Feeling overwhelmed –Feeling lonely or isolated –Being moody –Being easily agitated or frustrated

Signs of Stress (cont’d)  Physical Symptoms –Headaches –Backaches –Muscle tension –Diarrhea or constipation –Dizziness, nausea –Chest pains –Increased heart rate –Increased blood pressure –Weigh gain/loss –Skin breakouts –Rapid heartbeat  Behavioral Symptoms –Change in eating habits –Change in sleeping habits –Isolation –Procrastinating –Using alcohol/drugs –Grinding teeth –Picking fights –Crying –Irritable –Fatigued –Depressed

Knowing your learning style can help to reduce your stress level. What is your learning style?  verbal/linguistic  logical/mathematical  visual/spatial  physical/bodily kinesthetic  visual/spatial  auditory/musical

Fight or Flight (the body’s biological response to stress)  The body often goes through biological changes to prepare us for emergency action during stressful situations.  When danger is sensed, the hypothalamus (a small part of the brain) sets of a chemical alarm.  The nervous system then releases stress hormones, including adrenaline.  These hormones quickly move through the bloodstream preparing us to either flee the scene or fight it out.  Heart rate increases and flow of blood to the muscles increase.  The digestive and reproductive systems relax because they are not essential to immediate survival in most of these situations.  It is not healthy to stay in this state for extended periods of time—may cause long term shut down of some of bodily functions and/or other major health issues.

Stress Management—How to Cope  Change the situation –Avoid the stressor –Alter the stressor  Change your reaction –Accept the stressor –Adapt to the stressor

Stress Management Strategy #1  Work on time management  Avoid unnecessary stress –Learn to say no –Avoid people who cause you stress –Cut down on your “to do” list –Learn to prioritize

Stress Management Strategy #2  Alter the situation –Change things so the problem may be avoided in the future –May involve changing the way you communicate with others  Express your feelings rather than letting things build up.  Be willing to compromise  Be more assertive  Manage your time better.

Stress Management Strategy #3  Accept the things you can’t change –Don’t try to control things that are out of your control –Look at the bright side –Share your feelings –Learn to forgive –Reframe problems –Adjust your standards –Adjust your attitude

Stress Management Strategy #4  Adopt a healthy lifestyle –Exercise regularly –Eat healthy –Reduce sugar and caffeine intake –Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs –Get plenty of sleep –Decrease negative self talk and conversations with others –Take a break from stressful situations

Stress Management-The bottom line  Learn to love yourself and to have respect for yourself and others.

Stress is response to demands placed on us in our lives. Identify the source of stress Learn to Prioritize Change how you handle things - Fix it or Forget it (you do not have control over all things)

Things that you do not control  How tall you will be  Facial features  Weather  Time  Your parents  Your family  When and how much you grow  Your name  Location of your home  Accidents  Natural disasters  Wars  Riots  Gas prices  Laws  Regulations  DNA  What other people say  What other people do  Race  Death  Gravitational Pull  Wild animals  Birth defects  Day/Night  Plant rotation  Sun  Ocean  If other people like you  The past  History  Tides  Terrorist  Floods  Clouds  Events planned by others.

REMEMBER  What we need to face stress is to think clearly.  The biggest cause of stress is you!  Different things cause stress for different people.

Remember  Some stress is alright, but to much can hinder your performance.  Five stress control techniques are 1.Breathing 2.Muscle relaxation 3.Think positive 4.Accept and express feelings 5.Fix it or forget it!

Ways to Manage Stress  Add balance to your life  Don’t overdo any one part of your life  Accept who you are  Take “time outs”  Exercise regularly  Watch your breathing  Walk more  Practice relaxation activities  Study daily in each subject  Discuss problems with others

Let’s Review  What is stress?  What causes stress?  How can people deal with stress?  Is stress good or bad?  Does everyone have stress?  Is stress the same for teenagers and adults?  What are the types of stress?  What is the biggest cause of stress?

Our Stress  What are the biggest causes of stress for this class?  Students need to make a list of what has caused stress for them this year.  The student’s list will be put together to form a long list that represents the class to see what the biggest cause of stress is for all of you right now.  What can you do about that stress?

Causes for Middle School Students  Grades  After school activities  Competitions  People watching you work  Messing up in front of others  Doing something new  Moving to a new school  Parents fighting  Girl/boy friend problems/situations  New experiences  Sibling rivalry  Saying no to friends  Peer pressure  Getting into trouble  What you look like  Having to work faster  No living up to expectations  What others can you add?