Managing Stress: Coping with Life’s Challenges Chapter 3 Managing Stress: Coping with Life’s Challenges

Objectives Define Stress. Explain the three phases of the general adaptation syndrome, and describe what happens physiologically. Examine the health risks that may occur with chronic stress. Discuss psychosocial, environmental and self-imposed sources of stress. Examine special stressors that affect college students and strategies for reducing risk. Explore techniques for coping with unavoidable stress. Examine the role of spirituality in enhancing the ability to deal with stress.

What Is Stress? The mental and physical response of our bodies to the changes and challenges in our lives Stressor – any physical, social, or psychological event or condition that causes the body to adjust to that situation Eustress – positive stress that presents the opportunity for personal growth and satisfaction Distress – negative stress that results in debilitative stress and strain

ABC News: Stress Management Play Video | Stress Management

ABC News: Stress Management Discussion Questions: In what situations has school, family and friends, or work caused you to eat when you are not hungry? How is “cortisol induced stress fat” different than the storage of fat caused by nonstress-related excessive eating? What are the health risks for both types of fat accumulation? How does the perception of hopelessness, helplessness, and defeat influence cortisol levels in the body? What does “chronic restrained eating” refer to in the video?

The Body’s Response To Stress “Fight or Flight” Response General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) – characterized by Hans Seyle 1936; three distinct phases: Alarm Phase Resistance Phase Exhaustion Phase

General Adaptation Syndrome Figure 3.1

The General Adaptation Syndrome: Alarm Phase Figure 3.2

Stress And Your Health Highly stressed individuals are at greater risks for: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) Impaired immunity Diabetes Cancer Headaches Ulcers Depression Low back pain

Stress And The Mind Stress may contribute to mental disability and emotional dysfunction These effects may be manifested as: Lost work productivity Difficulties in relationships Abuse of drugs and other substances Displaced anger Aggressive behavior

Sources Of Stress Psychosocial sources of stress: Change Hassles Pressure Inconsistent goals and behaviors Conflict Overload Burnout Other (overcrowding, discrimination, unemployment, poverty)

Psychosocial sources of stress: Hassles are annoyances, irritations, and frustrations Pressure occurs when we feel forced to speed up, intensify, or alter behavior Disparity between goals and behavior Conflict occurs when we are forced to face incompatible demands, opportunities or goals Overload occurs when you suffer from excessive time pressure or expectations of yourself Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive stress

Environmental Stress Stress that results from events occurring in the physical environment Floods Hurricanes Earthquakes Fires Industrial disasters Background distressors – noise, air and water pollution

Personality types and hardiness Type A are hard driving, competitive, time driven, impatient and perfectionistic Type B are relaxed and non-competitive Type C are said to succeed with good health in stressful environments Psychological hardiness is a personality trait characterized by control, commitment, and challenge A sense of control, accepting responsibility for their behaviors and changing behaviors that are debilitating A sense of commitment that helps w/ self-esteem and understanding their purpose in life A sense of challenge, seeing changes in life as opportunities for personal growth

Stress And The College Student Away from home Pressure to make new friends Large classes Academic pressures National College Health Assessments reported that stress was the number one factor affecting individual academic performance

The Student Stress Scale Table 3.2

Managing Your Stress Building Skills to Reduce Stress Assessing your stressors Changing your responses Learning to cope Downshifting Assess whether or not you can change the stressor or your response Change your response by controlling your initial reaction. Stop and ask yourself, “What is to be gained from my response?”

Learn to cope with stress inoculation – prepare for stressful situations with practice ahead of time Downshifting: Determine ultimate goal Make short term and long term plans Complete financial inventory Plan for health care costs Select the right career Consider options for saving money

Taking Mental Action Change the way you think – act – don’t react – with cognitive restructuring: the modification of thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that contribute to stress Reframe a distressing event from a positive perspective Worry constructively Look at life as being fluid Consider alternatives Moderate your expectations Weed out trivia Don’t rush into action Tolerate mistakes by yourself and others Live simply

Managing Emotional Responses Manage emotional responses by using self-talk to work through issues Learn to laugh and cry Avoid tendency toward hostility Resist the anger urge Anger usually results when we feel that we have lost control over a situation and/or are frustrated by a situation that we can do little about Expressing anger in an assertive way is the healthiest thing to do in the long run.

Strategies for Anger Control Calm yourself Change your thoughts toward the situation Improve your communication with the person who has made you angry Don’t fight back Use humor if possible Recognize that certain situation may cause things to blow out of proportion Seek help

Stress Management Changing the way you think Taking physical action Exercise Deep breathing Relaxation Eating right Managing your time Managing your finances

Time Management Take on only one thing at a time Clean off your desk Find a clean, comfortable place to work Prioritize your tasks Don’t be afraid to say no Avoid interruptions Reward yourself for being efficient Use time to your advantage Break overwhelming tasks into small pieces Remember that time is precious

Finance Management Develop a realistic budget When bills come in, take care of them immediately Consider electronic banking Become knowledgeable about how to manage your money Avoid tempting credit cards Don’t get into debt and pay make a commitment to pay off debt before splurging on non-essentials

Alternative Stress Management Techniques Visualization: the creation of mental images to promote relaxation Hypnosis: a process that allows people to become unusually responsive to suggestion Massage therapy: body based method that relaxes muscular tension and improves body’s immunity Meditation: a relaxation technique that involves deep breathing and concentration Biofeedback: a technique involving a machine to self monitor physical responses to stress

Developing Your Spiritual Side: Mindfulness The Physical Dimension: use nature to disconnect from everyday environmental stress The Emotional Dimension: practice blocking negative thoughts and focusing on positive emotions The Social Dimension: listen actively, be sensitive and honest with others, express genuine concern The Intellectual Dimension: take time to carefully assess events in your life, their causes and your involvement in them.