1. Becoming Aware of Mental Health Workshop #1: Stress Management

2. the brain’s response to any demand
Stress is simply a reaction to a stimulus that disturbs our physical or mental equilibrium.
the brain’s response to any demand
Everyone reacts differently to stress
What is stressful for one person may be pleasurable for someone else
A stressful event can trigger the “fight-or-flight” response releasing hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) to surge through the body.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016

4. Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. 
When you feel threatened, your nervous system responds by releasing stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, which alert the body for emergency action.
Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper.
These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016

5. Stress in the United States
77% working adults report regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress
73% regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress
33% of working adults feel that they are living in extreme stress
76% of people cite work and money as their major source of stress
38% report lying awake at night due to stress
60% of 26,000 workers surveyed in the US were so unhappy with their current jobs that they would prefer to choose a new career if they could
Research suggests that unhappy workers are 10% less productive
$3000/year in annual costs to employers in stress related healthcare and missed work

6. Stress in the Workplace

7. Is all stress bad? … Stress can:
Act as a motivator to enable us to perform at higher levels of achievement
Keep us motivated in our lives by offering challenges
Keep us more alert and motivated to adapt and grow in our lives
Stress is not always bad – what is more important is the level of stress experienced in every day life
If stress (especially high levels of it) is frequently present in our daily lives, that in general is bad for us.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016; National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 2015

8. External vs. Internal Stress
External Stressors come from outside us
forces from outside you that stress you out
Ex: relationship issues; workplace/coworker issues; sitting in traffic; family drama; illness; financial issues; etc.
In sum: all the situations, challenges, difficulties, and expectations we're confronted with on a daily basis.
Most often associated with:
Workplace stress
Interpersonal conflicts
Relationship / marital stress
Balancing career and family
Being a parent
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016

9. External vs. Internal Stress
Internal Stressors - come from your personal goals, expectations, standards, perceptions, desires, etc.
Comes from inside of us and determine our body's ability to respond to and deal with external stress-inducing factors
Our thoughts and attitudes
Ex: Feeling like you aren’t where you should be at this point in life; perfectionist; poor self-esteem
When you’re internally stressed, even the slightest external stressor might ruin your day
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016; American Psychological Association (APA), 2015

10. External vs. Internal Stress
One of the biggest differences between internal and external stressors is that we do not have much control over our external stressors
Our internal stressors can help predict our ability to cope with inevitable external stressors
Since our internal stressors impact the way we deal with external stressors, it’s good to focus on those first
Requires us to change the way we think about life and the way we view different events we encounter .
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016

11. Common Effects of Stress . . .
Physical
Mood
Behavior
Cognitive
Headaches
Anxiety
Overeating or under eating
Memory problems
Muscle tension or pain
Restlessness
Poor Judgment
Angry outbursts
Lack of motivation or focus
Inability to concentrate
Chest pain
Drug or alcohol abuse
Fatigue
“brain Fog”
Feeling overwhelmed
Tobacco use
Change in sex drive
Indecision
Social withdrawal
GI issues
Irritability or anger
Starting many tasks but achieving little
Exercising less
Sleep problems
Sadness or depression
Forgetfulness
High blood pressure
Self-doubt
Mood swings
Self criticism
Heart problems
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016

12. Managing Stress People are most susceptible to stress when they are:
Not getting enough sleep
Lacking a network of support
Experiencing a major life change such as moving, the death of a loved one, starting a new job, having a child or getting married
Experiencing poor physical health
Not eating well
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016

14. Ways to Reduce Stress Know your stress triggers
Work-life balance: manage and balance your time
Accept your needs
Set aside time for yourself
Practice relaxation. 
Deep breathing, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Exercise and eat well
Don’t skip your lunch break!
Get enough sleep
Avoid alcohol and drugs
Talk to someone
friends, family, counselor, etc.
Accept your needs. Recognize what your triggers are. What situations make you feel physically and mentally agitated? Once you know this, you can avoid them when it's reasonable to, and to cope when you can't.
Manage your time. Prioritizing your activities can help you use your time well. Making a day-to-day schedule helps ensure you don't feel overwhelmed by everyday tasks and deadlines.
Practice relaxation. Deep breathing, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation are good ways to calm yourself. Taking a break to refocus can have benefits beyond the immediate moment.
Exercise daily. Schedule time to walk outside, bike or join a dance class. Whatever you do, make sure it's fun. Daily exercise naturally produces stress-relieving hormones in your body and improves your overall physical health.
Set aside time for yourself. Schedule something that makes you feel good. It might be reading a book, go to the movies, get a massage or take your dog for a walk.
Eat well. Eating unprocessed foods, like whole grains, vegetables, and fresh fruit is the foundation for a healthy body and mind. Eating well can also help stabilize your mood.
Get enough sleep. Symptoms of some mental health conditions, like mania in bipolar disorder, can be triggered by getting too little sleep.
Avoid alcohol and drugs. They don't actually reduce stress: in fact, they often worsen it. If you're struggling with substance abuse, educate yourself and get help.
Talk to someone. Whether to friends, family, a counselor or a support group, airing out and talking can help. Consider attending a NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group.
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15. Stress at Work Coping Tips
Resist perfectionism!
Flip your negative thinking
Don’t try to control the uncontrollable 
Look for humor in the situation
REMEMBER: Manage it, not eliminate it - Stress is a fact of life! You can learn ways to handle it.
Resist perfectionism. When you set unrealistic goals for yourself, you’re setting yourself up to fall short. Aim to do your best, no one can ask for more than that.
Flip your negative thinking. Try to think positively about your work, avoid negative-thinking co-workers, and pat yourself on the back about small accomplishments, even if no one else does.
Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things at work are beyond our control—particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. 
Look for humor in the situation. When used appropriately, humor is a great way to relieve stress in the workplace. When you or those around you start taking things too seriously, find a way to lighten the mood by sharing a joke or funny story.