1. STRESS

2. What is Stress? Stress is the body’s and mind’s response to a demand.
Stress responses are triggered by stressors.
A Stressor is anything that causes physical, mental, emotional or social stress (puts a demand on the body or mind).

3. Types of Stressors
Environmental Stressors: conditions or events in your physical environment that cause you stress.
Pollution, poverty, crowding, noise, natural disasters
Biological Stressors: conditions that make it difficult for your body to take part in daily activities.
Illness, injury, disability

4. Types of Stressors
Thinking Stressors: any type of mental challenge that can cause stress.
Tests, homework
Behavioral Stressors: unhealthy behaviors that lead to stress.
Not getting enough sleep; using tobacco, alcohol or drugs; poor nutrition
Life Change Stressors: any major life change—positive or negative.
Death of a loved one, getting married, moving

5. Stressors In Your Life Arguing with a brother or sister
Getting glasses or braces
Moving to a new home or town
Getting in trouble with a teacher
Making a speech in front of the class
Losing a loved one
Going through parents’ divorce
Becoming involved with drugs and alcohol
Remember, you don’t just have one stressor affecting you at a time. There are many stressors you deal with on a daily basis, but when an large acute stressor comes around it can really take its toll.

6. Types Of Stress—Distress & Eustress
When a stressor comes around and triggers a stress response it is your body’s reaction to try to return to an unstressed condition. This can leave your feeling tired and sick or happy and relaxed—depending on the type of stress it is.
Distress is the negative physical, mental, or emotional strain in response to a stressor.
Eustress is the positive stress that happens from winning or achieving.

7. Bad vs. Good
What is considered distress to one person could be eustress to another person. It depends on how the person views and responds to the stressor.
For someone who is shy
meeting new people could be
negative stress.
For someone who is more
outgoing meeting new people
could be positive stress.

8. Activity : Stand, Sit, Lay
The same situation can cause a great amount of stress for one person, but not for someone else.
Activity : Stand, Sit, Lay
Get higher if the situation is more stressful.
Stay seated if it is neutral.
Get lower if it is less stressful.
Stand, sit, or get lower depending on the level of your stress

9. Taking a roller coaster ride
Stress or No Stress
Taking a roller coaster ride

10. Stress or No Stress
Eating Spinach

11. Stress or No Stress
Getting your report card

12. Stress or No Stress
Holding a snake

13. Stress or No Stress
Going to math class

14. Stress or No Stress
Going on a first date

15. Stress or No Stress
Watching a scary movie
BOO

16. Giving a speech to the class
Stress or No Stress
Giving a speech to the class

17. Stress or No Stress
Going to a dance

18. Look around you….
Notice how everyone has different stress levels?

19. Types Of Stress Acute: Short-term stress (loss of loved one).
Sequential: Series of events leading up to a change (graduating from high school, moving away from home, going to college, and getting a career).
Intermittent: Stress that comes on a schedule (bills).
Chronic: Everyday or long-term stress (when stressors don’t go away—work or financial stress).

20. Dice Game Directions! Each group of 4-5 will receive one small dice.
Each group member will need their own paper, but the entire group will share a pen or pencil.
When I say go, the first person rolls the dice until they roll a 6.
Then pass the dice to the next person (CLOCKWISE) to try to roll a 6.
After each person rolls a 6 they start writing the numbers on their paper as fast as they can while saying each number out loud.
You have to pass the pen/pencil when the next person rolls a 6!!
The first person to get all the way to 100 wins!!

21. Stress Response—Fight or Flight
When you feel threatened your body reacts with a physical response called “fight or flight”.
This response prepares you to either fight a stressor or run away from it (flight).

22. Stress Response—Fight or Flight
In the fight or flight stress response your body goes through many immediate and unconscious physical changes.
Release of epinephrine (adrenaline).
Epinephrine is a hormone that increases the level of sugar in your blood to give you more energy.
A hormone is a chemical produced by glands in your body and they serve as messengers from on part of your body to another to tell it to do something.

23. Stress Response—Fight or Flight
Other changes that occur are:
More blood goes to your brain.
Hearing and vision are sharpened.
Breathing speeds up.
Heart beats faster and faster.
Your pupils widen.
You get dry mouth.
Your muscles tighten.
Your stomach can feel tied in knots.

24. Short-Term Responses to Stress
With short-term stress your body goes through a “power surge” and then tries to return back to normal.
You may feel tired or worn-out.
Your body needs to recover from all stress—good or bad.

25. Long-Term Effects of Stress
Your body can only handle stressors for so long before becoming fatigued.
Fatigue is a feeling of extreme tiredness and can be physical or mental.

26. Long-Term Effects of Stress
Difficulty sleeping
Frequent headaches
Mental or emotional problems
Boredom, frustration, or depression
Feeling tense, irritable, and overwhelmed
Trouble concentrating
Trouble making decisions
Loss of appetite
Increased appetite

27. Effects of Stress on Your Body
Brain: anxiety disorder or depression, stroke (from HBP)
Heart: heart disease and heart attacks
Circulatory System: high blood pressure
Immune System: Increased risk of infection and disease
Digestive System: diarrhea, constipation, cramps, bloating, ulcers
Skin: hives, acne, eczema
Weight: loss of appetite and weight, cravings for comfort food, increased appetite and weight
Other: diabetes, chronic pain, sleep disorders…

28. Stress and Relationships
Sometimes your stress can make you act out in a way that can hurt other people.
Some examples???

29. So, What Can We Do?
Stress Management!