1. Managing Stress in Your Life

2. Lesson 1 – What is Stress?
Stress – body and mind’s reaction to everyday demands or threats
Kinds of Stress
Distress – negative stress (results from too much pressure or trauma)
Eustress – positive stress (can help you achieve goals)

3. Kinds of Stressors
Biological – biochemical imbalances, mental or physical illness
Environmental – poverty, pollution, noise, crowding, natural disasters
Cognitive – way you perceive a situation
Personal behavior- tobacco, alcohol, drugs, lack of exercise
Life Situations – trouble in relationships or experiencing loss

4. The Body’s Stress Response
The endocrine and nervous system are active during the body’s response to stress
The body’s response is involuntary or automatic

5. Alarm
1st stage in the stress response when the body and mind are on high alert
Adrenaline is secreted by the adrenal glands. It is the emergency hormone that helps the body respond to a stressor

6. Resistance
2nd stage in the stress response when the body tries to repair its damage from a stressful situation and return to its normal state
The body functions at a higher than normal level

7. Fatigue
3rd stage of the stress response that results in a tired feeling
Prolonged exposure to stress causes the body and mind to wear down
Types of Fatigue
Physical –soreness and tiredness
Pathological – overworking the body’s defenses in response to disease
Psychological – constant worry, depression, boredom

8. Lesson 2 – Stress in Your Life
Several factors affect a persons level of stress
Stress can have a negative impact on health
You can learn to recognize signs of stress
Stress can be controlled by how you view the stressor

9. Stress and the Brain Stress can affect neurotransmitters
This can cause sleep disturbance, panic attacks, and low enjoyment of life
Stress tolerance – amount of stress you can handle before you reach a state of too much

10. Stress and Your Personality Type
Type A – competitive and high achieving and most likely to develop heart disease
Type B – laid back and less likely to suffer from heart disease
The hardy personality – able to stay healthy despite traumatic stressors

11. Characteristics of Hardy Personalities
Resilience - Characteristic found in people with hardy personality’s
Change – view it as an opportunity for growth
Commitment – committed to things that bring meaning to life
Control – feels an influence and can control what happens in his life

12. Problems Resulting from Stress
Mind and Body Connection – stress can raise blood pressure, weaken the immune system, and can lead to premature death
Blood pressure – stress increases levels of cholesterol which causes blocked arteries. This could lead to heart disease and stroke.

13. Problems Resulting from Stress
Headaches – tension causes contraction of the muscles in the head and neck. This results in a headache for many people.
Asthma – stress can trigger an attack. It is important for people with this condition to identify stressors and prevent them if possible

14. Problems Resulting from Stress
Immune response system – prolonged exposure to stress can weaken the immune system which prevents the body from fighting off disease.
Psychosomatic response – physical disorder that results from stress rather than injury (skin disorders, stomach aches, digestive problems)

15. Signs of Stress
Physical – headaches, trembling, upset stomach, sweating, dry mouth
Emotional – frustration, boredom nervousness, worrying
Mental – trouble thinking, obsessive thoughts, forgetting
Behavioral – not eating, overeating, high risk behavior, fidgeting, forgetting values

16. Lesson 3 – Managing Stress
Identifying the problem – get to the source and know your personal stressors

17. Stress Management Eliminate or reduce exposure to the stressor
Change the way you perceive or react to the stressor
Ways to handle stress – physical activity, re-channel energy, relax, laugh, plan ahead

18. Ways to Handle Stress
Planning – being well prepared helps you feel confident and comfortable
Re-channeling energy – put negative energy to use for positive gains
Relax and laugh
Relaxation response- state of deep rest from using relaxation techniques
Laughter instantly relieves stress

19. Ways to Handle Stress
Seek Support – parents, teachers, coaches, friends, peer helpers
Support Groups – informal gathering of people with similar problems in order to share experiences

20. Ways to Handle Stress
Time management – strategies to use time in effective ways
Prioritize – deciding what is important and making sure you take care of these things first

21. Responding to Loss
A person needs to talk about the loss (maybe over and over)
Closure – end of the most intense grieving
Delayed grief response – putting off the intense stages of grief
Grief counselors can help people work through their problems

22. The Grieving Process:
Denial-it may be difficult to believe the loss has occurred.
Emotional Release-The loss is recognized. This stage often involves periods of cyring.
Anger- The person uses anger because he or she feels powerless and unfairly deprived.

23. The Grieving Process
Bargaining-As the reality of loss sets in, the person may promise to change if what is lost can be returned.
Depression-Beyond the feelings of sadness, feelings of isolation, alienation, and hopelessness may occur.

24. The Grieving Process
Remorse- The person may become preoccupied with thoughts about how the loss could have been prevented.
Acceptance-The person faces the reality of the loss, and experiences closure, or the acceptance of a loss.
Hope-remembering becomes less painful, and the person begins to look ahead to the future.

25. Kubler-Ross 5 Stages of Grief
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance