1. Stress Mrs. Glover

3. Everybody has had a Bad Day!!!

4. What is Stress? Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings.

5. STRESS: Distress Negative Stress Too much pressure Trauma No coping skills Eustress Positive Stress Reaching Goals Competing Performing

6. What causes stress? Stressor- anything that causes stress Not all stressors are the same for everyone Not all stressors are negative What is a good (happy, excited) stressor for you? What is a bad (sad, scared) stressor for you?

7. Why do we Experience Stress? Continually Changing Environment- We never Stand Still New Adventures, Challenges, & Opportunities Changes Throughout the Life Cycle Our bodies and minds get overwhelmed

8. What is the difference between stress and a stressor? Stress is the feeling of being physically or mentally overwhelmed A Stressor is what causes you that feeling

9. What are some of your stressors? (group activity) What are some of your stressors? (group activity)

10. How does Stress affect our Health? Mental health- feelings of inadequacy, depression, anxiety, distrust, rejection, and anger. Physical health- headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

11. PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF STRESS Adrenaline is produced: a hormone that prepares your body to “fight or flight. What adrenaline does to the body: Increases heart rate- gives energy Opens air passages Tightens muscles Sharpens senses

12. Signs of Stress Physical (Body) Headache Fatigue Upset Stomach Sleep Problems Overeating or Under eating Heart and Breathing rates increase Mental (Mind) Constant worrying Restlessness Can’t concentrate Procrastinating Memory Problems Nervous Habits (Nail Biting) Emotional (Feelings) Anxiety Sadness or Depression Irritability – Short Temper Moodiness Feeling Overwhelmed

13.  Antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications account for one fourth of all prescriptions written in the U.S. each year.  Stress also contributes to the development of alcoholism, obesity, suicide, drug addiction, cigarette addiction, and other harmful behaviors.  The U.S. Public Health Service has made reducing stress one of its major health promotion goals.  Stress contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, and other illnesses.  Stress also affects the immune system, which protects us from many serious diseases.  About a million people each day in the US are absent from work due to stress-related disorders.  75-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints or disorders. Facts on Stress

14. There are Six Steps to dealing with Stress

15. Step #1- Become aware of your stressors and your emotional and physical reactions -Notice your distress. Don't ignore it. Don't gloss over your problems. -Determine what events distress you. What are you telling yourself about meaning of these events? -Determine how your body responds to the stress. Do you become nervous or physically upset? If so, in what specific ways?

16. Step #2- Recognize what you CAN change -Can you change your stressors by avoiding or eliminating them completely? -Can you reduce their intensity (manage them over a period of time instead of on a daily or weekly basis)? -Can you shorten your exposure to stress (take a break, leave the physical premises)? -Can you devote the time and energy necessary to making a change (goal setting, time management techniques, and delayed gratification strategies may be helpful here)?

17. Step #3- Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress -The stress reaction is triggered by your perception of danger...physical danger and/or emotional danger. Are you viewing your stressors in exaggerated terms and/or taking a difficult situation and making it a disaster? Are you expecting to please everyone? Are you overreacting and viewing things as absolutely critical and urgent? Do you feel you must always prevail in every situation? Work at adopting more moderate views; try to see the stress as something you can cope with rather than something that overpowers you.

18. Step #4- Learn to moderate your physical reactions to stress Slow, deep breathing will bring your heart rate and respiration back to normal. Relaxation techniques can reduce muscle tension heart rate, and blood pressure.

19. Step #5- Build Your Physical Reserves -Exercise for cardiovascular fitness three to four times a week (moderate, prolonged rhythmic exercise is best, such as walking, swimming, cycling, or jogging). -Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals. -Maintain your ideal weight. -Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine, and other stimulants. -Mix leisure with work. Take breaks and get away when you can. -Get enough sleep. Be as consistent with your sleep schedule as possible

20. Step #6- Maintain Your Emotional Reserves -Develop some mutually supportive friendships/relationships. -Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful to you, rather than goals others have for you that you do not share. -Develop Meaningful Hobbies -Expect some frustrations, failures, and sorrows. -Always be kind and gentle with yourself be a friend to yourself.

21. How can we cope? The key to handling stress is to identify what your stress symptoms are and what the stressors are that cause you those symptoms. Then you can develop stress reducing techniques to avoid those physical and emotional reactions.

22. Positive Ways to Cope Exercise Plan Ahead Positive Self-Talk Ask for Help Relax Get Enough Sleep Take Deep Breaths Service Laugh Schedule your time Get involved Don’t use drugs

23. "How we perceive a situation and how we react to it is the basis of our stress. If you focus on the negative in any situation, you can expect high stress levels. However, if you try and see the good in the situation, your stress levels will greatly diminish." Catherine Pulsifer Stress is not what happens to us. It's our response TO what happens. And RESPONSE is something we can choose." Maureen Killoran “You never will be the person you can be if pressure, tension and discipline are taken out of your life.” James G. Bilkey “Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” SenecaMaureen Killoran "How we perceive a situation and how we react to it is the basis of our stress. If you focus on the negative in any situation, you can expect high stress levels. However, if you try and see the good in the situation, your stress levels will greatly diminish." Catherine Pulsifer Stress is not what happens to us. It's our response TO what happens. And RESPONSE is something we can choose." Maureen Killoran “You never will be the person you can be if pressure, tension and discipline are taken out of your life.” James G. Bilkey “Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” SenecaMaureen Killoran Thoughts on Stress: