3 PowerPoint ® Lecture Outlines prepared by Dr. Lana Zinger, QCC CUNY Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings. Managing.

3PowerPoint® Lecture Outlines prepared by Dr. Lana Zinger, QCC CUNY

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings.

Managing Stress: Coping with Life’s Challenges


What is Stress?

Experience of a perceived threat to one’s well-being

Can be real or imagined

• Stressor – event or condition that causes the body to adjust to a situation

• Can be physical, social or psychological

• Adjustment – attempt to cope with a given situation

• Strain – wear and tear on the body


What is Stress?

Eustress – positive stress

• Opportunity for personal growth and satisfaction

• Example: getting married

Distress – negative stress

• Can have negative effect on one’s health

• Example: financial problems


The Body’s Response to Stress

Fight or flight

• Surprised by sudden stressor

• Sudden burst of energy (i.e. being chased by a dog)

Adrenal glands jump into action

• Glands secrete adrenaline and other hormones into bloodstream

• Causes increased heart rate, blood pressure and blood flow to muscles

• Sudden physiological changes allow for quick response to stressor; fight it or escape from it

Basic human survival mechanism

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings. Figure 3.1

The General Adaptation Syndrome

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings. Figure 3.2

The General Adaptation Syndrome: Alarm Phase


Stress and Your Health

40% of deaths, 70% of disease in the U.S. related to stress

Cardiovascular disease risk

• Increases with chronic, unresolved stress

• Increases with prolonged elevation of heart rate and blood pressure

• Increased blood pressure damages vessel lining

• Damaged lining allows fatty substances (plaque) to more readily adhere to vessel tissue

• As plaque builds up, arteries harden and narrow

• Results in compromised blood flow


Stress and Your Health

Stress and impaired immunity

• Reduction in the ability of killer T cells to aid immune response

• Individuals become more susceptible to illnesses

• How has stress impaired your immune system?

Stress and diabetes

• Stress can alter blood sugar levels

• Controlling stress is important for diabetes management

• High blood sugars damage kidneys, eyes and other organs

Stress and the mind

• Strong relationship between stress and mental disability and emotional dysfunction in industrialized nations


Sources of Stress

Psychosocial

• Factors in our daily lives that cause stress

• Change – can be good or bad

• Hassles – petty annoyances and frustrations

• Pressure – feeling forced to meet higher expectations

• Inconsistent Goals and Behaviors – disparity between our goals and behaviors

• Conflict – decisions, values

• Overload – too much going on, lack of support

• Burnout – physical and mental exhaustion


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?

PlayVideoPlay

Video| Stress Management


Sources of Stress

Environmental stress

• Based on physical surroundings

• Noise

• Natural disasters

• Pollution




Sources of Stress

Appraisal

• Interpretation and evaluation of information

Self-esteem

• Feeling of self worth

Self-efficacy

• Belief in own abilities or confidence in skills

Type A personality

• Hard driving, competitive, impatient, perfectionist

Psychological hardiness

• Control, commitment, embrace of challenge


Stress and the College Student

Different stressors between genders

• Women

• Dieting, school overload, gaining weight

• Men

• Being underweight, not having enough sex, lack of friends, drug and alcohol use

What stressors have you experienced?


Stress and the College Student

Symptoms of stress overload

• Sense of anxiety

• Sleeping difficulties

• Short temper

• Headaches or dizziness

• Recurring colds or minor illnesses

• Inability to concentrate



Stress Management

Building skills to reduce stress

• Assess your stressors

• Can you change the circumstances causing the stress?

• Do you need to change your reaction to circumstances?

• Change your response

• Takes practice and emotional control

• STOP… gain time… find appropriate response

• Learn to cope

• Deal with smaller fears first so larger ones aren’t so overwhelming

• Consider downshifting

• Voluntary simplicity



Stress Management

Manage emotional responses• Examine your self-talk

Change the way you think• Self esteem – positive thinking, reducing negative self

talk

• Mental skills – takes time, practice, patience and experience

Taking physical action• Exercise – increases mood elevating hormones, energy

levels

• Relaxation – involve mind and body (ex. Yoga)

• Eating right – balanced, healthful food choices


Stress Management

Managing time

• Do one thing at a time

• Organize desk or work area

• Work in a clean, comfortable space

• Prioritize tasks - create a “to do” list

• Don’t be afraid to say “No”

• Avoid interruptions - turn phone off, close door

• Reward yourself

• Know your time patterns - morning person or night owl?

• Break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable parts

• Time is precious - don’t take it for granted

How have you managed your time?



ABC News: Injury Prevention and Emergency Care

Discussion Questions

• What three fatal errors did the two test subjects commit?

• How can you apply the lessons taught here to other events in life?

• Being lost in the woods can be life-threatening, but not just overtly; dehydration can be more dangerous than other obvious threats. What stressors in life also fit this profile? What can you do to combat hidden stressors?

PlayVideoPlay

Video| Injury Prevention and Emergency Care


Alternative Stress Management Techniques

Popular stress fighters

• Visualization

• Massage therapy

• Meditation

• Biofeedback


Developing Your Spiritual Side: Mindfulness

Physical dimension

• Interact with natural environment by exercising outside

• Focus on birdsongs, beauty of the landscape

Emotional dimension

• Deal with negative feelings

• Practice thought-stopping, positive self talk


Developing Your Spiritual Side: Mindfulness

Social dimension

• Interact, listen, and communicate

• Give and take, speak and listen, forgive and move on

Intellectual dimension

• Take time to reflect, read and ponder your life’s events

• New insights and greater understanding may arise out of this objective reasoning

3 PowerPoint ® Lecture Outlines prepared by Dr. Lana Zinger, QCC CUNY Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings. Managing.

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