stress Flashcards
Definition of stress
Disturbance in your emotion and/or physical state due to a real or perceived threat, aggravation, or excitement that disturbs the body’s normal physiological state and to which the body must try to adapt
What is a stress response
Your body’s way of preparing you to deal with a demanding situation (heart pounding, sweaty palms, etc)
What are variations in people’s emotional and behavioural responses due to
Differences in temperament, health, life experiences, personality, beliefs and coping skills
What is a stressor
Any event that disrupts your body’s normal state
When is a situation deemed stressful and provokes a stress response
When the demands of the situation outweigh the skills we have
When is a situation deemed NOT stressful
When our coping skills outweigh the demands of the situation
What determines if a situation is a problem
Thoughts and attitudes towards the situations
What is eustress (positive stress)
Produced by exciting situations like roller coasters, new relationships, passing a driving test
What is distress (negative stress)
Produced by situations that cause worry, sorrow, pain or anger
What does eustress do
Invigorates us, motivates us to work harder, achieve more and more opportunities
What does distress do
Reduces wellness causing mental, emotional and physical dysfunction
Why is stress important
Stress prepares the body for action which is both necessary and life saving
Name the 3 stages of a stress response
Alarm
Resistance
Exhaustion
Explain alarm
Activated by anything that causes worry or excitement or is scary
Initial response to any stressor can activate alarm
Body becomes alert and energized with a rush of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol (activates fight or flight)
Explain resistance
Body starts to resist or fight stressor
Physiology and behaviour adjusts and build resistance to stressor
Most cases = resistance is enough to overcome stressor and you return to normal state of being
Explain exhaustion
Body is no longer able to resist or adapt to the stress
Tension becomes too much and you give into mental and physical exhaustion
Body continues to secrete stress hormones but they become less effective and may build up in blood causing health concerns
Might be tempted to drink, smoke, overeat and isolate yourself
Explain short term effects of stress
Cold Stiff neck Aching back Stomach ache Acne or allergies flare up Trouble sleeping Feel anxious or irritable
Explain long term effects of stress
Psychosomatic diseases = depressed immune system, hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease, ulcers, migraines, tension headaches, cancer, allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and backaches
Dysfunctional behaviours = worry, anxiety, neurosis, depression, domestic violence and suicide
Name 4 steps to manage stress
1 = Identify stressors and eliminate as many as possible 2 = Change your perception of the stressor 3 = Apply coping strategies 4 = Get help
Explain step 1 to manage stress
Evaluate each stressor and determine if you can eliminate any from your life
Explain step 2 to manage stress
Stay calm, focus on the good do not panic, deep breaths, redirect thoughts to more positive ones without denying the bad
Explain step 3 to manage stress
Having the energy and patience to deal with stressors by using physical coping strategies, intellectual coping strategies and emotional coping strategies
Explain step 4 to manage stress
Seek help from friends and family
Seek spiritual guidance
Seek professional help
Name the 2 things to avoid
Coping by avoidance
Coping by trying to escape
Explain coping by avoidance
Pretending that the problem doesn’t exist or putting it aside
Problem won’t go away on its own and you might be more stressed because of procrastination
Explain coping by trying to escape
Using drugs or alcohol to numb the pain = can lead to addiction
Statistic for stress in students
1/every 5-10 students are affected by a mental illness or disorder
Overall =
Have confidence in your ability to handle stress and embrace challenges as they come
State physical coping strategies
Physical activity Slow breathing 7-9 hrs of sleep a night Eat a nutritious and balanced diet Rest in a quiet place Do relaxing activities Relax muscles Pay attention to your body
State intellectual coping strategies
Use problem solving Establish priorities and tackle one at a time Manage time effectively Reduce mental activity Write down worries
State emotional coping strategies
Have fun Be flexible Live in present Don't sweat small stuff Think positively Monitor self talk
What is chronic stress
Stress that lasts for several minutes or weeks = causes stage 2 (resistance)
