Stress Flashcards
Stress
-Physical, mental or emotional strain that is caused by demands that are placed on a person
-It can initiate the fight or flight response, a complex reaction of nervous and hormone systems
Symptoms of emotional stress
-Loneliness
-Frustration
-Depression
-Irritability
Symptoms of Physical stress
-Dizziness
-Back pain
-Insomnia
-Nausea
Symptoms of Mental stress
-Confusion
-Indecision
-Lack of concentration
-Carelessness
Eustress (Good stress)
A positive form of stress has a beneficial effect on health, motivation and emotional well-being
-It makes you ready for action as it gives you adrenalin and energy
Distress (Bad stress)
Its perceived as outside our coping abilities, feels, unpleasant and can lead to mental and physical problems
-You may become ill, unhappy and depressed
A stressor
A chemical or biological environmental condition, or external stimulus seen as causing stress to individual
-An event that individuals might consider demanding, challenging or threatening
Types of stressor
-Physical
-Environmental
-Social
Physical stressor
Stressors caused by health issues, trauma to the body, self-harm lifestyle choices and abuse
Examples:
-Pregnancy
-Menstruation
-Violent attacks
-Being a crime victim
-Alcohol and drug abuse
-Cutting oneself
-Lack of sleep
-Poor diet
Environmental stressor
Stressors that are found in our surroundings cause irritation
Examples:
-Poverty
-Noise
-Insects
-Pollution
Social stressor
Stressors caused by the people around you that stems from one’s relationships with others and from the social environment in general
Examples:
-Conflict
-Bullying
-Negative peer pressure
Emotional stressor
Stress brought by people’s reactions to difficult situations causes negative emotions
Examples:
-Death
-Moving house
-Unrealistic expectations
Stress management
-A wide spectrum of techniques and treatments aimed at controlling a person’s level of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of and for the motive of improving everyday functioning
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Stress hormones
-Cortisol
-Adrenalin
Cortisol
The hormone produced by fear and results in anxiety
Adrenalin
The hormone that prepares the body to react physically to a threat
Why is it important to manage stress
If you fail to manage stress, your body can produce too much of the hormones for too long. The stress will damage your body and change to chronic diseases
How to manage stress
-Decrease negative talk
-Learn to feel good
-Meditation and relaxation exercises
-Exercise and eat healthy
-Analyse your stress
-be assertive
-Apply practical and effective coping skills
-Cut down your to-do list
-Avoid people who stress you out
Decrease negative self-talk
-Challenge negative thoughts about yourself with alternative neutral or positive thoughts
Learn to feel good
Feel good about doing a competent job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others
Meditation and relaxation exercises
Simple deep breathing exercises can assist greatly in relieving stress because it helps to calm the mind
Exercise and eat healthy
Exercise and eat healthy foods regularly at least 3 times a week
Analyse your stress
Determine the causes of your stress. Analyse how you felt both physically and emotionally and what you would do to make the situation better
Be assertive
State your feelings in a polite, firm and not overly aggressive or passive way
-Rehearse and practice to overcome situations which cause stress
Apply practical and effective coping skills
Break a large task into smaller more manageable tasks
Avoid people who stress you out
If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you cant turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship
Cut down your to-do list
Analyse your schedule, responsibility and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between what you need to do and what you want to do
-Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them
Coping mechanism and how ones patterns influence the way they handle stress
-A strategy a person uses to help manage difficult emotions
-Thoughts help create the reality we experience. Our thoughts determine whether we experience it as good or bad and thus influence the we way we handle stress
