Stress Management Flashcards
- Stress can be defined as our mental, physical,
emotional, and behavioral reactions to any
perceived demands or threats.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
What Makes Something Stressful?
- Situations that have strong demands
- Situations that are imminent
- Life transitions
- Timing (e.g., deviation from the “norm”)
- Ambiguity
- Desirability
- Controllability
is a continuous experience of
feeling overwhelmed, oppressed, and behind
in our responsibilities. It is the all
encompassing sense of being imposed upon
by difficulties with no light at the end of the
tunnel.
* Examples of distress include
financial difficulties, conflicts in
relationships, excessive obligations,
managing a chronic illness, or
experiencing a trauma
Distress
is the other form of stress that is
positive and beneficial. We may feel
challenged, but the sources of the stress are
opportunities that are meaningful to us.
Eustress helps provide us with energy and
motivation to meet our responsibilities and
achieve our goals.
* Examples of eustress include
graduating from college, getting
married, receiving a promotion, or
changing jobs
Eustress
- No direct consequence
- Not threatening but not enjoyable
- News of incidents
Neutral Stress
are things that cause stress. Almost everything is a stressor depending on the individual.
* Family Relationships
* School
* Peer Groups/ Friends
* Discrimination
* Injury
* Sickness
* Fatigue
* Any Major Changes
Stressors
are physical conditions of your body and the environment that affect your physical well-being.
* Thirst
* Hunger
* Lack of Sleep
* Sickness
* Accidents or Catastrophes
Physical stressors
are the stressors that
affect your physical and emotional
well-being.
* Worry
* Fear
* Grief
* Depression
* Anger
Emotional stressors
arise from your
relationships with other people.
* Family
* Friends
* Teachers
* Employers
* Peers
Social stressors
____ hypothesized a general adaptation or
stress syndrome. This general stress syndrome
affects the whole body. Stress always manifests
itself by a syndrome, a sum of changes, and not
by simply one change.
Selye
___ are maladies caused principally by errors in the body’s general adaptation process
Stress diseases
When someone experiences a stressful event, the______, an area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing, sends a distress signal to the _____.
- The ______ is a bit like a command
center. This area of the brain communicates with the rest of the body through the autonomic nervous system
amygdala, hypothalamus, hypothalamus
The autonomic nervous system has two
components:
The sympathetic nervous system, The parasympathetic nervous system
______ triggers the fight-or-flight response, providing the body with a burst of energy so that it can respond to perceived dangers.
The sympathetic nervous system
_______ promotes the “rest and digest” response that calms the body down after the danger has passed.
The parasympathetic nervous system
The general adaptation syndrome has three components:
- The alarm stage
- The stage of resistance
- The exhaustion stage
The first is an “______” which
is referred to as Fight or Flight. This is
when the body reacts to the stressor.
Anything that causes you to worry or get
excited, or causes emotional or physical
changes can start the alarm reaction.
Alarm Stage
______ is the body’s natural
protective technique. We react the same to
both positive and negative types of stress.
Fight or Flight
During the alarm phase, ______ is
released. _____ is the chemical which
gives our body energy to perform physical
acts. In an emergency our adrenaline
increases.
adrenaline
- In stage two, the ______, the
immune system starts to resist or fight the
stressor. You feel exasperated and are
impatient with trivial matters. You miss your sleep schedules and find your resistance lowering. The normal indications of this level are exhaustion, weariness, anxiousness, and being forgetful.
resistance stage
- In extreme cases our body is unable to
handle the stress and it succumbs to the
stressor and we call this the exhaustion
phase. We may become sick or medical
treatments may become necessary. If the
stressor is too great, as in the case of
disease that the body cannot fight, death can occur. - Stress Warning Signals
- What are your “red flags,” or warning signs, that stress is creeping into your life? If we keep pushing ourselves, eventually
something inside of you will send “red flags,” or warning signs that stress is becoming a problem
Exhaustion
Types of coping
- Problems-focused coping
- Emotion-focused coping
- Cognitive coping
- Controlling the source of stress
- Problem-solving
- Problems-focused coping
- Lowering emotional
responses - Involves verbalization,
prayer and many more
- Emotion-focused coping
- Uses intellectual ability
- Has several strategies
- Cognitive coping
These include deep abdominal breathing,
focus on a soothing word (such as
peace or calm), visualization of
tranquil scenes, repetitive prayer,
yoga, and tai chi. What Techniques to Counter Chronic Stress?
Relaxation response.
People can use exercise to stifle the buildup of stress in several ways. Exercise, such as taking a brisk walk shortly after
feeling stressed, not only deepens
breathing but also helps relieve
muscle tension.
Physical activity
Confidants, friends,
acquaintances, co-workers, relatives,
spouses, and companions all provide
a life-enhancing social net, and may
increase longevity.
Social support
- Stop, breathe, and tell yourself: “This is hard
and I will get through this one step at a time.” - Acknowledge to yourself what you are
feeling. All feelings are normal so accept
whatever you are feeling. - Find someone who listens and is accepting.
You do not need advice. You need to be
heard. - Maintain your normal routine as much as
possible - Allow plenty of time for a task
- Take good care of yourself. Remember to:
- Get enough rest and sleep.
- Eat regularly and make healthy choices.
- Know your limits and when you need to let
go. - Identify or create a nurturing place in your
home. - Practice relaxation or meditation.
- Escape for a while through meditation,
reading a book, watching a movie, or taking
a short trip
Self-care Therapy
- Being warm and understanding toward ourselves
when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather
than flagellating ourselves with self-criticism; - Being imperfect and experiencing life difficulties
is inevitable, so we soothe and nurture ourselves
when confronting our pain rather than getting
angry when life falls short of our ideals; - Recognizes that life challenges and personal
failures are part of being human, an experience
we all share. In this way, it helps us to feel less
desolate and isolated when we are in pain
Self-compassion Therapy
- mindfully open to
the sting of emotional pain. What Self-compassion Phrase?
This is a moment of suffering
The second phrase
reminds us that suffering unites all living beings and
reduces the tendency to feel ashamed and isolated
when things go wrong in our lives.
Suffering is a part of life
The third phrase begins
the process of responding with self-kindness rather
than self-criticism.
May I give myself the compassion I need - The final
phrase reinforces the idea that you both need and
deserve compassion in difficult moments.
Other phrases that may feel more authentic in a given
situation are: “May I accept myself as I am,” “May I
forgive myself,” or “May I learn to accept what I
cannot change.
May I be kind to myself
- Predicts greater happiness and optimism as well
as less depression and anxiety when controlling
for self-esteem - Are less focused on evaluating themselves,
feeling superior to others, worrying about whether
or not others are evaluating them, defending their
viewpoints, or angrily reacting against those who
disagree with them
Self-compassion
- Robust association with narcissism
- Evaluation of superiority/inferiority that helps to
establish social rank stability and is related to
alerting, energizing impulses and dopamine
activation
Self-esteem
