Stress 1

Stress
STRESS
HAPPENS
When events are

Beyond our
Control
Definitio
n
Non-specific response to a demand -a product of change.
Any situation, good or bad, that
causes
you to readjust.
Stress Definition
Hans Selye, the father of modern stress
research, defined Stress as "any event which
may make demands upon the organism, and
set in motion a non-specific bodily response
which leads to a variety of temporary or
permanent physiological or structural
changes".
In simple words, stress occurs when a person is
unable to cope up with the challenges that life
throws at him.
WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress is your mind and bodys response
or reaction to a real or imagined threat,
event or change.
The threat, event or change are commonly
called stressors. Stressors can be internal
(thoughts, beliefs, attitudes or external
(loss, tragedy, change).
Stressors
Things that cause stress are called
stressors. For example:
going to a new school
divorce or separation of parents
winning an award
taking a test
death of a relative
being sick
Stressors can be divided into

various categories:
(a) Physical or environmental stressors:

Inadequate ventilation
Pollution
Overcrowding
Excessive or continuous noise
Peer pressure
Work pressure
Family pressure
Social isolation
Major life changes:
Marriage
Marital separation
Divorce
Exposure to assault or abuse
Death of a loved one
Change of job
Imprisonment
Retirement
Illness of a family member
Hassles, i.e., minor changes or

day-to-day aggravations:
Dissatisfaction with ones physical
appearance.
Concerns about the well-being of persons
dear to us
Job dissatisfaction
Relationship problems with spouse/partner
Relationship problems with in-laws
Financial concerns
Lost or misplaced items
Concerns about ones safety
Personality-related stressors:
Poor self-concept
Impatience
Inability to set realistic goals and to
prioritize
Poor health habits
Over-dependence
Inflexibility
Poor interpersonal skills
Types of stress
EUSTRESS
Eustress or positive stress
occurs when your level of
stress is high enough to
motivate you to move into
action to get things
accomplished.
Eustress is the good stress

which helps us to improve
our performance
DISTRESS
Distress or negative stress occurs when your
level of stress is either too high or too low
and your body and/or mind begin to respond
negatively to the stressors.
When stress gets out of
hand, it becomes bad
stress or distress, which
will bring out the
weakness within us and
make us vulnerable to
fatigue and illness.
How does Stress affect a

person?
Events producing Stress affect a person through FOUR
areas of human functioning:
Physical effects of stress: Mainly through the neuroendocrino-immunological pathway: Changes in the heart
rate, blood pressure, respiration, gastric acidity, muscular
tensing, intestinal motility etc.
Emotional effects of stress: Through hypothalamus and
endocrinal release; mainly responsible for the so called
psychosomatic disorders.
Mental effects of stress : The psychological effects of
the above.
Behavioural effects of stress: The behavioural effects of
stresscoping problems caused by stress.
EFFECTS OF STRESS
Frequent headaches, jaw clenching or

pain
Gritting, grinding teeth
Stuttering or stammering
Tremors, trembling of lips, hands
Neck ache, back pain, muscle spasms
Light headedness, faintness, dizziness
Ringing, buzzing or "popping sounds
Frequent blushing, sweating
EFFECTS OF STRESS
Cold or sweaty hands, feet

Dry mouth, problems swallowing
Frequent colds, infections, herpes sores
Rashes, itching, hives, "goose bumps"
Unexplained or frequent "allergy" attacks
Heartburn, stomach pain, nausea
Excess belching, flatulence
How Does Stress Affect Performance?
Our ability to perform increases up to a certain level of stress arousal. This

is the healthy tension or eustress. But if this stress continues uncontrolled
and a fatigue point is reached, any further stress arousal will take the
performance level down, ultimately leading to exhaustion, ill-health and,
finally breakdown.
What causes stress?

pressure to perform at
work, at school or in
sports
threats of physical
violence
money worries
arguments
family conflicts
divorce
bereavement
unemployment
moving house
Divorce.
alcohol or drug
abuse.
Sometimes, there is
no particular reason
for developing stress,
or it arises out of a
series of minor
irritations.
Pressure to perform
at work, at school or
in sports,
Threats of physical
violence,
Money worries,
Family conflicts,
Health Problems Linked to

Stress
Eating disorders
Substance abuse
Ulcers
Irritable bowel synd
rome
Memory loss
Autoimmune diseas
es
(e.g. lupus)
Infertility
Heart attack
Hypertension
Stroke
Cancer
Diabetes
Depression
Obesity
Insomnia
Thyroid problems
Stress Management
Laugh: As far as possible laugh out loud. Remember, laughter is still the
best medicine available free of cost.
Sleep properly: There is no better stress relieving technique than taking a
sound sleep. Dont stay late till night, rather get up early in the morning and
finish pending work.
Eat a well balanced diet: Eat slowly and enjoy your food in a pleasant
atmosphere.
Exercise regularly: Physical exercise is one of the best methods to reduce
stress. Do something you enjoy such as walking, swimming, jogging, tennis
or bicycling. Spend at least three hours per week doing some type of
activity.
Develop your spiritual life: Count your blessings and take time to
meditate. Clear your mind and focus on peaceful thoughts.
Stress Management
Making little changes in your life can really add up to a big feeling of relief.
Learn to recognize when you are feeling stressed and simple ways you
can relax.
Take a break. Have a cold drink, get some fresh air, or close your eyes for a
minute to refocus.
Stay positive to help friends and family cope with stress.
Let others know you're feeling overwhelmed and tell them how they can
help.
Allow yourself to simply say "no" to friends and family when you know you
cannot meet their demands without becoming overwhelmed.
Be prepared for unexpected problems such as traffic, a lost pet or a family
emergency.
Prioritize. Take control of your "to do" list by deciding what's really most
important on your list.
Write down feelings of sadness, frustration or anger to get a clearer
perspective of your emotions.
Enjoy life's simple pleasures like colorful flowers, dancing and candlelit
dinners.
Share your talents to better the lives of others as well as your sense of
well-being.
Meditation: It also helps relax the muscles and remove tension in the body.
Humor: Laughing triggers the release of dopamine, the happiness
hormone.
Exercise: Running, swimming, or even a long walk can help you forget
about the days troubles, not to mention keep you in great shape.
Massage Therapy: This helps the body rejuvenate and recharge, and the
soothing effects linger long after the massage itself.
Talk with family and friends: Often times, conversation is the best stress
reliever. Speaking with others can help develop solutions that you may
never have thought up of.
Recognize the Problem: If stress is recognized earlier, preventive steps
can be instituted.
Reduce exposure to Stressors: Over worked? Over commitments? Take
steps to reduce overload in your day to day life
Learn to adjust properly: To keep your stress at a minimum,

you have to judiciously allot time for each.
Organize life a little more efficiently: Practice time
management. Make to do lists
Learn to relax body and mind
Exercise, eat and sleep properly
Make time for fun: Most people fail to realize that regular
leisure is necessary to recharge our lives
Express & share your feelings.
"Share Your Grief, it is Halved; Share Your Joy, it is Doubled"
Learn to tackle life change events: Always anticipate
planned life change events and adjust accordingly
What activities or things could help people to

relax?
Listening to music
Playing with a pet
Laughing or crying
Going out with a friend (shopping, movie, dining)
Taking a bath or shower
Writing, painting, or other creative activity
Praying or going to church
Exercising or getting outdoors to enjoy nature
Discussing situations with a spouse or close friend
Gardening or making home repairs
Practicing deep breathing, meditation, or muscle
relaxation

Stress 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Stress 1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Stress 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Stress

When events are

Stressors can be divided into

(a) Physical or environmental stressors:

Major life changes:

Hassles, i.e., minor changes or

Eustress is the good stress

How does Stress affect a

Frequent headaches, jaw clenching or

Cold or sweaty hands, feet

How Does Stress Affect Performance?

Our ability to perform increases up to a certain level of stress arousal. This

What causes stress?

Health Problems Linked to

Learn to adjust properly: To keep your stress at a minimum,

What activities or things could help people to

You might also like