Stress

STRESS MANAGEMENT

STRESS-NONSPECIFIC RESPONSE OF THE BODY TO ANY DEMAND MADE UPON IT

STRESSOR-A DEMAND MADE UPON THE BODY
1 COULD BE PHYSICAL(RUNNING A RACE)
2 COULD BE MENTAL(TAKING A TEST)
3 RESPONSE TO A STRESSOR COULD BE HEALTHFUL OR HARMFUL
4 WHEN YOU RESPOND TO A STRESSOR IN A WAY THAT PRODUCES POSITIVE RESULTS YOU HAVE COPED WELL(PROPERLY PREPARING FOR A TEST OR COMPETITION)
5 WHEN YOU ARE UNSUCCESSFULLY COPING, OR RESPONDING IN A HARMFUL WAY TO CIRCUMSTANCES(‘LOSE YOUR TEMPER’/PUTTING THINGS OFF)YOU ARE EXPERIENCING DISTRESS

BODY RESPONDS THREE WAYS TO STRESS
1 STAGE 1-BODY’S INITIAL RESPONSE TO A PHYSICAL/MENTAL/SOCIAL STRESSOR/ADRENAL GLANDS SECRETE ADRENALINE INTO BLOODSTREAM CAUSING MANY CHANGES IN THE BODY/CHANGES CAN BE HEALTHFUL/HARMFUL DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY OCCUR/HOW LONG LAST
A HEART RATE/BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASE
B RATE OF DIGESTION SLOWS
C BLOOD FLOW TO MUSCLES INCREASE
D LIVER RELEASES SUGAR INTO BLOODSTREAM MAKING MORE ENERGY AVAILABLE TO MUSCLES
2 STAGE 2-BODY ATTEMPPTS TO REGAIN INTERNAL BALANCE REGARDLESS OF EXTERNAL CHANGES
A PULSE/BREATHING RATE/BLOOD PRESSURE RETURN TO NORMAL
B PUPILS RETURN TO NORMAL SIZE
C TENSED MUSCLES RELAX
D DIGESTIVE SYSTEM RETURNS TO NORMAL
3 STAGE 3-IF THE DISTRESS CONTINUES FOR DAYS/WEEKS YEARS BODY’S BALANCE REMAINS DISTURBED THIS EXHAUSTION STAGE RESULTS IN WEAR AND TEAR ON THE BODY/LOWERED RESISTANCE TO DISEASE/DEATH IN SOME CASES

STRESS AND MENTAL/FAMILY/SOCIAL HEALTH
1 THE WAY YOU COPE WITH EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOUR STRESS LEVEL IS WITHIN LEVELS THAT ALLOW YOU TO FUNCTION WELL OR NOT AT ALL
2 SOME STRESSORS WE FACE AT TIMES-DIVORCE OF PARENTS/DEATH OF A LOVED ONE/LACK OF COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS/DIFFICULTY IN PEER RELATIONSHIPS
3 SOMETIMES HORMONES INITIATE PERIODS OF PHYSICAL GROWTH WHICH SOMETIMES CREATES DISTRESS IF THOSE GROWTH CHANGES ARE VERY PRONOUNCED

STRESS AND NUTRITION
1 WHEN YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY COPING THE FOOD YOU EAT CAN AFFECT YOU
2 LIMIT CAFFEINE-CAFFEINE SPEEDS UP THE BODY SYTEMS(CIRCULATORY/ETC.) CAN CAUSE TENSENESS INABILITY TO RELAX
3 LIMIT SALT-SALT CAUSES BODY TO RETAIN FLUIDS WHICH INCREASES BLOOD PRESSURE/HEART DISEASE
4 LIMIT SUGAR-INCREASES PRODUCTION OF INSULIN/CAN RESULT IN HYPOGLYCEMIA
5 LIMIT CHOLESTEROL-FATLIKE SUBSTANCE/REDUCES BLOOD FLOW TO HEART/INCREASES HEARTRATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE

STRESS AND EXERCISE/FITNESS
1 EXERCISE CAN BE HELPFUL OR HARMFUL DEPENDING UPON THE AMOUNT AND THE INTENSITY
2 LACK OF EXERCISE STRESSOR-HEART AND OTHER MUSCLES DON’T GET SUFFICIENT EXERCISE/MUSCLES BECOME WEAK UNABLE TO DO WORK INTENDED TO DO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES MAY RESULT/LACK OF REGULAR EXERCISE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO WEIGHT GAIN/WEIGHT GAIN A STRESSOR/FOR EACH ADDITIONAL POUND OF FAT HEART HAS TO WORK HARDER TO SUPPLY BLOOD TO ALL PARTS OF BODY

STRESS AND DRUGS
1 USE OF DRUGS SUCH AS ALCOHOL/TOBACCO MARIJUANA/COCAINE DECREASE ABILITY TO COPE SUCCESSFULLY
2 TOBACCO/MARIJUANS/COCAINE INCREASE EFECTS OF BODY’S PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO STRESS
3 ALCOHOL/TRANQUILIZERS DEPRESS BODY FUNCTIONS INCLUDINGPARTS OF BRAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR REASONING AND JUDGEMENT





STRESS AND DISEASES/DISORDERS
1 STRESS AFFECTS BODY’S IMMUNE SYSTEM
2 IMMUNE SYSTEM MADE UP OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES IN BLOOD THAT DESTROY GERMS AND OTHER FOREIGN SUBSTANCES
3 WHEN OVERWHELMED AND ANXIOUS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM MAY BECOME SUPPRESSED
4 RESULTS IN LOWERED RESISTANCE TO DISEASE
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SUCH AS COLD/FLU MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR
5 WHILE HEART DISEASE/CANCER ARE THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH/STRESS AND IT’S RELATIONSHIP TO IMMUNE SYSTEM MAY BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR

STRESS AND CONSUMER/PERSONAL HEALTH
1 CONSUMER-ONE WHO SPENDS TIME/MONEY
2 FAILURE TO LEARN HOW TO SPEND TIME/MONEY
MAY CAUSE ANXIETY/FRUSTRATION
3 PEOPLE MAY BECOME ANXIOUS/FRUSTRATED IF HAVE TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH TO DO
4 PEOPLE WITH TOO MUCH TO DO RUSH FROM ONE ACTIVITY TO ANOTHER/OFTEN RESULTS IN HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE/HEART DISEASE/ALLERGIC REACTIONS
5 SETTING PRIORITIES IS A BIG HELP WITH MANY TASKS
6 PEOPLE WITHOUT A BUDGET ARE ANXIOUS/WORRIED THAT THEIR SPENDING IS GREATER THAN THEIR EARNINGS
7 PEOPLE WITH A BUDGET AND LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS ARE MORE CALM ABOUT MONEY MATTERS THAN THOSE WITHOUT A BUDGET



STRESS AND SAFETY AND FIRST AID
1 OCCURRENCE OF ACCIDENT MAY BE INDICATION SOMEONE IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY CONCENTRATION IS NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE
2 STRESS IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN ALMOST ALL TYPES OF ACCIDENTS
3 PEOPLE USUALLY DRIVE AS THEY LIVE/RESEARCH SHOWS THAT PEOPLE WHOSE LIFESTYLES ARE FILLED WITH CAUTION/THRIFT/FORESIGHT/CONSIDERATION USUALLY HAVE SAFE DRIVING RECORDS
4 PEOPLE WHO ARE USUALLY FRUSTRATED AND
AGGRESSIVE AND EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE USUALLY DON’T CONCENTRATE ON SAFE DRIVING HABITS USUALLY HAVE HIGHER ACCIDENT RATES
5 SOMETIMES TEENS USE DRIVING AS A WAY OF ACTING OUT THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT PERSONAL PROBLEMS USUALLY DEMONSTRATE DANGEROUS DRIVING HABITS
6 SOME BELIEVE MANY HIGHWAY DEATHS ARE ACTS OF SELF DESTRUCTION(SUICIDE) MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USING ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUGS AT TIME OF ACCIDENT OR TRAFFIC VIOLATION
7 AVOID DRIVING WHEN EXPERIENCING DISTRESS
8 AVOID RIDING WITH SOMEONE WHO IS UNABLE TO CONCENTRATE
9 USE OF ALCOHOL INTENSIFIES INABILITY TO CONCENTRATE AND ACT IN SAFE WAYS

STRESS AND COMMUNITY/ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
1 ENVIRONMENT FILLED WITH HEALTHFUL/HARMFUL FACTORS
2 SOME FACTORS MAY TRIGGER BODY’S STAGE 1 RESPONSE TO STRESSORS/SMOKE/SMOG
3 POLLUTANTS ARE HARMFUL SUBSTANCES THAT MAY BE IN THE AIR WE BREATHE/WATER WE DRINK/FOOD WE EAT
4 THESE SUBSTANCES ACTIVATE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM CAUSING THE STRESS RESPONSE
5 BECAUSE THERE IS LESS OXYGEN IN POLLUTED AIR YOU BREATHE MORE RAPIDLY TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT OXYGEN AND YOUR HEART RATE INCREASES
6 LOUD NOISE ALSO INITIATES THE STAGE 1 RESPONSE OF THE BODY/PEOPLE AROUND LOUD NOISE ARE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE MISTAKES OR HAVE ACCIDENTS
7 TYPISTS OFTEN MAKE MORE TYPING ERRORS WHEN LOUD MUSIC IS PLAYING IN AN OFFICE
8 MORE LIKELY TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT IF MUSIC BLARING WHILE DRIVING

PROBLEM SOLVING
1 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO TRY AND COPE WITH SITUATIONS/BY MAKING A RESPONSIBLE DECISION
2 IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF YOUR STRESS/ANXIETY
3 IDENTIFY WAYS TO COPE WITH THE SITUATION
4 ARE THEY(WAYS TO COPE) RESPONSIBLE/RESPECTFUL
DOES IT RELIEVE THE STRESS?
5 SOMETIMES HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THE ANXIETY/AT THIS TIME IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO ASK PARENTS/TRUSTED ADULT FOR ADVICE

DIET AND EXERCISE
1 TWO OF THE MOST HEALTHFUL WAYS TO COPE WHEN EXPERIENCING DIFFICULT PROBLEMS IS TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET AND ENGAGE IN REGULAR EXERCISE
2 EFFECTS OF DISTRESS ON BODY ORGANS CAN BE REDUCED WITH REGULAR EXERCISE
3 REGULAR EXERCISE USES UP ADRENALINE AND SUGAR IN THE BLOOD AND HELPS KEEP THE BODY IN BALANCE INTERNALLY
4 WHEN YOU EXERCISE FOR AT LEAST 25 MINUTES 3X’S WEEK BETA-ENDORPHINS(SUBSTANCE RELEASED BY BRAIN THAT THAT RELIEVES PAIN AND CREATES A FEELING OF WELL BEING) ARE RELEASED

PETS AND STRESS MANAGEMENT
1 PETS HELP PEOPLE COPE WITH STRESS
2 TALKING TO AN ANIMAL MAKES YOU FEEL LESS LONELY
3 CARING FOR ANIMALS HELPS DEVELOP A CARING/GENTLE PERSON
4 BLOOD PRESSURE DROPS AND YOU ARE LESS TENSE WHEN PETTING ANIMALS-PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUCH
5 ANIMALS DON’T TALK BACK-IN REGULAR CONVERSATIONS BLOOD PRESSURE GOES UP/IF HEATED GOES UP MORE/TALKING TO YOUR PET RELEASES TENSION
6 ANIMALS PROVIDE A CONSTANT RELATIONSHIP- RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE ARE UP AND DOWN ANIMALS REMAIN FAITHFUL
7 PETS ARE USED IN THERAPY WHEN PEOPLE/PRISONERS ARE UNRESPONSIVE