-
I learned that stress can be categorized into two types: distress, which is negative stress resulting from overwhelming pressure, and eustress, which is positive stress that can enhance focus and performance.
-
Various stressors exist in daily life, including biological, environmental, cognitive, personal behavior, and life situations, each impacting individuals differently based on their circumstances and perspectives.
-
The body responds to stress in three stages: alarm, resistance, and fatigue, with the alarm stage activating the "fight or flight" response through the release of adrenaline and other physiological changes.
-
Personality types play a significant role in stress management, as individuals with a Type A personality may be more susceptible to stress-related health issues, while those with a hardy personality tend to adapt better to stress and view challenges positively.
-
Understanding and coping with grief involves navigating several stages, including denial, anger, depression, and acceptance, with support from others being crucial in the healing process following a significant loss.
Learning Targets
After studying this lesson, I will be able to
distinguish between distress and eustress.
identify stressors in daily life.
discuss how the body responds to stressors.
explain the roles of stress tolerance and personality in determining a person’s level of stress.
identify common stress-induced illnesses.
identify ways to deal with stress and provide examples of each.
describe the stages one goes through in accepting a major loss, such as the death of a loved one.
discuss ways to cope with a major loss.
Stress: the reaction of the body and mind to everyday challenges and demands.
1. Distress (Negative stress): when there is too much pressure and you don’t know how to cope with it.
2. Eustress (Positive stress): acceptable levels of stress may help you to focus and concentrate better.
The effects of stress are additive, meaning they build up over time.
Chronic stress: stress associated with long-term problems that are beyond a person’s control
Stress Tolerance: the amount of stress that you can handle before you reach a state of too much stress
Resilience: the ability to adapt effectively and recover from disappointment, difficulty, or crisis.
Causes of Stress
1. Biological Stressors: changes in body, mental or physical illness, disabilities, or injuries
2. Environmental Stressors: poverty, pollution, unsafe neighborhood, war, or natural disasters.
3. Cognitive (Thinking) Stressors: the way you perceive a situation (poor self-esteem, personal appearance, not
fitting in).
4. Personal Behavior Stressors: taking on a busy schedule, relationship issues, smoking, or alcohol or drug use.
5. Life Situations: relationship issues; having a relative or pet die, family problems, or trouble with peers
Stages of Stress
The body’s response to stress is largely involuntary or automatic. The nervous system and endocrine system are most
active.
1. Alarm Stage: “fight or flight”; when the body and mind go on high alert. Your body produces Adrenaline
(”emergency hormone”) to prepare the body to respond to the stressor. Some physical symptoms of this stage
include:
Dilated pupils
Increase in perspiration
Faster heart rate and pulse
Rise in blood pressure
Faster respiration rate
Narrowing of arteries to internal organs and skin
Increased blood flow to muscles and brain
Increase in muscle tension
Release of blood sugar, fats, and cholesterol.
2. Resistance Stage: if exposure to a stressor continues, your body adapts and reacts to the stressor. You may
perform at a higher level and with more endurance for a brief period.
3. Fatigue Stage: when exposure to stress is prolonged, the body is affected and loses its ability to adapt to the
situation and fatigue sets in which lowers your ability to manage the stress.
a. Physical Fatigue: results when the muscles work vigorously for long periods, often leading to soreness
and pain Reaction times become impaired, and muscles tire very quickly.
b. Psychological Fatigue: can result from constant worry, overwork, depression, boredom, isolation, or
feeling overwhelmed by too many responsibilities.
c. Pathological Fatigue: tiredness brought on by overworking the body’s defenses in fighting disease. May
be caused by anemia, the flu, being overweight, poor nutrition or drug use.
Stress Personality Types
1. Type A Personality: described as a competitive, high-achieving personality type most likely to develop heart
disease or other significant health problems.
2. Type B Personality: described as a “laid back”, noncompetitive personality type less likely to suffer from heart
disease
Research indicates that the Type A personality may actually relieve stress by working, whereas the Type B is
more likely to hold on to the stress, thereby becoming more open to other stress-related disorders.
3. Hardy Personality: personality type that seems to stay healthy despite major or even traumatic stressors
Characteristics include:
Change: they like and welcome change, viewing it as an opportunity for growth.
Commitment: they have a strong sense of purpose and are committed to people, activities, and
principles that bring meaning to their lives.
Control: They have a sense of power about their lives and feel some influence over what happens, taking
action when possible. They also recognize that some things cannot be controlled.
Stress and Your Health
1. Physical Effects
a. Psychosomatic response: a physical reaction that results from stress rather than from an injury or
illness. Psycho- means “of the mind” and somatic means “of the body”. Psychosomatic responses may
include sleep disorders, skin disorders, and stomach and digestive problems.
b. Headache: Stress related headaches are the most common type of headache
i. Tension headache: caused by muscle tension in the head and neck.
ii. Migraine headache: caused by inflamed blood vessels and nerves around the brain causing
severe throbbing, nausea and vomiting.
c. Asthma attack: Stress can trigger an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, breathing becomes
difficult as the bronchioles, or air carrying tubes of the lungs, constrict.
d. High Blood Pressure: Prolonged stress can cause an increase in a person’s level of cholesterol, the fatty
substance that can block arteries. High cholesterol can result in high blood pressure, a condition that
contributes to heart disease and stroke.
e. Weakened Immune System: Extended exposure to stress can reduce the body’s ability to fight disease
by weakening the immune system.
2. Mental/Emotional and Social Effects
a. Difficulty concentrating: It can be hard to focus during stressful situations. This can cause negative self-
talk and the distorted belief that failure is inevitable.
b. Mood swings: Feeling happy one moment and sad the next is a common reaction to stress
c. Risks of substance abuse: Stress can increase a person’s vulnerability to drug use such as drinking or
smoking which can actually increase stress and lead to bigger problems.
Ways to Manage Stress
1. Avoid additional stressful situations using refusal skills.
2. Manage your time wisely and plan ahead
3. Get adequate sleep and regular physical activity
4. Eat nutritious foods
5. Avoid tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
6. Rechannel or redirect your stress energy
7. Laugh
8. Practice relaxation techniques
a. Breathe deeply and slowly throughout the process
b. Loosen your clothing and get comfortable. Lie down or relax in a comfortable chair.
c. Tighten the muscles in your toes. Hold for a count of ten, then relax.
d. Move slowly up your body, tensing and then relaxing the muscles in your legs, abdomen, back,
shoulders, arms, neck and face.
9. Keep a positive outlook
10. Seek out support of someone you trust
Coping with Loss and Grief
Grief is a common and natural reaction to any loss that brings on strong emotions. Acknowledging the loss is one way to
help begin the healing process.
The Stages of Loss or Grief – a variety of reactions that may surface as an individual makes sense of how a loss affects
him or her. Not everyone goes through each stage, and the order may be different for each person.
Denial or Numbness: It may be difficult to believe the loss has occurred.
Emotional Release: The loss is recognized. This stage often involves periods of intense crying.
Anger: “Why me” stage. The person uses anger because he or she feels powerless and unfairly deprived.
Bargaining: The person may pray or promise to change if only what was lost can be returned.
Depression: Beyond the feelings of sadness, feelings of isolation, alienation, and hopelessness may occur.
Remorse: The person may become preoccupied with thoughts about how the loss could have been prevented.
Acceptance: The person faces the reality of the loss, and experiences closure, or the acceptance of the loss
Hope: Remembering becomes less painful, and the person begins to look ahead to the future.
Support for People Coping with Death or Traumatic Events
1. Show empathy
Help the person to recall happy, positive memories
Be a sympathetic listener and use silence when appropriate
Don’t rush the grieving process
2. Memorial services, wakes, and funerals – events that celebrate the life of the person who has died.
3. Seek support from family members, friends, community groups, clergy and mental health professionals
Write 5 sentences about what you learned from the info sheet
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1 answer