STRESS MANAGEMENT

Personality development and social relations

DEFINITION

Selye, 1979 STRESS IS THE NON-SPECIFIC RESPONSE OF THE BODY TO ANY DEMAND MADE UPON IT

Lazarus, 1990, 1993 STRESS IS THE ANXIOUS OR THREATENING FEELING THAT COMES WHEN WE INTERPRET OR APPRAISE A SITUATION AS BEING MORE THAN OUR PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES CAN ADEQUATELY HANDLE

DEMANDS

RESOURCES

STRESSFUL

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES

Fight-flight response
Appraisal Experiences that you appraise as threatening Hypothalamus Hypothalamus sends hormones to pituitary gland. Pituitary gland sends signal to adrenal gland to release cortisol (stress hormone) Sympathetic division Prepares the body to deal with potentially threatening physical or psychological stimuli Fight-flight response Physiological arousal: increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and other responses

Psychosomatic symptoms
Refers to real, physical and often painful symptoms that are caused by psychological factors 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Stomach symptoms Muscle pain and tension Fatigue Headaches Intestinal difficulties Skin disorders Eating problems Insomnia High blood pressure or heart pounding

Development of psychosomatic symptoms

Genetic predisposition and lifestyle

Prolonged stress

Psychosomatic symptoms

Stressors: events that cause stress reactions, can be real or imaginary.

STRESSFUL EXPERIENCES

EUSTRESS DISTRESS

External events that cause stress

ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS

Stressors
Catastrophe An unpredictable, large-scale event that creates a tremendous need to adapt and adjust as well has overwhelming feelings of threat Major life events Potentially disturbing situations, both positive and negative, that we appraise as having a significant impact on our lives E.g. Death of spouse, divorce, death of close family member, fired at work, personal injury or illness, death of a close friend, pregnancy etc.

Stressors
Hassles Small, irritating, frustrating events that we face daily and that we usually appraise or interpret as stressful experiences E.g. concerns about weight, rising prices of common goods, home maintenance, too many things to do, misplacing things Uplifts Small, pleasurable, happy and satisfying experiences that we have in our daily lives

E.g. relating well with spouse, relating well with friends, completing tasks, feeling healthy, getting enough sleep

Psychological reasons why people find these events stressful

PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESSORS

Stressors
Frustrations Feeling that results when your attempts to reach some goals are blocked Burnout Feelings of doing poorly at ones job, physically wearing out, and becoming emotionally exhausted due to the intense involvement of people who demand too much of one's time and energy and provide too little reward or satisfaction Uncontrollability Person has no degree of control over a particular event or situation Pressure The psychological experience produced by urgent demands or expectations for a persons behavior that come from an outside force

Stressors: Conflict
Approach-approach conflict A person must choose between two desirable goals Avoidance-avoidance conflict A person must choose between two undesirable goals

Stressors: Conflict
Approach-avoidance conflict A person must choose or not choose a goal that has both positive and negative aspects Double approach-avoidance conflict A person must choose between two goals, with each goal possessing both positive and negative aspects

Uses a variety of strategies to reduce anxiety, fear and stressful experiences by changing 3 different aspects of our lives: appraisals, behavior and physiological responses

STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Coping strategies are actions that people can take to master, tolerate, reduce or minimize the effects of stressors

CHANGING THOUGHTS CHANGING BEHAVIOR CHANGING PHYSIO RESPONSES

Changing thoughts
1. Use challenge appraisals appraise potentially stressful situations as challenging rather than threatening because threat appraisals elicit negative emotions

2. Substitute positive self-statements

I know Ill do badly I know I can do ok Im not smart enough Ive got plenty of ability I always get so anxious Im going to stay calm

Changing behavior
emotion-focused coping problem-focused coping
Coping strategies that change the impact of the stressor by changing the emotional reaction to the stressor Coping strategies that try to eliminate the source of stress or reduce its impact through direct actions

Changing physiological responses

Biofeedback: voluntarily learning to control physiological responses, by recording and displaying these symptoms

Progressive relaxation : practicing tensing and relaxing the major muscle groups of the body until you are able to relax any groups of muscles at will Meditation: assuming a comfortable position, closing ones eyes, and removing all stressful thoughts and replacing them with peaceful ones

Relaxation technique
1. Find a quiet place, or a spot where noise is not too disturbing

2. Adopt a comfortable position, relaxing your muscles 3. Reduce sources of stimulation, including your own thoughts. Focus your eyes on a simple unexciting object 4. Dont worry about anything, not even about relaxing

Wellness
Practice of behavior and lifestyle choices that promote both physical and mental health

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Exercise Get involved with others Get some sleep Eat healthy foods Have some fun Manage your time Take a deep breath

THANK YOU!