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Stress Management. By Heather Brook and Sarah Voelpel. What is Stress?. Physical, psychological, social, or spiritual effect of life’s pressures and events Interactive process that involves recognition, perception, and adaptation to loss of the threat of loss of homeostasis or well-being.
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Stress Management By Heather Brook and Sarah Voelpel
What is Stress? • Physical, psychological, social, or spiritual effect of life’s pressures and events • Interactive process that involves recognition, perception, and adaptation to loss of the threat of loss of homeostasis or well-being
Causes of Stress • Health and illness experiences • Work • School • Activities of Daily Living • Relationships
Types of Stressors • Stressors over which people have no control (extrinsic factors) • Stressors over which people can modify by changing their environment, social interactions, or behaviors • Stressors created or exacerbated by poor time management, procrastination, poor communication, catastrophic negative thinking, or struggling with self-defeating behaviors (intrinsic factors)
Cost of Stress • Work related stress accounts for a $200 billion dollar loss in productivity • 75% of all medical problems are attributed to work-stress • 700% increase in worker’s compensation claims related to work stress over the past 20 years
1) Physiological: Fight or Flight response. 2) Psychological: Negative mood Anxiety Depression Hostility Anger Poor quality of life 3) Sociobehavioral: Overeating Excessive use of alcohol, drugs, and smoking. Social isolation 4) Spiritual: Disconnection from purpose. Effects of Stress:
Illnesses and diseases: • Tension headaches • Insomnia • Gastrointestinal complaints • Inflammation • Angina (heart pain) • Cardiac arrhythmias • Cardiovascular disease.
Techniques For Reducing Stress • Healthy Diet • Physical Activity • Sleep Hygiene • Social Support • Spiritual Practice • Setting Realistic Goals • Cognitive Restructuring
Techniques For Reducing Stress… 1) Developing Self-Awareness • Monitoring stress warning signs • Relaxation techniques • Journaling • Clarifying values and beliefs • Alternative and complementary therapies
Techniques For Reducing Stress… 2) Healthy diet: • Promotes connection of mind and body. • Recognizes control over one’s own health. • Awareness of how foods are used in time of stress.
Techniques For Reducing Stress… 3)Physical activity: • Improves self-esteem. • Decreases risk of diseases and disability. 4)Sleep hygiene: • Sleep deprivation exacerbates stress. • Unrealistic expectations about sleep can cause stress.
Techniques For Reducing Stress… 5)Social support 6)Spiritual Practice 7)Setting realistic goals: • Take small steps. • Work on what is most important first.
Techniques For Reducing Stress… 8)Cognitive restructuring: • Stop. Break the cycle of escalating, negative thoughts. • Take a breath. Elicit the relaxation response and release tension. • Reflect. Ask “What is going on here? What am I thinking? Is the thought true? Is the thought helpful? Am I jumping to conclusions or magnifying the situation?” • Choose a more realistic, rational response.
Other Resources for Stress Management: 1) Counseling and Testing 2) Campus Ministry 3) Women’s Center 4) PLU Library