Stress

1. Stress Webster (1997) defines stress as: Constraining force or influence A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation A state resulting from a stress; one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium ABM 153 Unit 4

2. Stress Webster (1997) defines distress as: To subject a great strain or difficulties To force or overcome by inflicting pain To cause worry or be troubled ABM 153 Unit 4

3. Stress Wikipedia (2006) defines eustress as: Stress that is healthy or gives one a feeling of fulfillment. ABM 153 Unit 4

4. “Stress happens whenever your mind and your body react to some real or imagined situation.” (Boenisch & Haney, 2004, p. 1) ABM 153 Unit 4

5. “It is not so much the stressor itself or the intensity of the stressor that makes stress beneficial or detrimental, but your personal reaction to the event or condition.” (Boenisch & Haney, 2004, p. 1) ABM 153 Unit 4

6. Causes of Stress(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) • The state of the world, the country, or any community to which you belong • Unpredictable events • The environment in which you live or work • Work itself • Family ABM 153 Unit 4

7. Causes of Stress(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) Stress can also come from your own: • Irresponsible behavior • Poor health habits • Negative attitudes and feelings • Unrealistic expectations • Perfectionism ABM 153 Unit 4

8. Intellectual and Physical Symptoms(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) Intellectual Symptoms: How stress can affect your mind • Problems with memory • Difficulty making decisions • Inability to concentrate, shortened attention span • Confusion • Repetitive or continual thoughts • Misunderstanding of what others tell you • Poor judgment • Thoughts of escaping, running away • Inability to slow down thought process • Loss of objectivity ABM 153 Unit 4

9. Intellectual and Physical Symptoms(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) Physical Symptoms How stress can affect your body • Headaches • Digestive disorders • Muscle tension and pain • Sleep disturbances • Fatigue • Chest pain, irregular heartbeat • High blood pressure • Weight gain or loss • Hair loss • Asthma or shortness of breath • Skin problems • Periodontal disease, jaw pain • Reproductive problems, such as missed periods • Immune system suppression • Sweatiness ABM 153 Unit 4

10. Intellectual and Physical Symptoms(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) Emotional Symptoms: What stress can make you feel • Less interest in hobbies or fun • Sudden shifts in mood • Frequent uneasiness, restlessness • Frustration • Anger, resentment • Unwarranted jealousy • Quick irritability with others • Oversensitivity • Overreaction to unexpected situations or events • Sense of being overwhelmed or swamped • Anxiety • Increased fear of failure • Inadequacy, reduced confidence • Depression • Apathy • Desire to cry ABM 153 Unit 4

11. Intellectual and Physical Symptoms(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) Behavioral Symptoms What stress can make you do • Eat more or less • Sleep too much or too little • Isolate yourself from others, including people close to you • Stay home from work or stay at work extended hours • Increase use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, caffeine • Have sex more or less • Engage in nervous habits such as nail biting, hair twisting, pacing • Grind your teeth • Laugh or cry at inappropriate times • Overdo activities such as exercising or shopping • Become bossy or inflexible with others • Lose your temper • Argue with people • Become violent • Take inappropriate risks • Exhibit road rage ABM 153 Unit 4

12. Types and Causes of Stress(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) • Acute stress • Most common • You know why you are stressed • An automobile accident • A death • Something scary but thrilling (parachute jump) • Triggers the hormonal & physiological effects • Normally body rests when stressful events cease • Doesn’t usually cause severe or permanent damage to the body ABM 153 Unit 4

13. Types and Causes of Stress(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) • Episodic acute stress • Endure acute stress frequently • Lives are chaotic, out of control • Can have “Type A” personality • Driven, hard-charging • Or be a worrywart • Both are frequently over-aroused and tense • Both are susceptible to the physical manifestations of extended stress • Headaches, high blood pressure, chest pain, heart disease ABM 153 Unit 4

14. Types and Causes of Stress(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) • Chronic stress • “unrelenting demands and pressures for seemingly interminable periods of time.” • Grinds away at both mental and physical health • Common causes • Poverty and financial worries • Long-term unemployment • Dysfunctional family relationships • Caring for a chronically ill family member • Feeling trapped in unhealthy relationships or career choices • Living in an area besieged by war, ethnic rivalry, or criminal violence • Bullying or harassment • Perfectionism ABM 153 Unit 4

15. Types and Causes of Stress(Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects)(www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm) • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Stress reactions don’t subside • Body doesn’t regain its equilibrium • Life doesn’t return to normal • Requires professional intervention ABM 153 Unit 4

16. Stress Management Boenisch & Haney (2004, vii) state that “Stress management is all about finding meaning, balance and health.” ABM 153 Unit 4

17. “Stress management has more to do with your mind (what you are perceiving, thinking and believing) than your body (how you are physically reacting.)” (Boenisch & Haney, 2004, p. 5) ABM 153 Unit 4

18. Coping with Stresswww.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm • Get enough sleep • Connect with others: Develop a support system and share your feelings • Exercise regularly • Eat a balanced, nutritious diet • Reduce caffeine and sugar • Don’t self-medicate with alcohol or drugs • Do something for yourself everyday ABM 153 Unit 4

19. Coping with Stresswww.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm • Have realistic expectations • Reframe problems • See problems as opportunities • Maintain your sense of humor • Express your feelings instead of bottling them up • Don’t try to control events or other people • Ask yourself “Is this my problem?” ABM 153 Unit 4

20. Coping with Stresswww.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm • Manage time • Give priority to the most important tasks and do those first • Schedule time for both work and recreation • Delegate tasks and break up big projects • Take a mental vacation • Take a warm bath or shower • Use aromatherapy • Care for a pet • Keep a journal ABM 153 Unit 4

21. Stress in Today’s Workplacehttp://healthylifestyle.upmc.com/StressWorkplace.htm • What is job stress? • Harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker • What causes job stress? • Excessive workloads • Conflicting expectations • Working conditions ABM 153 Unit 4

22. Stress in Today’s Workplacehttp://healthylifestyle.upmc.com/StressWorkplace.htm • Approach to job stress • Balance between work and family or personal life • A support network of friends and coworkers • A relaxed and positive outlook ABM 153 Unit 4

23. Stress in Today’s Workplacehttp://healthylifestyle.upmc.com/StressWorkplace.htm • Job conditions that may lead to stress • The design of tasks • Management style • Interpersonal relationships • Work roles • Career concerns • Environmental conditions ABM 153 Unit 4

24. Stress in Today’s Workplacehttp://healthylifestyle.upmc.com/StressWorkplace.htm • Job stress and health • Mood and sleep disturbances • Upset stomach and headache • Disturbed relationships with family and friends • Stress prevention and job performance • A healthy organization has low rates of • Illness • Injury • Disability • And is competitive in the marketplace ABM 153 Unit 4

25. Stress in Today’s Workplacehttp://healthylifestyle.upmc.com/StressWorkplace.htm • What can be done about job stress? • Stress management • Company provided individual counseling for employees with both work and personal problems • Organizational change • Utilization of a consultant to study the issues • Deals with root causes of stress at work • Designs strategies to reduce or eliminate the identified stressors ABM 153 Unit 4

26. Stress in Today’s Workplacehttp://healthylifestyle.upmc.com/StressWorkplace.htm • Strategies for preventing job stress • Ensure that the workload is in line with workers’ capabilities and resources • Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation and opportunities for workers to use their skills • Clearly define workers’ roles and responsibilities • Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs • Improve communications and reduce uncertainty about career development and future employment prospects • Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers • Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities outside the workplace ABM 153 Unit 4

27. Stress in Today’s Workplacehttp://healthylifestyle.upmc.com/StressWorkplace.htm • How to get started • Develop a stress prevention program that consists of three stages: • Gather data to pinpoint specific problems • Communication between all stakeholders • Formal surveys • Objective measures to be measured: absenteeism, illness, turnover rates, performance problems • Use of impartial consultants • Design an intervention • Conducting an ongoing program evaluation ABM 153 Unit 4