Effects of stress on behavior

Teeth grinding Teeth grinding or

bruxism may happen subconsciously. If you already grind your teeth, stress could make the problem worse. It may happen during the day or night and is seen in children and adults.

Hair pulling People repeatedly pull hair out of their scalp, eyebrows and other body areas due to an urge to do so. The condition is troublesome and may lead to baldness in later life.

Tremors or nervous tics

Tremors or nervous tics may occur or get aggravated. Tremors include hand shaking while holding a glass, while a tic could be excessive winking of the eye or a head movement in a particular way.

Eating disordersStress may lead to overeating or under eating as a coping mechanism. Overeating may cause obesity, belching and a feeling of fullness while under eating may contribute to acidity, heartburn and weight loss.

Clumsiness may be an indicator of how stressed the person is. Utensils may be dropped, tea may be spilled and if the person is ticked it off by others, the behavior may worsen.

Unhygienic Routine: Stress may cause a person to stop following oral hygiene measures like brushing twice a day and regular flossing. This in turn may lead to cavities and tooth decay.Alcoholism: A person who is a social

drinker may rely on alcohol to take his worries away and drink excess to feel good under the influence of alcohol. Abusing alcohol is a common method of forgetting about the difficulties of life.

Social withdrawalAs mood is negatively affected, the person may lose interest in meeting friends and attending functions like parties and weddings. The person may cut off the people close to him and become a social recluse.

Impulse buyingThe person may feel elated with acquiring things and hence may go on a random shopping spree. This is a strong indicator that the person is not in control of his or her actions.

EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PERFOMANCE

How does Stress Affect Performance?

• One of the most noticeable effects of stress in one’s life is the changes in his performance.

• Positive Effects- performance levels increase when stress

management is effective. Stressors such as pressure and demands can facilitate better stress response and thus, higher levels of performance.

- E.g.: an approaching major examination which leads a college student to double time on studying and reviewing of lessons.

• Negative Effects:- When stress is perceived as uncontrollable or

unmanageable, the person begins to experience a gradual to drastic decrease in performance levels, causing a decline in productivity and enthusiasm to respond to the stress.

- E.g.: a very tight deadline is given to an office employee who has to take care of her four children at home and a sick mother at the hospital. This overwhelming mix of situations, if not managed carefully and totally, will result to a poor performance at work, bad relationships with other members of the family, ill health, and burnout.

Pressure and Performance

• Pressure, one of the significant life stressors, affects performance, which was created by Robert Yerkes and John Dodson in 1908.

Stress

Effects of stress on

Personality

Personality and Stress• We all have certain features to

our personality that make us unique as people; however there are many aspects of our personality that are similar to other people.  

• These similar personality factors are called Personality Traits.  

• Research has indicated that certain personality traits can make us more vulnerable to stress. 

2 types of Personality Traits-by Meyer Freidman

It's important to realize that we are

all a mixture of type A and B personality traits but if we are excessively type A this can make us

more vulnerable to stress.

Stress-Prone Personality Types :Type A

• Time urgency / Rushed Lifestyle• Aggressive, hostile, easily angered• Hard driving , unable to relax,

cynical, not generally anxious• Polyphagia (multitasking) / 2 things

at one • Rapid speech patterns • Predictor of heart disease

Other Stress-Prone Personality and Effects: 1. Codependent Personality

• Dedicated approval seekers • Perfectionists• Super-overachievers • Crisis managers• Devoted loyalists • Self-sacrificing willing victim• “Victims”

2. Helpless-Hopeless Personality (Type C)

• Poor self-motivation • Learned helplessness• Feel helpless, hopeless, give up,

little or no emotional• Response to stress: please others

at their expense, often depressed, behavioral disinterest

3. Irrational-Illogical Personality• Characterized as: evaluators, deprived• Do not perceive situations accurately• Unrealistic expectations

• Most stress stems from negative thoughts & irrational beliefs – ABC Model: A = activating agent – B = illogical beliefs – C = consequences – bio psychosocial – A+B=C

Stress-Resistant Personality Types: Type B

• Opposite type A, • Relaxed, easy-going, experience fewer hassles

than type A • Typically not as successful as type A, but many

are successful nevertheless

Stress-Resistant Personality Types: 1. The Hardy Personality

• Based on the work of Maddi and Kobasa • Three characteristics noted in those who cope

well with stress: 1. Commitment (invests oneself in the solution) 2. Control (takes control of a situation, doesn’t

run from it) 3. Challenge (sees opportunity rather than the

problems)

HARDINESS

2. Survivor Personality Traits• A person who responds rather than reacts to

danger/stress • Proud but humble • Selfish but altruistic • Rebellious but cooperative • Spiritual but bold • Considered optimists and good at creative problem

solving

3. ‘R’ Personality (Sensation Seekers)• Zuckerman (1971) identified the sensation-seeking

personality as those people who seek thrills and sensations

• Take calculated risks in their endeavors; they appear to be dominated by an adventurous spirit.

Response to Stress• There are four distinct

responses that correspond to our primary behavioral tendencies.

• These are: Fight, Flight, Freeze

Consequences of Stress for the Individual

1. Mood disorders • Unipolar disorder• Bio-polar disorder 2. Anxiety disorders• Panic disorder• Generalized anxiety disorder3. Burn Out

Consequences of Stress for the Organization

Work-related mental health problems constitute one of the main challenges currently faced by organizations, particularly because of their serious consequences-and-extent for these organizations and for individuals. Indeed, it has been found that there is a direct link between stress and heart disease, dissatisfaction at work, accidents and certain forms of cancer.

This increase in incidental absences as well as short-term and long-term disabilities unquestionably leads to a decline in the morale of the troops and thus in productivity and the quality of work. Moreover, organizations incur additional costs for temporary staff and overtime.

THANKYOU