Stress Management

By Marco Labricciosa

Thesis

Stress affects everybody’s lives constantly. People need to know how to effectively manage the stress to avoid being overwhelmed and negatively impacted by its consequences.

Personal Relevance

I felt overwhelmed at times, mostly in my early middle school years when my parents got divorced. There were many changes for me to go through all at once, weighing down on my mind and affecting my behavior.

Audience Relevance

Everyone has stress

Most people do not know how to handle

Most people do not know they are really stressed

Presentation

Origin of the recognition of stress

Definition

Fight or Flight

Types of stress/ stress related issues and environments

How to deal with stress

Quiet time

Meditation

Class Activity

Conclusion

Overview

Concept of psychological stress introduced in the 19th century by Dr. Hans Selye

Revised in 1932 to associate the word ‘stress’ more closely with its effects on the nervous system by Walter Cannon

Combined, developed the ‘Fight or Flight” method

The Definition of Stress

“Stress is simply a fact of nature -- forces from the outside world affecting the individual. The individual responds to stress in ways that affect the individual as well as their environment.” (Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD)

“Stress is the body’s response to any demand made upon it. That means pleasant and unpleasant events can stress you.” (Whittelsey 5).

Fight or Flight

The assessment of options

Can be applied to every sort of stress

The ‘how to’ part of stress management

Instinctual response

Stages of Stress

Alarm

Resistance

Exhaustion

Types of Stress

Behavioral stress

Physical stress

Emotional/Mental stress

All known as ‘distress’

Stress and Behavior

The Accumulation of Stress

Affects the body’s heart

Stressful Environments

Did You Know?

Stress reduction can prolong life by decreasing the risk of mental disorders that would be hazardous to physical health

Byproducts of Stress

Weakening of the immune system

depression

diabetes

hair loss

heart disease

obesity

obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder

sexual dysfunction

Cancer

Other Effects

Physical symptoms of stress include:- fatigue- headache - upset stomach- muscle tension - change in appetite - teeth grinding - change in sex drive - feeling dizzy

Psychological Effects

Psychological effects of stress include: - experiencing irritability or anger- feeling nervous- lack of energy - feeling as though you could cry

About half of Americans (48%) report lying awake at night due to stress.

Positive Stress

Eustress

Different Methods

“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” (stay calm)

Breathing techniques

Therapy

Meditation

Exercise

Laughing

Laughter Clubs

Laughter is contagious

Easy to laugh with other people

Need no reasons

Statistics

About one half of Americans say that stress has a negative impact on both their personal and professional lives.

About one-third (31%) of employed adults have difficulty managing work and family responsibilities.

Over one third (35%) cite jobs interfering with their family or personal time as a significant source of stress.

Stress causes more than half of Americans (54 percent) to fight with people close to them.

Statistics Cont’d

One in four people report that they have been alienated from a friend or family member because of stress.8% connect stress to divorce or separation.

Workplace stress costs more than $300 billion each year in health care, missed work and stress-reduction

Stress at School/Work

Can be prevented before it starts

Organization

Find good learning environments

Optimism!

Sleeping Habits

Optimism

CHOOSE

Give credit where credit is due

Think of how:______

Failure

Slow Down!

“Fearful and frantic thinking takes an enormous amount of energy and drains the energy and motivation from our lives.” (Carlson 11)

Quiet Time

Random Acts of Kindness

Though we should not allow the small things affect us negatively, they do well to affect us positively.

Good feelings in charity

Good moods lead to good moods

ChangeWhen you see something

you don’t like, change how YOU react to it, not it itself.

It is actually easier, and may have an external effect

as well.

Meditation

Lessens both physical and mental stressors

Targets stress in specific places

Opens mind to more intensive thinking

Benefits

Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations

Building skills to manage your stress

Increased self-awareness

Focusing on the present

Reducing negative emotions

Poses

Different poses will target different stressed parts of the body

Meditation can be performed in any pose

Lotus Pose

Heart Rate Before

Heart Rate After

Application

Magazine

Stress survey

Interview

Class ActivityMeditation

Conclusion

I am glad that I chose to research stress management. Now, not only do I have the potential to help myself when I’m feeling low, but I’ve trained others to be able to help themselves as well.

Sources

Carlson, Richard, PH.D. Dont Sweat the Small Stuff (and its all small stuff). N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Carlson, Richard, PH. D. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Carlson, Richard, PH.D. Dont Sweat the Small Stuff (for teens). N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Dudrick, Stanley, M.D., et al. Stress. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. “Stress,”

Sources

The Healing Power Of Laughter. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2010. < http://thehealingpoweroflaughter.blogspot.com/ 2007/ 07/ laughter-clubs.html>.

Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2010. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/ health/ meditation/ HQ01070>.

Mendelson, Jack, M.D, and Nancy Mello, PH.D. Escape from Anxiety and Stress. N.p.: n.p., n.d.

Moriarity, George. Personal interview. Apr.-May 2010.

Sources

Portnoy, Sidney, Ph.D. Personal interview. Mar.-Apr. 2010.

Proactive Change. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2010. <http://www.proactivechange.com/ stress/ statistics.htm>.

Sherman, Jeremy, Ph. D. “Self-confidence: Less self-generated than you notice until you’re unemployed.” Psychology Today: n. pag. Web. 22 Nov. 2009.

Stress Focus. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2010. <http://www.stressfocus.com/ stress_focus_article/ types-of-stress.htm>.

Sources

Stress Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2010. <http://stress.about.com/ od/ stresshealth/ a/ stresshealth.htm>.

Taylor, Jim, Ph. D. “Parenting: Unconditional Love is Bad!” Psychology Today: n. pag. Web. 22 Nov. 2009. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/ blog/ the-power-prime/ 200911/ parenting-unconditional-love-is-bad>.

Pictures

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Pictures

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Pictures

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