Stress Management

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Agenda for Stress Management 1

• What is stress?

• What are the symptoms of stress?

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Stress Quiz

Respond to the following statements

by rating them 1 to 5.

1 = most like you

2 = can often describe you

3 = can sometimes describe you

4 = rarely would describe you

5 = never would describe you

Adapted from www.workingresources.com/stressmanagementsurvey/

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Stress Quiz

1. I eat well-balanced, nutritious meals every day

3. I manage my time effectively and am organized

2. I enjoy what I am doing whether is it school or working, etc…

4. I like myself

7. I have less than two alcoholic drinks per day

5. I exercise regularly

6. I am an appropriate weight for my height and body-type

8. I do not smoke cigarettes

9. I drink less than three caffeinated drinks a day (coffee, tea, pop)

10. I get enough sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed

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Stress Quiz

11. I am flexible and able to maintain balance between work, school and family

14. I feel in control of my life, take on new challenges and seek out solutions to problems

12. I have adequate financial support or income

13. I have a good support system of friends, family, etc…

15. I am able to discuss my feelings opening when I am angry or worried

16. I am able to say “no” without feeling guilty

17. I am free of physical symptoms of stress (headache, teeth grinding, etc)

18. I am free of emotional symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, fatigue, etc)

19. I feel my life has meaning an purpose

20. I am compassionate to others, able to relax and able to see humor in life

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Scoring the quiz

Add up your responses to get a final score.

Your score should be somewhere between 20 and 100.

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What your score means

1-30 = Minimal stress – you are doing a great job managing your stress!

31-50 = Moderate stress – you are managing your stress for the most part but there is still room for some learning and growth

51-100 = High stress – things may be very stressful for you. You need to change some of your behaviors and learn new skills to manage your level of stress.

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Activator

What stresses you out?

Take a moment to think about the stress in your life.

Write down these stressors.

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What is stress?

“The inability to cope with a perceived, real, or imagined threat to one’s mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing which results in a series of physiological responses and adaptations.” (Brian Seaward).

“A state of anxiety produced when events and responsibilities exceed one’s coping abilities.” (Richard Lazarus).

“The non-specific response of the body to any demand placed upon it to adapt.” (Hans Selye).

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What is stress?

“A condition or state of imbalance between the stressful situation and our ability or capacity to cope with that situation.” (Andrew Goliszek).

“Stress is the physiological and emotional reaction to psychological events. Stress is often experienced as a consistent, exaggerated, and overwhelming sense of urgency, often couple with frustration. Achievement stress, triggered by school tasks, is a learned, inappropriate distress habit which impairs school performance.” (Ronald Rubenzer).

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Areas Stress Affects

• Mind

• Body

• Behaviour

Work in pairs to develop a list of ways that stress may affect your mind, body and behaviour

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How does stress affect your mind?

Problems with memory

Difficulty making decisions

Trouble concentrating

Shortened attention span

Confusion

Repetitive thoughts

Misunderstanding information

Poor judgment

Thoughts of running away

Inability to slow down

Loss of objectivity

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How does stress affect your body?

Headaches

Digestive disorders

Muscle tension and pain

Sleep disturbances

Fatigue

Chest pain

High blood pressure

Weight gain or loss

Hair loss

Shortness of breath

Skin problems

Jaw pain

Reproductive problems

Immune system suppression sweatiness

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How does stress affect you behaviour?

EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS

Less interest in hobbies

Sudden shift in mood

Restlessness/uneasiness

Frustration

Anger

Quick irritability

Oversensitivity

Overreaction

Anxiety or depression

Desire to cry

BEHAVIOUR CHANGES

Eat more or less

Sleep too much or not enough

Isolate yourself

Stay home or stay out a lot

Increased use of dugs or alcohol

Engaging in nervous habits

Grind your teeth

Overdoing activities

Argue with people

Lose your temper

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How does stress affect me?

Take a moment to fill out the

Symptoms of Stress Checklist

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Wrap up

What I hope you take away:

- What stress is

- How stress can affect our mind, body and behaviour

- Start thinking about the stress in your life and how it is affecting you