Stress Management
Session Objectives
You will be able to:
Identify the causes of stress
Recognize the different types of stress
Understand how stress affects you
Manage stress effectively
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What Is Stress?
• Tension,
Tension, anxiety,
anxiety, worry,
worry,or
orfear
fearof
ofthe
the
unknown and things we can’t control
• Natural physical and emotional reaction
to a challenge
• Positive when kept in balance
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Stress Factors
• Personal problems
• Lifestyle changes
• Job problems
• Everyday hassles
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Common Stress Incidents
• Driving in a traffic jam
• Tight deadlines and
•
•
•
•
a heavy work load
Unplanned
financial burdens
Doing something
difficult for the first time
A new baby on the way
Unexpected illness
or death
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Types of Stress
• Acute, or shortterm, stress
• Episodic, or perpetual,
acute stress
• Chronic, or longterm, stress
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Acute Stress
• Pressures and demands of past and future
• Thrilling and exciting in small doses
• Exhausting
• Physical and psychological symptoms
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Acute Stress Symptoms
• Emotional distress
• Muscular problems
• Stomach and
bowel problems
• Temporary overarousal of nerves
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Episodic Acute Stress
• Suffering frequent
acute stress
• Too
Too many
many irons
irons
in the fire
• Nervous energy
• Ceaseless worry
• Symptoms and
treatment
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Chronic Stress
• Stems from grinding,
day after day stress
• Destroys body
and mind
• Leads to the belief
that hope is lost
• Leads to suicide,
violence, or heart
attack
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Benefits of Stress
• Adrenaline and energy
• Focus and
concentration
• Improved performance
• Growth as a person
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Stress Facts: Definitions
STRESS:
STRESS
Tension, anxiety, worry,
or fear of the unknown
and things we can’t control
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Stress Facts: Definitions (cont.)
ACUTE STRESS:
ACUTE
STRESS
Pressures and demands
of the recent past and
anticipated near future
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Stress Facts: Definitions (cont.)
EPISODIC STRESS:
EPISODIC
STRESS
Suffering frequent acute
stress
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Stress Facts: Definitions (cont.)
CHRONIC STRESS:
CHRONIC
Long-term, day after day,
year after year
stress
STRESS
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Stress Facts
Do you understand:
• Stress factors?
• Types of stress?
• Symptoms of stress?
• Benefits of stress?
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Control Your
Reaction to Stress
•REMEMBER
Negative thoughts
THAT
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE
• SOME
Positive
thoughtsIS
STRESS
THOUGHTS
SELF-IMPOSED
• Self-imposed stress
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Negative Stress Reactions
• Get angry
• Expect the worst
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Negative Stress Reactions
(cont.)
• Withdraw or
suffer silently
• Take things
personally
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Positive Stress Reactions
• Recognize stress
• Use the adrenaline
• Positive thoughts
and self-talk
• Look for a silver
lining
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Stress Management
• Lifestyle management
• Avoiding stress
• Stress therapy
• Organization
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Lifestyle Management
• Exercise
and stretching
• Proper diet
• Adequate sleep
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Avoiding Stress
• Eliminate the
minor stresses
• Pace major
lifestyle changes
• Cooperate
with others
• Understand
your limits
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Stress Therapy
• Laughter is the
best medicine
• Relaxation
and quiet time
• Discuss your
problems
• Pleasant thoughts
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Organization
• Set priorities
• Develop a routine
• Maintain a calendar
• Be flexible
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Stress Management:
True or False?
Keeping your body in good shape can
help reduce stress.
It’s less stressful to make a lot of big
changes in your life all at once.
Talking about the things that stress
you just makes you feel more stressed.
People who are well organized are
usually less stressed.
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Stress Management
Do you understand:
• Positive and negative
reactions to stress?
• Lifestyle
management?
• Stress avoidance?
• Stress therapy?
• Organization as a
stress-reduction tool?
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Key Points to Remember
Try to identify the stress factors in your life
Examine your reaction to stress
Learn to react positively to stress
Practice stress management techniques
to minimize stress
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