By Parker J. E. Carte

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Stress is tension in your body and mind
An event or condition that requires us to cope with a given situation
 Mental
 Physical
 Social
Not all stress is bad
Stress is a normal physical response to events
In small amounts, stress can help you perform under pressure while motivating you to do your best

 Stress can be classified into two major groups
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Eustress
Distress

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Eustress is a term coined by Dr. Hans Selye in 1975
The prefix eu- is Greek and means well or good
When eu- is put together with stress, it literally means “good stress”
It is considered a healthy stress
It gives a person a feeling of fulfillment or other positive feelings
Eustress is a process of exploring potential gains
Eustress allows for personal growth and satisfaction

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Winning first place in a competition or race
Beginning a job
Getting a job promotion
Making new friends
Love
Marriage
Learning a new skill
Holidays
Watching a scary movie
Riding a roller coaster
Starting school

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There are times when we can’t avoid stress
At times, we want some stress in our lives
A certain amount of stress is a good thing at times
Controlled stress can give us the competitive edge we need for some activities
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Speeches
Athletics
Competitions
 Acting

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The Stress Performance Curve shows that for any performancerelated activity, there is an optimal amount of stress
When you are in such activities or performances, you will benefit and do better as a result of a certain amount of stress
The stress provides you with focus
The stress gives you the
“competitive edge”
The stress helps you think clearly and quickly

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Distress is negative stress
It is usually caused by an event that causes stress or strain
It is unpleasant stress
It can be disease-producing stress
The term first originated between 1250 and 1300

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Death of a close friend or family member
Divorce
Chronic pain
Not having any meaningful friendships
Financial problems
Trouble doing school work
Anxiety
Depression

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If you have distress for a long period of time, you can develop serious problems
 Develop problems with your immune system
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Illness
Even death could happen
We must be aware of distressors that are in our lives
We must have good ways to manage those distressors

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Eustress is a positive form of stress that is usually related to desirable events for a person
Distress has negative implications
Both forms of stress can be difficult on the body
The body itself is not able to determine the difference between eustress and distress

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Some of the body’s physical responses to stress are visible to others
 Tense muscles
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Change in respiratory rate
Increased heart rate
Skin problems
Sweating
Some of the body’s physical responses to stress are not visible to others:
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Change in the body’s metabolism
Change in blood pressure (increases for most people)
Continued exposure to negative stressors is dangerous
 Can lead to mental and physical symptoms
 Aches and pains in the body
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Heart palpitations
Chest pain
Depression
Anxiety

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Since stress is common in our daily lives, it is important to know how to deal with it
In order to deal with stress, you must be able to do the following:
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Learn to understand what stress is
Identify common sources of stress
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Practice a positive method of stress reduction on a regular basis
Avoid negative methods to reduce stress in your life

 Psychologist Connie Lillas describes the three most common responses to stress by comparing it driving a car
 Foot on the brake: A withdrawn or depressed stress response
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Shut down
Space out
Have very little energy
Have very little emotion
Foot on the gas: An angry or agitated response
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Keyed up
In a heated state
Overly emotion
 Not able to sit still
Foot on both: A tense and frozen response
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“Freeze” under pressure
Unable to do anything
Looks paralyzed
If you get beneath the surface, you’ll find a very agitated person

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Exercise
Talking to a trusted person
Meditation
Listening to music
Positive methods tend to have a positive effect on your health and well-being
It is important to find stress reduction methods that work for you in the short time that will also have a positive effect on your long-term health

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Smoking
Drinking alcohol
Eating too much
Although these negative methods may seem to help in the short-term, they can create negative long-term health issues

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Arguments with friends and family
Loud noises
Screaming kids
Upcoming test
Spilled milk
Unfinished work
Inability to find things
Grief

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It doesn’t matter whether your stress is good or bad
Stress continues to add up in your body
If you have enough stress in your life at one time, it will cause
“wear and tear” on your body
The degree of stress and how it impacts you will depend on the following:
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How much the stressor is in your life
 A small argument will cause a little bit of stress
 A large argument will cause more stress
How you view the stressor
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Different people view stressors in different ways
Therefore, one stressor could cause distress for one person while causing eustress for another person

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Some stressors are both good and bad stressors
Such stressors cause good stress and bad stress
Examples of stressors that are both good and bad
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Radiation
Exercise
How can exercise be a good stressor and bad stressor?
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Exercise is usually a good stressor and good for your body
Overtraining can cause injuries and illnesses
If you continue to exercise when your body is tired or weak, you can get an overuse injury
How can radiation be a good stressor and bad stressor?
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If radiation is left uncontrolled, it can cause cancer.
If radiation is controlled and pinpointed, it will cure some cancers.

 There are five quick and easy ways to see how much stress you have in your life
 Check your muscle tension by starting at your head and working your way to your toes
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Check to see if you have any nervous sweating
Check your hand temperature
Check for a rapid pulse
Check for rapid, shallow breathing

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There are many ways to put stress into categories
This might be helpful for you to recognize your stress
Three main sources of stress
 Situational
 Body
 Mind

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Caused by situational stressor in your immediate environment
Example
 You are getting ready to take off in an airplane. You are praying that you won’t need to use the emergency instructions that the flight attendant just explained to the passengers.
The key to understanding situational stress
 It is happening Now!

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Stress that results in physical symptoms
Example
 Includes abuse
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Drinking too much alcohol
Abusing drugs
Exercising too much
People neglecting their bodies
Not getting enough sleep
Not eating proper nutrition
The key to understanding body stress
 It is abuse and neglect!

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Caused by seeing life’s events in a negative manner
This applies to people who invent problems that aren’t there or who exaggerate problems
 These would be people that we say make “mountains out of molehills.”
Mind stress is very common
Example
 You are reading a book, but you start thinking about something bad that happened earlier in the morning.
People who mentally worry and think negative thoughts are most likely to have problems with mind stress
Mind stress is caused by negatively perceiving life events. Some people have a tendency to exaggerate problems or even invent problems that don't exist. We sometimes say that these people make "mountains out of molehills". Try to catch yourself being pessimistic, taking things personally or jumping to conclusions.
The key to understanding mind stress
 Negative thinking!

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Change your surroundings or make changes in your surroundings
Communicate
Learn how to say “No”
Know when to say “No”
Learn time management skills
Learn to delegate to others

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Learn how to relax
Exercise
Avoid stressors
Practice stretching
Do yoga
Practice Mediation

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Practice mental imagery or visualization
 Imagine being at a place you love
Learn to say positive things to yourself when you get stressed
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Don’t be so serious.
Don’t worry about it. It will be okay.
Practice meditation or pray
Express your feelings through drawings

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This varies widely from person to person
You need to know your limit
Your ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors
 Emotional intelligence
 General outlook on life
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Genetics
Quality of your relationships with friends and family

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Your ability to deal with your emotions
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Ability to calm yourself down when you are angry, sad, or afraid
If you are able to deal with your emotions, you will normally have a high stress tolerance
Your attitude and outlook
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If you have an optimistic outlook, you will usually handle stress well
These people welcome challenges, have a great sense of humor, and they can adapt to changes
Your knowledge and preparation
 The more you know about a stressful problem, the better you will handle it
Your sense of control
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If you have confidence in yourself, you will usually take things in stride
People who feel like things are out of control have more problems with stress
Your support network
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If you have a strong and supportive network of friends and family, you are prepared to handle the stressors life throws your way
On the contrary, if you are lonely and isolated, you will most likely have more trouble handling stress

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Always worrying
Anxious thoughts
Memory problems
Only sees the negative side
Poor judgment
Racing thoughts
Unable to concentrate

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Agitated
Avoiding people
Feeling overwhelmed
Depressed
Grouchy or irritable
Loneliness
Moodiness
Short temper
Unable to relax
Unhappy

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Aches
Chest pain
Colds
Constipation
Dizziness
Diarrhea
Nausea
Pains
Rapid heartbeat

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Avoiding people
Eating less
Eating more
Neglecting responsibilities
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Nervous habits
Biting nails
Pacing
Not sleeping enough
Sleeping too much
Using harmful substances to relax
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Alcohol
Cigarettes
Drugs

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 www.google.com
www.informaworld.com
www.kidshealth.org
www.mayoclinic.com
www.medicalnewstoday.com
www.medicinenet.com
www.mentalhealth.com
www.mentalhealthamerica.net
www.nlm.nih.gov
www.peacefulmind.com
www.psych.org
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 www.psychology.ucdavis.edu
www.researchgate.net
www.setop.net
www.stress.org
www.tandfonline.com
www.unboundmedicine.com
www.webmd.com
www.wellness.uwsp.edu
www.wikipedia.org
www.workhealth.org
World Book Encyclopedia

 Pictures by Parker J. E. Carte
 Information by Parker J. E. Carte
 Background by Parker J. E. Carte