Interventions in Stress
Management
Chapter 4
What is an intervention?
► Intervention
– an activity that prevents a
stressor/stressors from resulting in negative
consequences
► What
might “negative consequences” be?
The Negative Consequences are the
things that result from Selye’s Stage
of Exhaustion, which are?
► Psychological
discomfort
► Anxiety
► Various
types of illness and disease
(malnutrition, heart disease, ulcers, etc.)
► What
might some other negative
consequences be?
When is a stressor a stressor?
Cognitive Appraisal
►A
stressor is only a stressor if it is perceived
as such and causes the physiological arousal
of a stress response (fight or flight)
► The process of perceiving and interpreting a
stressor is called Cognitive Appraisal
Example of Cognitive Appraisal
► What
might be a potential stressor?
► Likely
response?
► Alternative
response(s)?
► IT
IS YOUR DECISION WHETHER OR NOT A
LIFE SITUATION IS GOING TO BE
STRESSFUL OR NOT!!
Stress Model
► Life
situation is presented
► Perceived as STRESSFUL
► Emotional arousal
► Physiological arousal
► Consequences (mentioned earlier)
ROADBLOCKS!
► INTERVENTION
involves setting up
“roadblocks” within the steps of the stress
model
Roadblocks act as FILTERS
► Life
situation (Roadblock)
► Perception/Cognitive Appraisal yields stress
(Roadblock)
► Emotional arousal (Roadblock)
► Physiological arousal (Roadblock)
► Consequences (Roadblock)
REMEMBER…
► It
is not possible, or even desirable, to
ELIMINATE all stress.
► The
goal is stress management through
modifying perception (cognitive appraisal)
AND the use of “roadblocks” in order to
replace DISTRESS with EUSTRESS.
EUSTRESS
► Stress
yields PERSONAL GROWTH
(eustress) Example?
► Stress
leads to BENEFICIAL/POSITIVE
BEHAVIOR (eustress) Example?
► Stress
encourages PEAK PERFORMANCE
(eustress) Example?
TAKING CONTROL AND
RESPONSIBILITY
► Defensive,
► When
Explanations, Excuses, etc.
we respond in these ways, what are
we doing?
ROADBLOCKS (skills and techniques)
► My
frustration…
► Subjectivity
► Trial
and Individualization
and Error
► Empowerment
and Change
Life Situation Interventions:
INTRAPERSONAL
Chapter 5
What does “intrapersonal” mean?
ESTABLISHING INTERVENTIONS
► First
is gaining SELF-AWARENESS regarding
our patterns of stress management
► Journaling
(see pg. 74)
ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY
STRESSORS
► Through
examining our behavior/stress
management PATTERNS, we can begin to
see what stressors can be EASILY
REMOVED.
► Examples
► What
of something “easily removed”?
might we need to be aware of
regarding…?
NUTRITION
► An
unbalanced diet can lead to decreased
stress management capacities and
potentially result in disease (book describes
cancer and heart disease)
NUTRITION cont.
► Pseudostressors
or Sympathomimetics
► Examples
of pseudostressors?
► Balanced
Diet (remember…)
Vitamin – Stress Cycle
► Stress
=> Depletion of Vitamins B and C
► Depletion
of B & C => anxiety, depression,
insomnia, muscle weakness, and/or
stomach problems
► Depletion
also => less production of stressfighting adrenal hormones =>
► BODY
LESS CAPABLE OF RELIEVING
STRESS
► What
is the point here?
SUGAR
► Consumption
of sugar=>
► Body
needs Vitamin B to break down
sugar=>
► Less
stress-fighting adrenal hormones=>
► What?
SALT
► Consumption
► Water
► Higher
of Salt=>
Retention=>
Blood Pressure=>
► Potentially
Less Stress Resistance and
Greater Risk of Health Problems
NUTRITION
► What
is the point?
ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY
STRESSORS
► Noise
can raise blood pressure, increase
heart rate, and cause muscle tension (what
is white noise?)
► Life Events (perception-what about it?;
social support; Life-Events Scale on pg. 8385)
► Hassles (everyday-what do we know?; Scale
on pg. 90 & 91; identify & eliminate)
DISCUSSION TOPIC (time
permitting)
► What
impact does the media have on our
perceptions of weight, nutrition, beauty,
etc.?
Finishing Touches
► Group
Formation and activities on Wed.
► Topics
chosen on 9/19
► Reminder
for Journaling