1. STRESS!

2. What is Stress? Mental and Physical Tension The body reacts by sending out chemicals to protect itself.

3. What If Stress is Constant? Medical evidence shows that stress chemicals can cause rise in cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and emotional problems.

4. Is Stress BAD ? Not Always--Stress Can be a Great Motivator to Get us to Focus and to Accomplish Great Things ! But remember—Everyone is Different!

5. Does Stress Only Affect Adults? NO! Even children experience stress!

6. “Stress Gets to Kids, Too” Using Handout entitled “Stress Gets to Kids, Too,” circle each event that has happened to you during the past year. Total the points, using a calculator, and assess your stress level.

7. What Causes Teens Stress? School Family Low Self-Esteem Money Problems Drugs & Addictions Friends Work

8. Bad & Good Stress DISTRESS Feel overwhelmed! EUSTRESS Makes you want to work harder!

9. What Can We Control? Events in Our Lives? We cannot control events in our lives. Our Reaction? We CAN control how we react to those events.

10. What Two Common Reactions to Stress? FIGHTFLIGHT

11. What is FIGHT? Wanting to verbally or physically attack!

12. What is Flight? Act of Fleeing from a Situation or Event either Emotionally or Physically or Both.

13. Signs of Stress Using Worksheet, Fill in the Following Areas of Stress: Physical Signs Emotional Signs Behavioral Signs

14. Physical Signs How you LOOK! What are some physical signs that you can SEE?

15. Possible Physical Signs Facial Expression – Frown, worry Biting fingernails Shaky hands or knees Tapping with hands or feet Looking Tired and Lethargic Headache, holding head

16. Emotional Signs How do you FEEL? What are six stress emotions?

17. Possible Stress Emotions Sad Worried Afraid Angry Tired Apathetic

18. What are Behavioral Signs? How do you ACT? What are 6 possible behavioral signs?

19. Possible Behavior Signs Try to run away from stress Fight with others, verbal or even physical Yell or scream a lot Work even harder to get out of stress Try relaxation techniques Get a lot of physical activity

20. THREE STRESS SITUATIONS Answer the questions on the worksheet: How might these students react in the following situations?

21. What is a STRESSOR? Anything that causes you Stress!

22. What is a Stress Reducer? Any Action or Activity that Relieves or Reduces Stress!

23. “Positive Stress Reducers” Go to Worksheet entitled “Positive Stress Reducers” Go through 20 Stress Reducing Techniques. CIRCLE those numbers that would reduce stress for you. Put an “X” on those numbers that would NOT work for you.

24. Runaways Serious Teen Problem

25. Every Day… Every day 3,506 teens run away from home. Over 1 MILLION teens run away every year. Most of them end up as prostitutes, homeless drifters, or drug dealers.

26. Listen to Stories From Runaways Answer questions on “Runaways” Worksheet

27. Surviving Heavy Stress Take Time to Relax Find Sweet Solitude Use Humor Time Management

28. Take Time to Relax

29. Find “Sweet Solitude”

30. Use Humor “Bottom’s Up!” Story “Grabbing the Right Hand” story What is Your Most Embarrassing Moment?

31. Time Management Use Stress to Your Advantage! Plan and Act!