1. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images PART II Introduction

2. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images PART II: Introduction nEverly and Benson’s Disorders of Arousal Model: The most comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms of the stress-disease process nPotential stressors trigger limbic system arousal (can become Limbic Hypersensitivity Phenomenon, or LHP) nLimbic arousal triggers neurological, neuronendocrine, and endocrine stress axes nOverstimulation of those axes triggers stress arousal (can become arousal disorder)

3. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images PART II: Introduction (cont’d) nEverly and Lating (2002) used Everly and Benson’s model to identify the three key elements of arousal that characterize the stress response and are precursors to stress-related disease development uIncreased neurotransmitter arousal and activity uIncreased neuromuscular arousal uIncreased negative cognitive arousal

4. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images PART II: Introduction (cont’d) nLinked together, these three key elements initiate and sustain the stress response nA comprehensive model for coping with stress needs strategies to break this chain and start the relaxation response nThe stress management strategies of the Five Rs of Coping with Stress Model combat one or more of the three levels of arousal identified by Everly and Lating

5. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images PART II: Introduction (cont’d) nThe Five Rs of Coping with Stress Model uRethink uReduce uRelax uRelease uReorganize nA synergistic effect occurs when all five work together simultaneously

6. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Chapter 7 Rethink: Changing the Way You View Things

7. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Overview nThis chapter uIntroduces the first of the Five Rs of Coping with Stress: Rethink uExplains how values guide us in setting goals for life, in stress management and purposeful living uIntroduces two ABCDE techniques and Japanese psychotherapy techniques for rethinking uDiscusses the role of enjoyment in our lives and in stress management

8. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Outline uRethinking your perspective on the world and the way you view stressors uPurposeful living and goal setting uPutting things in their proper perspective uReducing stress by enjoying life more uChanging perspective by slowing the pace of your life

9. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Outline (Cont’d) uBecoming more logical and optimistic in your thinking uUsing Ellis and Harper’s ABCDE Model for logical thinking uLearned optimism and Seligman’s ABCDE Model uUsing Japanese psychotherapies for rethinking uRethinking road rage

10. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Rethinking Your Perspective on the World nMost of our stress is determined by the way we view uthe world in general upotential stressors in particular nOften, our appraisal of potential stressors and the emotions aroused by them is inaccurate (based on a distorted world view or faulty thinking)

11. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Rethinking Your Perspective nYour perspective: your big picture of how the world and people in it should be nThere are many ways to change one’s perspective for the purpose of reducing stress

12. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Knowing What You Value nOur values are the mirror of our personalities nValues clarification: a three- part process uPrizing beliefs and behaviors uChoosing beliefs and behaviors uActing on beliefs

13. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Using Daily Life Criteria to Rethink Your Perspective nDaily Life Criteria (DLC): our standards for living life well (Anderson & Krech, 1996) nUsually concrete activities that are done on a daily basis nThe more people live in concert with their DLC, the less stress they will experience because they are being true to their values

14. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Whose Life Is It Anyway? nMost people are caught up in living someone else’s life nBeing out of control is being less hardy and stress resistant nPulling one’s own strings uHaving an internal locus of control uResisting being swayed by others uMaking your own plans and decisions, based on a rational assessment of issues uNot buying into illogical assumptions about potential stressors

15. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Purposeful Living and Goal Setting nPurposeful living: having a purpose that meshes with who you are, your values, and your daily life criteria nGoals should be realistic uSmall uManageable uAchievable nGoals should have measurable objectives

16. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Expecting and Embracing Change n“The only constant in life is change.” nUnderstanding that life is constantly changing will help us accept change and rethink it as a potential stressor nTo thrive (not merely survive), we must adapt to change or be left behind nHardy people embrace change, adapt to it, and thrive under changing circumstances (Kobassa et al.)

17. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Putting Things in Proper Perspective nRealize you are not the center of the universe nAccept the fact that you cannot plan for and control everything nAppreciate the humor in life nOne must develop three humor skills (Metcalf & Felible)

18. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Embracing the Absurdity of Difficult Situations nHumor skill #1: Accepting absurdity nThis will let you escape from the center of the universe

19. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Focusing on the Bright Side nWe can learn something from even the most absurd or painful situations if we allow ourselves to. nWe need to acknowledge that life is tough and then move on

20. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Taking Yourself Lightly But Your Work/Problem Seriously nThe second of Metcalf and Felible’s three humor skills nIt exemplifies grace and modesty nIt is characterized by a humble attitude and a proper perspective

21. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Having a Sense of Joy in Being Alive nThe third of Metcalf and Felible’s three humor skills nNear-death experiences can provide a changed perspective and appreciation for being alive

22. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Putting Humor Into Your Life nHumor helps us go with the flow nIts root is umor, Latin for fluid, like water. nIt is physiologically impossible to be laughing and stressed at the same time

23. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Reducing Stress by Enjoying Life More nMany have forgotten that we need and deserve to have fun nMost other cultures take midday breaks or longer vacations nWork has become the end rather than the means

24. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Changing Perspective by Slowing the Pace of Your Life nThe pace of life affects the quality of life uLiving life too fast doesn’t allow one time to enjoy it uStop (or at least slow down) and smell the roses

25. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Working With Your Attention nOne of the best ways to slow our pace and change our perspective on life is to slow our thinking down nKabat-Zinn (2005) invented the Mindfulness-based approach to stress management: Be fully in the present

26. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images The Costs of Misdirected Attention nKrech (2000) listed costs associated with misdirected attention: uPsychological suffering uMaking mistakes uIncreased safety risks uOversensitivity to changes in the body uNot appreciating the support of others uBoredom/lack of interest uNot noticing what needs doing uForgetfulness uWasting time uCausing unnecessary trouble to others

27. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Potential Problems With Multitasking nIt can cause unnecessary trouble for yourself and others nIt can become your unintentional standard operating procedure and you don’t realize it

28. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Rethinking the Way You View Stressors nIllogical thinking about potential stressors and our ability to cope with them is the single greatest cause of stress today uBlowing things out of proportion uMisunderstanding the potential consequences

29. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Becoming More Logical and Optimistic in Our Thinking nMost of our stress is caused by what we think about things nStressors are just “potential stressors” until we tell ourselves that we can’t cope with them nThe first step in controlling stress is controlling illogical thinking

30. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) nUnderlying premise: People or things do not cause us stress—our illogical beliefs and irrational self- talk do nREBT techniques revolve around uunderstanding our illogical beliefs ureplacing them with more rational thoughts

31. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Using Ellis and Harper’s ABCDE Model to Think More Logically nActivating event nBelief system nConsequences nDispute nEffects

32. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Using Seligman’s Learned Optimism to Think More Logically nSeligman’s ABCDE model for coping with stress and emotional problems is based on a person’s “explanatory style” uCertain explanatory styles are more stressful than others uPessimism is central to a stressful explanatory style uKey to managing stress is learning to be more optimistic

33. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Seligman’s ABCDE Model for Coping With Stress and Emotional Problems nA – Adversity nB – Beliefs nC – Consequences nD – Distraction or Dispute nE – Energization

34. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Learning to Argue with Yourself nSeligman offers four things to look for when disputing your Bs: uEvidence uAlternatives uImplications uUsefulness

35. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Where East Meets West: Using Morita and Naikan Therapies to Rethink How We View Potential Stressors nWorking on changing illogical, irrational, pessimistic thoughts works well with certain potential stressors but not all nWhen potential stressors trigger very strong emotions (e.g., anger, hate) or when you are unable or unwilling to take the time to analyze and categorize your thoughts and feelings, Japanese therapies might work better

36. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images How to Co-Exist with Painful Thoughts and Feelings nAccepting reality for what it is implies two things: uYou accept whatever thoughts and unpleasant feelings you are experiencing uYou accept that experiencing painful and troubling thoughts and feelings is part of being human nThen focus on some purposeful work nAlso, experience neurotic moments— don’t view yourself as being a neurotic

37. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Shifting Your Attention to Manage Stress nKrech (2002) believes the best way to shift attention off yourself is engaging in productive labor that involves large muscle groups working at a moderate to fast pace in non-repetitive activities; for example, ubasketball uchopping firewood ugardening

38. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Using Self-Reflection to Manage Stress nNaikan self-reflection: an excellent way to change your perspective on your stressors nSometimes changing your perspective on a stressor can change your stressful appraisal of it nShifting your focus off yourself and your needs can let you put yourself in others’ shoes, to imagine what it’s like for them

39. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Combining Positive Self-Talk with Morita and Naikan Techniques nArugamama: the Japanese principle of accepting life as it is nYour self-talk will reflect this perspective if you agree with the premise nIt is consistent with arugamama to substitute more logical and rational thinking using the two ABCDE techniques

40. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Changing Our Perspective by Rethinking Road Rage: Anger on the Highway nAngry feelings often persist long after their source has disappeared nRoad rage is a good example of the effects of mismanaging anger nRoad rage: a stress reaction characterized by feelings of extreme impatience, anxiety, and intense anger while driving a vehicle

41. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Using Rational Thinking and Japanese Psychology to Rethink Road Rage nManaging your inner anger and rethinking road rage uAcknowledge that you are angry and identify the response uAccept your anger uTarget the source of your anger uDo not give in to uncontrolled venting of anger uDissipate anger in a healthy way FShift your attention FGet physical FReplace illogical beliefs and negative self-talk with ones that accept reality as it is FDeal with anger promptly uBecome pro-active in your anger management

42. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Akira Kaede/Getty Images Chapter 7: Rethink: Changing the Way You View Things nSummary