1. Managing CVS Stress and Anxiety 11 th International Family & Adult Conference CVSA

2. Overview n Nature of Stress n Coping with Stress: u Physical and mental responses to stress u Changing our relationship with stressful thoughts, feelings, sensations u Mindfulness & acceptance exercise n What about panic? n ?s and discussion

3. What is stress? n Physical and mental arousal-triggered by perception that something is challenging our ability to cope n “Fight or flight”

6. Your Stress Response n What do you notice about what is happening in your body?

7. Stress Response: Body Responses u Muscle tension u Increased heart rate u Increased blood pressure u Faster breathing u Digestion slows u Increased sweating u Hands & feet can become cold u Pupils dilate

8. Your Stress Response n What is your mental response to stress?

9. Stress Response: Mental Responses u Attention narrows u Vigilance increases u Negative thoughts and feelings can occur when we feel we can’t cope

10. Why Manage Our Responses to Stress? n Stress is cumulative u Chronic stress can lead to changes in the immune system and brain u Ruminative thoughts and worries may perpetuate and prolong the physical responses to stress n Goal is not to get rid of stress but to put it it’s proper place

11. Coping with Stress n If we believe there are things we can do to manage a stressor, the threat is reduced and we are less likely to experience a stress response n First steps: Is the stress u Controllable? u Uncontrollable?

12. Controllable stressors n Take action: u Seek information u Problem solve u Communicate assertively u Learn and practice a relaxation exercise u Identify stress and CVS Triggers u Modify lifestyle (sleep, exercise, eating, recreation, social support)

13. Uncontrollable stressors: Managing our psychological responses n Our evaluation of a stressor, how we think about it and what we say to ourselves about it has a very direct impact on: u how we feel u our physical responses u what we do in response to a stressor

14. Managing Thoughts: The Challenge n We cannot choose: u What comes into our minds u Our feelings u Our physical sensations n We can choose: u What we pay attention to u How we pay attention and u What we do

15. What We Can Change n Our relationship with the thoughts, memories and images that trigger stress n Our relationship with the feelings and physical sensations we experience n Reaction to thoughts, feelings and physical sensations vs. stress itself

16. Acceptance vs. Avoidance of Thoughts n Pink elephant paradox n Challenge the veracity of thoughts: Treating thoughts as if they are the same thing as experiences or events. Your brain can lie to you. n Noticing thoughts: I’m thinking the worst right now n Treating recurring, stress inducing thoughts as Pop-up or Spam

17. What Acceptance is: n Intentional stance of nonjudgmental awareness of: u Thoughts u Feelings u Memories u Sensations u In the context of a triggering event

18. What Acceptance is: n I am willing to go through this n I can make room for these thoughts, the way I feel n I will face this situation and do the best I can n I know my reactions are a normal part of me even if I don’t like them

19. What Acceptance Is: n Action you take on purpose n Staying present in the face of a distressing experiences rather than avoiding it n Withholding judgment and evaluation n An action, not a result n Varies from moment to moment

20. Acceptance of feelings n Fear and anxiety serve adaptive functions n Emotions are like waves, they come and go

21. What Acceptance is NOT: n Resignation n Doesn’t mean you have failed n Doesn’t mean tolerating personal pain u Tolerance up to a certain level, no further

22. What Acceptance Is NOT: n I just need to put this behind me n I want to get rid of these, feelings, thoughts, memories n I want to be able to control what I feel