1. I am SO stressed! What do you mean by this? How do you feel? Is it the same for everyone?

2. Stress Questionnaire Answer the questions honestly (Q20 will give you a giggle….) Add up your score. Check your stress levels. Do you think your answers would be the same in the summer holidays? Why/Why not? Is this measure reliable/valid?

3. Children don't need stress relief because their lives aren't stressful like adults' lives. – False Stress can make your hair fall out (It can cause your hair to stop growing) – True Stress can cause serious illness like diabetes and heart disease – True Parents naturally experience less stress than those without kids, as kids relieve stress with their love and support – False Stress can contribute to weight gain. (Production of cortisol can effect metabolism, cravings, blood sugar levels and fat storage) – True In terms of social support, it's better to have a greater number of friends, even if some of these friends are competitive with you or emotionally distant. – False Unless you really don't enjoy animals, pets can lower your blood pressure as effectively as medication. (Mood improvement, exercise, social support, loneliness) – True You actually can become 'worried sick’. – True Stress is linked with psychosomatic illness, which is when you think you're sick, but you really aren't. – False

4. There is agreement among medical professionals that stress causes ulcers. – False If you get too stressed, you can catch a cold. – True As a rule, people in management positions experience more stress than those under them because they have more responsibility. – False Some types of stress are actually good for you. (eustress – not chronic stress) – True Those with more money are generally happier and experience less financial stress. – False Stress directly causes premature gray hair. – False Some people are more susceptible to stress than others. – True There is a link between stress and infertility. (sperm and dysf) – True Stress can lower your sex drive. – True Stress causes adult acne. – True Working long hours is the main cause of burnout. (other factors) – False

5. Is stress a problem? The total number of cases of stress in 2010/11 was 400 000 out of a total of 1 152 000 for all work-related illnesses. This is significantly lower than the number in 2001/02. The number of new cases of work-related stress has reduced to 211 000 from 233 000 in 2009/10 (change not statistically significant). The industries that reported the highest rates of work-related stress in the last three years were health, social work, education and public administration. The occupations that reported the highest rates of work-related stress in the last three years were health and social service managers, teachers and social welfare associate professionals. What conclusions can you come to from these statistics?

7. So What is Stress? Occurs when the demands placed on the body exceed its ability to cope – This becomes a threat to the person Is related to the fight flight system – When you perceive a threat adrenaline is release – This increase heart rate and blood flow to your muscles – You can then run or fight Problem for us is that neither running or fighting can be done – So we are stressed because we cannot do what our body wants us to do If this goes on for a long time we get exhausted