1. Stress And its effects on the body

2. Stress A reaction to everyday demands or threats. The stress response occurs when a real or perceived threat or challenge is encountered. It is your body’s response to whatever is demanded of you. You do not have control over your body reacting to the demands—hormones are released without your prior consent. Stress can be either negative or positive. Positive stress Eustress—You perceive the demand as a challenge—you want to accomplish something or the demand (job promotion, state championship game, etc.). This type of stress motivates you to become a better person because it encourages you to practice, study, work harder, etc. in order to perform well.

3. Distress-negative stress—you perceive the demand as a threat, it is too overwhelming for you to accomplish, you feel as if you have no control over the situation or nothing to help you deal with it—you see no end to the problem (a divorce or break-up, an illness or disability, a tough exam)

4. The Body’s Stress Response The “fight-or-flight” stress response involves may of biological changes that prepare us for emergency action. When danger is sensed, a small part of the brain called the hypothalamus sets off a chemical alarm. The sympathetic nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol. These stress hormones race through the bloodstream, readying us to either flee the scene or battle it out. Heart rate and blood flow to the large muscles increase so we can run faster and fight harder. Blood vessels under the skin constrict to prevent blood loss in case of injury, pupils dilate so we can see better, and our blood sugar ramps up, giving us an energy boost and speeding up reaction time. At the same time, body processes not essential to immediate survival are suppressed. The digestive and reproductive systems slow down, growth hormones are switched off, and the immune response is inhibited.

5. More on the Body’s Response to Stress The release of the stress hormones cause: Diversion of the blood from less vital to more vital organs. Increase in the heart rate to supply more blood quickly. Increase in the blood pressure to supply blood efficiently. Increase in the respiratory rate to get more oxygen from the atmosphere. Muscles tense Breakdown of glycogen stores in liver and muscle to get more glucose.

6. Physical Responses to Stress Below are indications that a person may be experiencing too much stress if there is no physical cause behind the issue: Physical Signs: headaches, trembling or twitching, upset stomach, migraines, sweating, rash, constipation, diarrhea, pounding heart, muscle aches and tightness, trouble sleeping, grinding teeth, dry mouth, nervous twitches or tics, dizziness, back pain, ringing in ears. Emotional Signs: Frustration, nervousness, boredom, edginess, feeling powerless, being quick to anger, impatience, mood swings, worrying, loneliness, confusion, crying, low self-esteem, becoming easily upset without cause. Mental Signs: Trouble reading or thinking clearly, lack of creativity, constant worry, obsessive thoughts, inability to make decisions, forgetting, losing sense of humor and perspective. Behavioral Signs: not eating, overeating, compulsive talking, verbal or physical outbursts, fidgeting, using alcohol, caffeine, or other drugs, smoking, gambling, tapping feet, drumming fingers, hurrying, forgetting one’s value, withdrawing, reckless, and high-risk behaviors like driving too fast.

7. Chronic Stress When the stress factor is persistent or repetitive, the body keeps secreting the stress hormones (adrenaline & cortisol) and their blood levels remain continuously at a higher level and they continue to affect your body physically. Persistently having high levels of stress hormones can have negative effects on your health. Things that cannot be easily resolved or that you have to deal with day after day (i.e., bad relationships, a family member dying, a disease, etc.) can cause chronic stress because those problems can go on and on and it is hard to know when it will end.

8. Cortisol Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the body (a hormone that is released from having chronic stress) have been shown to have negative effects such as: Impaired cognitive performance Decrease in muscle tissue Lowered immune system Increased abdominal fat

9. Psychosomatic Response This is evidence of the mind affecting the body. Stress maybe causing physical signs of poor health. There are no physical reasons for why a person may be experiencing physical problems—they are related to stress and the hormones that are released. If a person goes to the doctor with migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. and no physical cause can be found, stress might be the likely answer to the problem.

10. So why do some people get more stressed than others? People do an assessment (mostly unconscious) of the demand and determine if they have the resources to accomplish that demand. If they feel as if they are in control of the demand and they have resources to help them accomplish it then they don’t feel “stressed”, but if they perceive that they have little control over the situation or little resources they get “stressed.”

11. Resources When people do an assessment of the demands that are placed on them, they decide if they have the resources available in order to meet those demands. Resources can be things like time, knowledge, support from teachers, family, or friends, personality traits (responsible, organized, etc.) People who feel like they don’t have enough time because of the number of things they are involved in will probably always feel stressed! They are lacking an important resource.—Time!!!

12. Stress Management Time management is a tool for managing stress since it can help you better use time as a resource Talking to others to help you get a better perspective on things—ask people for support Exercise!! See Stress Reduction Techniques page for more information

13. DASS Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale— used to determine if a person maybe experiencing high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Sometimes we are so busy and consumed with things that we don’t stop to think about our mental health—to realize that we can be happier, less stressed, and less anxious. Take the DASS in order to determine your stress, anxiety, and depression levels.