Understanding Stress, Anxiety and Crisis

UNDERSTANDING STRESS, ANXIETY & CRISIS How does stress affect our mental health?

Defining Stress – What physical and psychological symptoms are exhibited? Condition that results when a threat or challenge to our well-being requires us to adapt or make an adjustment –Distress –Eustress –“Fight or flight” response

Defining Anxiety – built-in response to a real or perceived threat to our well-being…four levels Mild Moderate Severe Panic

Adapting to Stress and Anxiety Assess – is it really what it seems to be Review the options –Adaptation –Palliative –Maladaptive –Dysfunctional management

Coping Strategies – What is Effective? Learned by observation – modeled by family and social environment We tend to use those we have learned to deal with life stressors In order to help clients to cope more effectively, we must learn to deal more effectively with our own stress!

Effective Coping Tools Positive self-talk, practical attitude Humor Reframe irrational thinking Assertiveness training Problem-solving skills Communication skills Conflict resolution Relaxation techniques, meditation, self-care Support system Faith in spiritual power and in yourself

Crisis State of disorganization and disarray during which time usual coping strategies fail Individual feels helpless and lost May result from: –unrealistic perception of threatening event –lack of a support system –inadequate coping ability

Crisis Intervention Deal with present situation Early intervention Reduce anxiety level Help individual define the problem Determine available support Help person set realistic goals for resolution Provide support and reassurance Listen to client both verbally and nonverbally Provide for client’s safety and security

Self-Awareness – consciously looking at oneself and one’s personality We cannot come to know very much about others without learning to know ourselves, how our lives fit together, and how we defend against experiencing insecurity/ anxiety…

Process – knowledge of ourselves as a whole person comes through gradual awakening to ourselves Attitude of emotional openness Searching and wanting to know yourself Honest evaluation of your behavior Willingness to make changes It is this same openness and honesty we try to elicit in our clients

Daily Awareness Listen to self-talk Change recurrent negative thoughts Be your own cheerleader Visualize success Project image of self-assurance We become more involved in how the other person sees the world when we move beyond ourselves and focus on the other person

Environmental Awareness How do others view my behavior? How do others react/respond to me? What motivated my behavior? If I repeat my mistakes, is it that I can’t find a solution to the problem or do I fail to see the “problem?” Is the problem “me?”

Environmental Awareness Do I consider others around me? Do I usually think of myself first? How do I respond to the people with whom I work/ attend class? What type of space am I most comfortable in?

Inner Processes How do I explain problems to myself? What do I do when my “self” is threatened? Do I become defensive? How do I respond? Do I recognize when I am anxious? What signs do I have? How do I adapt? Do I respond the same way each time?

Adaptive Processes How do I respond to others who are anxious or angry? Do I take my feelings out on others? Do I blame my feelings of inadequacy on others? Do I try to cover these feelings with actions to make me look in control?

Thinking Processes What do I spend a lot of time thinking about? What percentage of these thoughts center on myself? What is my greatest mind investment? What is the focus of my dreams or daydreams? Are there feelings associated with these? Do these thoughts intrude when I am talking with or caring for others?

NEXT Step… Insight into the connection between our “thinking” and our “behavior” provides the opportunity for us to CHANGE our behavior. The key is in our THINKING!

Application Is there a situation in your life in which your needs are not being met or things are just not going your direction? Is there anything about “me” that I can change to alter how others are perceiving my needs? Am I willing to make the effort to change my behavior to improve the outcome? Try it out – watch the reaction, and enjoy the results!!