Stress Management Presented By “An Ordinary Mortal “

Stress Management General Awareness Symptoms of Stress Stress Origins & Body System Types of Stress Adaptation Syndrome Costs of Stress Coping Strategies Stress Management Techniques An Ordinary Mortal

General Awareness What is Stress ? Anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being is a stress.  Stress is the reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them. It arises when we think that we cannot cope. Stress is the ‘wear & tear’ our minds and bodies experience while trying to cope with our continually changing environment. An Ordinary Mortal

Body Symptoms Worry Tension Depression Anger Anxiety Exhaustion Panic Attack Irritability Loss of sleep Head ache Chest Pain An Ordinary Mortal

Origins of Stress External Internal Physical Environment Social Interaction Organisational Major Life Events Daily Hassles Lifestyle choices Negative Self Talk Mind Traps Personality Traits An Ordinary Mortal

Stress Response The fight-or-flight response (also called hyperarousal, or the acute stress response) is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival. When activated, sequences of nerve cell firing occur and hormones are released into our bloodstream. These patterns of nerve cell firing and chemical release cause our body to undergo a series of very dramatic changes. An Ordinary Mortal

Effects of Stress on Body Endocrine System Stress response in controlled by the Endocrine system. Demands on the physical and mental systems of the body result in hormone secretion Endocrine System Responses Increased Pupil Dilation Perspiration Increased Heart Rate Rapid Breathing Tense Muscles Increased Mental Alert An Ordinary Mortal

Biology of Stress Adrenaline It is produced by the adrenal glands after receiving a message from the brain that a stressful situation has presented itself. It is largely responsible for the immediate reaction we feel when stressed. Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Norepinephrine The primary role of norepinephrine, is arousal. It makes us become more aware, awake, focused. We are just generally more responsive. It also helps to shift blood flow away from areas where it might not be so crucial, like the skin, and toward more essential areas at the time, like the muscles, so we can flee the stressful scene. An Ordinary Mortal

Biology of Stress Cortisol This is a Steroid hormone. First, a part of the brain has to recognize a threat. It then sends a message to another part of the brain, which releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). CRH then tells the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which tells the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.  It helps to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure, while regulating some body functions that aren't crucial in the moment, like, immunity, digestion and growth. It increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Too much cortisol can suppress the immune system, increase blood pressure and sugar, produce acne, contribute to obesity and more. An Ordinary Mortal

General Adaptation Syndrome “Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older.” - Hans Selye Stage 1 – Alarm The body responds to the distress signal sent to the brain with a burst of energy to help deal with the stressor. Stage 2 – Resistance Once our body initially responded to the stress, it will continue to maintain a level or alertness to help fight or adapt to the stressor.  Stage 3 – Exhaustion If the stress continues long enough or intensely enough without resolution , exhaustion sets in when energy gets depleted An Ordinary Mortal

Types of Stress Negative Stress – In short Term this contributes to minor conditions like headache , digestive problem , skin problem ,insomnia and ulcer. Excessive ,prolonged and unrelieved stress can have a harmful effect on mental , physical and spiritual health. Positive Stress – Spurs motivation and awareness providing stimulation to cope with challenging situation. Also provides sense of urgency needed for survival when confronted with threatening situations. An Ordinary Mortal

Handling Stress - Recognise The most important point is to recognise the source of the negative stress. This is not an admission of weakness or inability to cope . It is a way to identify the problem and plan measures to overcome it. An Ordinary Mortal

Stress Control A = Awareness B = Balance C = Control ABC Strategy An Ordinary Mortal

Stress Management Techniques Change your Thinking Change your Behaviour Change your Lifestyle An Ordinary Mortal

Change Your Thinking Re-framing Positive Thinking An Ordinary Mortal

Change Your Behaviour Be Assertive Get Organised Ventilation Humour Diversion And Disttraction An Ordinary Mortal

Change Your Lifestyle Diet Smoking & Alcohol Exercise Sleep Leisure Relaxation An Ordinary Mortal

Stress Relieving Activities Breathing Exercise Deep breathing with focus on inhaling and exhaling only Help from Colleagues What I need my colleagues to do when I’m stressed is …. (fill in the blank) What I need my colleagues NOT to do when I’m stressed is … (fill in the blank) Truth or Dare Truth – Answer a question truthfully Dare – Perform Taking a Break Take your mind away from the source of worry and mentally transport yourself to a happy memory or imagination. An Ordinary Mortal

Thank You An Ordinary Mortal