Responding effectively to stress UNDERSTANDING STRESS Responding effectively to stress Responding effectively to stress involves the use of multiple strategies to regulate emotions at different time points of a stressful situation EVENT Slide 13 STRATEGIES BEFORE DURING AFTER

UNDERSTANDING STRESS Emotion Regulation Emotion regulation is a term used to describe the process by which we manage the experience and expression of our emotions and has three parts: REACTIVITY How easily you react to stimuli with emotion INTENSITY How intensely you feel the emotion Slide 14 RECOVERY How long the emotion persists, or how quickly you “recover” from the emotion

Is stress always bad? UNDERSTANDING STRESS Stress is often thought of as bad, but it can actually be protective and good! The human brain is hard-wired to respond to danger. The “fight or flight” response is what has helped humans protect themselves from danger throughout evolution. Whether the threat is real or perceived, our stress response is activated, which has physiological effects. Slide 15

Good vs. bad stress UNDERSTANDING STRESS Exhaustion Stress Level Performance Relaxed Anxiety/panic/anger Inactive Slide 16 Breakdown Too little stress Optimal Stress Stress Overload Burnout

Identifying Stress Slide 17

Signs of stress….. EMOTIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PHYSICAL BEHAVIOURAL IDENTIFYING STRESS Signs of stress….. Nervousness Oversensitivity Irritability Anger EMOTIONAL Rumination Hopeless/ Poor Problem-solving Catastrophizing Difficulty concentrating PSYCHOLOGICAL Headaches Muscle tension Fatigue Stomach aches PHYSICAL Drug/alcohol use Excessive internet use Self-injury Change in eating habits Difficulty sleeping BEHAVIOURAL Slide 18

Psychological/Emotional IDENTIFYING STRESS STRESS PROFILE Psychological/Emotional Physical Behavioral Difficulty concentrating Racing thoughts Persistent worry Forgetfulness Difficulty falling asleep due to racing thoughts Low self-esteem Difficulty making decisions Blowing things out of proportion Confusion Unable to let go of unsettling thoughts or feelings Headache Stomach pain and/or digestive problems Feeling tired Muscle tension Jaw clenching or teeth grinding Difficulty falling asleep due to tenseness Skin conditions (ex. rash or hives) Neck or back pain Change in appetite (increased or decreased) Rapid heart beat or tightness in chest Nail biting Constant pacing Persistent foot tapping or constant fidgeting Angry outbursts Frequent crying spells Avoiding situation that cause stress Overeating or not eating enough Fast or abrupt speech Getting into fights Poor choices to manage stress (ex. Not eating properly, substance use, self-injury) Slide 19 SCORE___ SCORE___ SCORE___

Never try to “ramp up stress” Keep in mind! Keep in mind, stress in students does not always look like stress! Stressed students may: Be tired, non-responsive Appear to "not care" Be angry or non-compliant Never try to “ramp up stress” Slide 20

Identifying stress overload IN STUDENTS Stress comes and goes for no apparent reason. Feel unable to cope. Can’t seem to relax; feel tense most of the time. Feel a general loss of control. Slide 21 Stress becomes problematic when it interferes with day-to-day functioning

STRESS overload anxiety AND depression IDENTIFYING STRESS STRESS overload anxiety AND depression Struggling with chronic stress can lead to anxiety/depression Stress Anxiety/ Depression Slide 22 Anxiety/depression reduces one’s ability to cope

STRESS AND UNHEALTHY COPING IDENTIFYING STRESS STRESS AND UNHEALTHY COPING Non-suicidal self-injury Excessive gaming/internet use Substance abuse Overeating or food restriction Slide 23 Suicide Risk

CONCLUDING COMMENTS CONCLUSION Understanding and being able to identify the signs of stress is essential for you AND for your students. Only once you recognize and understand the stress response can you THEN respond effectively! Slide 24

THANK YOU! Nancy L. Heath, PhD CONCLUDING COMMENTS THANK YOU! Next step PART II: RESPONDING EFFECTIVELY TO STUDENT STRESS Slide 25 Nancy L. Heath, PhD