Understanding Stress and Depression Chapter 4

What is Stress?  Stress is the reaction of the body and mind to everyday challenges and demands.  Stress can arrive quickly like when you are late and running to catch the bus.  Stress can also appear slowly building for days, like when you feel pressure to perform well in your next game or final exam.  Stress is unavoidable but how much the stress of the event affects you depends on your perception.

Perception  Perception is the act of becoming aware through the senses.  An example is: Based on your perception, you might believe that a disagreement with a friend has ruined your relationship. Your friend, on the other hand, might believe that you’ll eventually work out the issue.  Because of your perception on the issue you as an individual might have a higher level of stress then your friend.

What is your perspective?

Reacting to Stress  Stress can have both positive and negative effects even though most people believe it to be unhealthy.  Positive stress can motivate you.  Stress can also have negative effects.  Interferes with your ability to preform.  Feel Distracted, overwhelmed, inpatient, frustrated, or even angry.

Causes of Stress!  Stressor anything that causes stress.  Can real or imaginary, anticipated or unexpected.  People, objects, places, events and situations  What causes stress for you might not cause stress for another person.  The specific effect of most stressors will depend on your experiences and perceptions.

Your Body’s Response to Stressors  In Situations when you perceive something as dangerous, difficult, or painful your body will automatically begin it’s response.  Both your Nervous System and your Endocrine System are involved in the stress response.  The physical response is largely involuntary or automatic.  The stress response involves these three stages:  Alarm  Resistance  Fatigue

Three Stages  Alarm-Your mind and body go on high alert. This stage is sometime referred to the “fight or flight” response, because it prepares your body either to defend itself or to flee the threat.  Resistance-If stress continues, your body adapts and reacts to the stressor. You may perform at a higher level and with more endurance for a brief period of time.  Ex. When mothers lift cars off of their child. People can run faster then normal.

 Fatigue-if stress is prolonged, your body loses its ability to adapt. You begin to tire and lose the ability to manage other stressors effectively.

Stress and Your Health  Prolonged stress can lead to a psychosomatic response.  Psychosomatic Response- a physical reaction that results from stress rather than from an injury or illness.  Physical effects of stress  Headache  A weakened immune system  High blood pressure  Bruxism, clenching the jaw or grinding the teeth  Digestive disorders.

Mental/Emotional Effects  Difficulty concentrating  Irritability  Mood Swings  Using alcohol or drugs to relieve stress may create more problems, if the person begins abusing these substances.

When Stress becomes a problem  When you know the source of your stress you can find ways to resolve it.  People often don’t recognize the stressor in their lives.  Only recognize stress when it starts to effect their health.  Need to find a healthy way to deal with stress or it will take a physical and mental toll on the person.  Chronic Stress  Chronic Stress-stress associated with long-term problems that are beyond a person’s control.

Stress Management Techniques  Stress Management skills help you manage stress in a healthful way.  Some Skills involved prevent stress

Avoiding and Limiting Stress  Easiest way to reduce its effects.  Effective strategies to try to avoid or limit stress  Use refusal Skills  Plan ahead  Think Positively  Avoid tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.