STRESS Health 7
WHAT IS STRESS? Stress is physical, mental, or emotional strain in your life. Certain situations or experiences cause people stress (but what is stressful to one person may not be stressful to another). Happy events, such as going to summer camp, can be stressful. Unhappy events, such as moving to a new place, can also be stressful.
SOURCES OF STRESS Situations and feelings that cause you to feel stress are called stressors. Stressors come from many different sources in our lives. Physical stressors Adolescent stressors Imaginary stressors Mental stressors Boredom Crisis Changes
PHYSICAL STRESSORS Being deprived of food, shelter, and warmth Injury or illness Pollution Noise Crowded conditions
ADOLESCENT STRESSORS The process of growing and changing Dealing with new teachers Having family problems Managing school work Issues with friends Need for independence
IMAGINARY STRESSORS Thinking about a situation or even that has not happened, like an upcoming class presentation, or fear of an illness. Butterflies in the stomach Skin rashes Stomach aches Symptoms usually disappear soon after the even has occurred, or once the illness is proven not to exist
MENTAL STRESSORS Holding yourself to high standards Attempting to meet parents’ expectations Concern about performance in school Trying to please other people Feeling misunderstood by others
BOREDOM Not feeling challenged causes boredom Can lead to depression
CRISIS When something terrible occurs without warning Death in family Parents’ divorce A fire An accident Serious illness
CHANGES Going to a new school Moving to a new home or city Parents getting remarried Birth of a sibling Going on a first date
HEALTHY STRESS The right amount of stress can be healthy and beneficial if it is managed properly. Stress can inspire you to do better on a test, for example. If you are worried about doing poorly, the stress will cause you to study more and work harder. You will get a better grade as a result. Another example is when stress helps you reach a goal. If you have an upcoming hockey game against a strong team, you may feel stressed about it. This will motivate you to practice harder, or play harder, which can help your team win.
UNHEALTHY STRESS If stress remains for a long period of time, and is not managed properly, it can be unhealthy and harmful. Your body starts to experience the effects of stress: Headaches Muscle pains Sleeplessness Minor illnesses such as cold, flu, or indigestion Serious illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or stomach ulcers Poor eating habits Poor health habits, such as smoking, drinking, and using drugs
DEALING WITH STRESS You can never completely avoid stress in your life. The secret is to learn to control it. Once you accept the things you cannot change, and work hard at the things you can change, you are better able to cope with stress. To prevent the unhealthy effects of stress, you must figure out how to relieve or reduce stress levels. There are strategies that can help you cope with stress better.
PHYSICAL STRATEGIES Maintain your health (exercise, eat well, get enough sleep) Learn to relax (get a hobby, have a warm bath, try relaxation techniques)
MENTAL STRATEGIES Think positive thoughts (focus on your strengths, think about what you’ve done well) Organize your time (sort your tasks from most important to least important, do one step at a time, give yourself enough time to get things done) Value yourself (don’t blame yourself when things do not go well, learn from your mistakes, do not try to be perfect) Plan and think ahead (make plans to deal with stressful situations, have a plan B, compromise) Express your feelings (laugh, cry)
SOCIAL STRATEGIES Communicate with people (compliment someone, discuss your problems with a trustworthy person, help someone) Seek new activities (pursue new hobbies and interests, plan something fun to do, spend time with different people)
Case study – page Read and discuss questions 1 and 2 In-class assignment