Stress!!! Health Education

Find a talk-partner…  What stresses you out? – make a list  What are some ways you handle it or how could you handle it?  Are there destructive ways of ‘handling’ stress?

 Stress  The body’s reaction to everyday demands or threats  Stressors  The causes of stress – could be many things  Eustress  Positive Stress (Good)  Example: Athletic competition  Distress  Negative Stress (Bad  Example: A bully Introduction to Stress

How stress effects the body  Stages of stress 1. Alarm Stage - 1 st stage of stress response when the body & mind go on high alert!  Homeostasis: All of your body’s systems functioning smoothly. Your mind at ease – Normal Balance!  Adrenaline: an emergency hormone released by the adrenal gland to prepare the body for stress response  “Fight or Flight Response” : Immediate reaction of the body. Prepares you to “fight” the stressor or “take flight” & escape.

Section 3.2 How Stress Affects Your Body Alarm Stage 4) Breathing rate increases. 5) More sugar released into blood. Ability of blood clot increases. 6) Flow of blood to skin reduced. Sweating increases. 8) Pupils open wide. 10) Lump forms in throat as muscles contract. 3) Flow of blood to brain increases. 2) Heart rate and blood pressure increase. 7) Flow of blood to digestive system reduced. Digestion slows. More stomach acid produced. 1) Adrenaline released into blood. 9) Muscles tense. More energy produced by cells Fight-or-Flight Response

STRESS  G.A.S. – General Adaptation Syndrome The Resistance Stage- (the body attempts to REGAIN balance… - all the physical changes that took place in the alarm stage are reversed… the body returns to its normal state of function.  B B B BOTH THE ALARM & RESISTANCE STAGES ARE NORMAL AND HEALTHY… but….

Stages of stress cont… 2. Resistance Stage:  2 nd stage of stress response. Where the body tries to repair damage caused by stressful event & return to “normal” 3. Exhaustion Stage:  3 rd stage resulting in a tired feeling that lowers one’s activity level  “Fatigue”

Early Signs of Stress  Physical Signs  Muscle Tension  Headache  Upset Stomach  Pounding Heart  Shortness of breath  Increased sweating  Skin Rash

Early Signs of Stress  Behavioral Signs  Overeating or hardly eating at all  Sleep problems  Hurrying, talking fast  Withdrawing from relationships  Reckless Behavior

Early Signs of Stress  Emotional Signs  Irritability, Anger  Impatience  Nervousness  Increased crying  Unable to concentrate  Negative Thinking  Excessive Worry  Critical of others

Stress & Illness  Lowered Resistance  Lowers the immune system  You may get sick more often (see chart on next slide)  Increases Stomachaches  Stress affects the way food moves through your stomach (gas, cramps, diarrhea, or constipation)  Stress also increase the amount of stomach acid  Many doctors believe in a link between stress and increased chances for Ulcers – open sores in the lining of the stomach  Asthma  Respiratory disorder, difficulty breathing. Stress can trigger the attack  High Blood Pressure & Heart Disease  Damage your heart muscle and blood vessels over time  High Blood Pressure Is known as the “silent killer”  Headaches  Stress can trigger painful headaches  A “Migrane” is a type of headache caused when blood vessels in the brain and scalp narrow – limiting the supply of oxygen to the brain. The stretching of the blood vessels causing a painful throbbing. certain foods (chocolate & caffeine) can also cause headaches.

Stress & Personality  Personality types  Type A  Rushed and Competitive  Try to accomplish as much as possible  Type B  Calmer  Non-competitive  No regard towards deadlines and time  Most people are a combination of both!  Which one are you?  Refer to the class activity

2 basic ways to react to stressors: 1. Eliminate the stressor 2. Change the way you react to the stressor

Managing Stress / Techniques  Confronting the problem  Don’t Ignore It!  Time Management  Get organized (calendar, planner, watch)  Physical Activity  Walk, Run, Play, etc  Relaxation  Relax  Mental Rehearsal  Practice the entire event (public speaking)  Biofeedback  Medically advanced, testing the body’s response to stress, then controlling it (back pain) (attach sensors)  Humor  Laugh  Getting Help from others  Extra help – don’t try to do it all yourself

Stages of Loss Kubler-Ross stages that both dying & grieving people go through 1. Denial : Can’t believe it has happened 2. Anger : “Why Me?” 3. Bargaining : Try to promise in order to get object / person back 4. Depression : Silence & Withdrawal 5. Acceptance : Dealing with loss  HOPE: can actually operate through all 5 stages. It can make a person think/hope things may get better.

Grief Terms & Info  Closure  A coming to an end of the most intense parts of the grieving process  Delayed Grief Response  A putting off of the most intense stages of grief.