1. Chapter 3
Managing Stress

2. What is Stress? Stress is
the response of your body and mind to being challenged or threatened
You experience stress when situations, events, or people make demands on your and
body
mind.
There are two types of stress:
eustress
distress

3. Eustress Eustress is positive stress.
Stress is positive when it helps you:
escape from a dangerous situation.
promotes your personal growth.
helps you accomplish your goals.

4. Distress Distress is negative stress.
Stress is negative when it makes you:
perform poorly (school/sports/work).
depressed.
tired or sick.
pessimistic.

5. The Many Causes of Stress
An event or situation that causes stress is called a
stressor.
The four general types of stressors are:
major life changes
catastrophes
every day problems
environmental problems

6. Major Life Changes A major life change is stressful because
it takes energy to adjust to a new situation.
Some examples of major life changes are:
graduating from high school
experiencing the death of a loved one
not making the team
having a newborn sister or brother
going through parents’ divorce

7. Catastrophes A catastrophe is
an event that threatens lives and may destroy property.
Some examples of catastrophes are:
natural disasters
violent crimes
terrorism
war
You don’t need to experience a catastrophe first hand to feel stress. Reading about it or seeing images on television can also cause stress.

8. Everyday Problems
Some of the most common stressors are minor, but frequent, everyday events.
These common stressors are sometimes called
hassles.
Hassles include:
misplacing your keys
having too many homework assignments the same day
and are also common sources of stress.
Conflicts
pressures

9. Environmental Problems
Conditions in your immediate surroundings affect your level of stress each day.
Examples of environmental stressors are:
riding in an overcrowded bus
hunting in a messy locker for a book
noise
living in unsafe and overcrowded conditions

10. Stages of Stress
All stressors trigger the same response. However, the intensity of the response will vary.
The body’s response to stress occurs in three stages:
Alarm Stage
Resistance Stage
Exhaustion Stage

11. Alarm Stage
During the alarm stage, your body releases a substance into your blood called
adrenaline.
Adrenaline causes
your heart to beat faster.
your breathing to speed up.
your muscles to tense.
your attention narrows as you focus on the stressor.

12. Alarm Stage The changes listed prepare you to either the stressor or
“fight”
“take flight.”
This initial reaction of the body to stress is called the
fight-or-flight response.

13. Resistance Stage
If you’re unable to successfully respond to a stressor during the alarm stage, your body moves into the resistance stage.
During this stage, your body begins to adapt to the stressor and the symptoms from the alarm stage begin to disappear.
Your body uses up a lot of energy during this stage, and as a result, you may become:
tired
irritable
less able to handle any added stress

14. Exhaustion Stage
During this stage, your body can no longer keep up with the demands being placed.
Your physical and emotional resources are depleted.
The exhaustion stage does not occur with each stress response. It only occurs if a stress occurs for a long time (weeks/months/years).

15. Recognizing Signs of Stress
The warning signs of stress include:
physical changes
behavioral changes
emotional changes
changes in thinking
If you are able to recognize the warning signs of stress, you can then identify the stressor and prevent some of the more serious effects of stress.

16. Physical Changes Some physical changes due to stress include:
muscle tension
headache
upset stomach
pounding heart
skin rash
shortening of breath
increased sweating

17. Behavioral Changes Some behavioral changes due to stress include:
overeating or hardly eating at all
sleep problems
hurrying; talking fast
withdrawing from relationships
reckless behavior

18. Emotional Changes Some emotional changes due to stress include:
irritable
angry
impatient
nervous
increased crying

19. Changes in Thinking Some changes in thinking due to stress include:
unable to concentrate
negative thinking
excessive worrying
self-criticism
critical of others

20. Stress and Illness Severe and prolonged stress can affect your health.
trigger certain illnesses
reduce the body’s ability to fight an illness
make some diseases harder to control

21. Stress and Illness Some illnesses that can occur from stress are:
stomach aches
asthma
headaches
immune system deficiency
heart disease

22. Stress and Personality
Your personality influences the way you deal with stress.
A person who has the tendency to focus on the positive aspects of a situation is called
an optimist.
A person who has the tendency to focus on the negative aspects of a situation and expect the worst is called
a pessimist.

23. Dealing with Stress
The ability to recover, or “bounce back,” from extreme or prolonged stress is called
resilience.
The key factor in resilience is having the support of family and friends.
These relationships offer encouragement, reassurance, and love.

24. Resilience People with resilience
know their strengths and have confidence in their abilities.
make realistic plans and take the steps to carry out those plans.
have good communication and problem-solving skills.
are able to recognize and control their feelings.
recognize that change is a normal part of life.

25. Coping with Stress
There are two techniques that can help you keep stress under control.
time management
mental rehearsal

26. Reducing Tension Strategies that can help you relieve tension are:
physical activity
relaxation

27. Change Your Thinking Two ways to change your thinking are:
avoid negative thinking
humor

28. Building Resilience You need to build resilience by:
taking care of yourself
building a support system
taking action
helping somebody
confiding in yourself
going easy on yourself
putting things in perspective
find a hassle-free zone
stick to your routines