1. STRESS MANAGEMENT MANAGING STRESS IN YOUR LIFE: A PERSONAL APPROACH
J.P. PECORELLI, PH.D.
Behavioral Health Services of Sharon Regional Health System

2. STRESS MANAGEMENT IS A PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE IS NECESSARY
TIME, MONEY, AND RELATIONSHIPS ENSURE THAT STRESS WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US

3. STRESS MANAGEMENT
STRESS
DOES NOT HAVE TO BE NEGATIVE OR OVERWHELMING

4. STRESS MANAGEMENT DEFINITION:
THE NON-SPECIFIC RESPONSE OF THE BODY TO ANY DEMAND
Hans Selye, MD

5. STRESS MANAGEMENT DR. HANS SELYE WROTE:
“…STRESS IS ESSENTIALLY REFLECTED BY THE RATE OF ALL THE WEAR AND TEAR CAUSED BY LIFE.”

6. STRESS MANAGEMENT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO US?
IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE STRESSOR IS PLEASANT OR UNPLEASANT, OR THE RESULTS ARE GOOD OR BAD

7. STRESS MANAGEMENT NOT ALL STRESS IS NEGATIVE EUSTRESS: POSITIVE STRESS
RESULTS FROM EXHILARATING EXPERIENCES:
WINNING THE LOTTERY
UNEXPECTED PROMOTION
AWARD

8. STRESS MANAGEMENT DISTRESS STRESS OF:
LOSING, FAILING, OVERWORKING AND NOT COPING
CAN BE HARMFUL AND IT IS NORMAL FROM TIME TO TIME

9. STRESS MANAGEMENT OUR RESPONSE TO STRESS:
IS THE AUTOMATIC STATE THAT RESULTS WHEN THE BODY ATTEMPTS TO MAKE CHANGES IN ORDER TO ADAPT TO ANY DEMAND

10. STRESS MANAGEMENT CAUSES OF STRESS FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES: EXTERNAL
INTERNAL

11. STRESS MANAGEMENT EXTERNAL STRESSOR MAY BE MAJOR LIFE EVENTS:
(REFER TO HOLMES-RAHE SCALE)
MOVING
DEATH OF SPOUSE, FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND
DIVORCE

12. STRESS MANAGEMENT MAY BE CAUSED BY EVERYDAY PRESSURES SUCH AS:
FINANCIAL
DEADLINES
ARGUMENTS
FAMILY CONCERNS
LACK OF SLEEP

13. STRESS MANAGEMENT INTERNAL STRESSORS “INSIDE OURSELVES”
THIS TYPE OF STRESSOR MAY PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN THE STRESS OF DAILY LIFE

14. STRESS MANAGEMENT EXAMPLES ARE: “VALUES AND BELIEFS” FAITH GOALS
SELF-IMAGE
EXPECTATIONS OF SELVES & OTHERS

15. STRESS MANAGEMENT STRESS DRIVEN BY HORMONES
HORMONES ACT LIKE A CONDUCTOR
HORMONES INNERVATE BODY SYSTEMS/ORGANS

16. STRESS MANAGEMENT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE STRESSED:
HYPOTHALAMUS STIMULATES PITUITARY
PITUITARY RELEASES ACTH INTO BLOOD
ACTH STIMULATES ADRENAL GLANDS TO SECRETE FURTHER CHEMICALS THAT AFFECT OTHER ORGAN SYSTEMS

17. STRESS MANAGEMENT STRESS WHAT YOU NOTICE: HEART RATE SPEEDS UP
BP RISES
BREATHING SPEEDS UP
BLOOD TO MUSCLES
SWEATING
BLOOD SUGAR INCREASES

18. STRESS MANAGEMENT MANY PEOPLE HAVE SYMPTOMS OF DISTRESS EVERYDAY.
WE ACCEPT IT AS PART OF A NORMAL DAY.
TO REDUCE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON OURSELVES, WE MUST INCREASE AWARENESS

19. STRESS MANAGEMENT COMMON SYMPTOMS OF STRESS PHYSICAL MENTAL EMOTIONAL
BEHAVIORAL
COGNITIVE

20. STRESS MANAGEMENT PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: MUSCLE TENSION
NAUSEA, VOMITING
HEADACHES
JAW, NECK & BACK PAIN
DIARRHEA
SLEEP DISTURBANCES
DRY MOUTH, SWEATY PALMS
UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
COLD HANDS
BREATHING CHANGES (E.G., SHALLOW, SIGHING)

21. STRESS MANAGEMENT EMOTIONAL/MENTAL SYMPTOMS:
ANXIETY, WORRY, GUILT, NERVOUSNESS
ANGER, FRUSTRATION
MOODINESS
DEPRESSION
APPETITE VARIES
RACING THOUGHTS
NIGHTMARES
DIMINISHED CONCENTRATION
IMPAIRED MEMORY OR FORGETFULNESS

22. STRESS MANAGEMENT INDECISIVENESS CLOSE TO TEARS OR CRYING LONELINESS
FEAR OF GETTING CLOSE
SUICIDAL THINKING
TROUBLE LEARNING NEW INFO
CONFUSED/DISORGANIZED

23. STRESS MANAGEMENT BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS TARDINESS SERIOUS APPEARANCE
NERVOUS BEHAVIOR/HABITS
RUSHING/PACING
ON EDGE
INCREASED FRUSTRATION/IRRITABLE
MORE ACCIDENTS
OVERREACTING

24. STRESS MANAGEMENT REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL DEFENSIVE
SLEEP PROBLEMS/TIREDNESS
INCREASED USE OF OTC DRUGS
INCREASED TOBACCO
INCREASED ALCOHOL
INCREASED RECREATIONAL DRUGS

25. STRESS MANAGEMENT LONG TERM EFFECTS ARE HARMFUL.
MOST OF US BOUNCE BACK. UNDER LONG-TERM STRESS HOWEVER:
OUR PERSONALITIES CHANGE
MAY BECOME DEPRESSED
FEEL HELPLESS/HOPELESS
BECOME EXPLOSIVE/IMPULSIVE

26. STRESS MANAGEMENT HAVE EXAGGERATED FEARS DEVELOP ANXIETY/PANIC
DEVELOP PHYSICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING CV DISEASE, HBP, ULCERS OR HEADACHES

27. STRESS MANAGEMENT
QUESTIONS?

28. STRESS MANAGEMENT SIMPLE, RIGHT? NOW THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS,
HOW DO YOU MANAGE IT?
SIMPLE, RIGHT?

29. STRESS MANAGEMENT COPING SKILLS FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT: DEEP BREATHING
EXERCISE
RELAXATION
GUIDED IMAGERY

30. STRESS MANAGEMENT GET ORGANIZED: USE CALENDERS OR “TO DO LISTS”
KNOW YOUR LIMITS:
BE REALISTIC
CHANGE ATTITUDE:
LEARN TO SEE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS AS CHALLENGES
TALK IT OVER:
TALK THE SITUATION OVER WITH A FRIEND

31. STRESS MANAGEMENT LEARN TO SAY “NO”:
THERE ARE SOME DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. SEPARATE THOSE FROM ACTIVITIES OVER WHICH WE HAVE SOME CONTROL, AND LEARN TO SAY “NO” TO DEMANDS.

32. STRESS MANAGEMENT POSITIVE SELF TALK:
LEARN THAT YOU CAN MANAGE A STRESSFUL SITUATION BY WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, “I CAN HANDLE THIS ONE STEP AT A TIME”.

33. STRESS MANAGEMENT TAKE CHARGE:
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING YOUR LIFE WHAT YOU WANT.

34. STRESS MANAGEMENT DEEP BREATHING PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION
BIOFEEDBACK
MEDITATION
BEGIN AN EXERCISE PROGRAM
REAPPRAISE YOUR LIFE AND PRIORITIES

35. STRESS MANAGEMENT LOVE, PRAY, FORGIVE
REALIZE THAT MOST STRESS COMES FROM WITHIN, NOT WITHOUT.
TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS AND TASTE THE STRAWBERRIES.

36. STRESS MANAGEMENT QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTIVENESS