2. Stress Management Anticipating and Monitoring Personal Stressors

3. What is a Stressor  A person, place or situation that places a demand on the mind or the body.

4. Common Stressors Moving Arguing with parents or friends Acne Overweight Taking a test

5. Common Stressors Breaking up with girl/boyfriend Getting glasses/braces Getting Arrested Being sick or getting hurt

6. Common Stressors Death of a family member Getting in trouble at school Making a school team Peer pressure Loud noises

7. How your body responds to stress Your body prepares to fight the stressor or flee from it. Adrenaline, (“the stress hormone”) is released when a demand is placed upon us. The release of adrenaline causes many physical changes in the body.

8. Physical Reactions of Fight or Flight Response Become more alert Muscles tense Heart rate and blood pressure increase More blood is sent to the brain and muscles for quick movement Blood vessels carry less blood to skin and digestive system Pupils dilate

9. Physical Reactions of Fight or Flight Response Hearing ability increases Breathing increases Sugar in blood increases giving you more energy Digestion slows down Amount of stomach acid increases Liver releases sugar for quick energy Immune system slows down, causing an increased chance of becoming ill

10. What can trigger the Fight-or-Flight Response? Fear Severe Pain Anger

11. What can trigger the Fight-or- Flight Response? Conflict Embarrassment Other threatening situations

12. How Your Body Responds to Stress Not all stressors are bad stressors. Eustress – “good stress” or dealing with the stressor in a positive way. Distress – “bad stress” or an unhealthy way of handling a stressor. The body responds to all stress the same way whether the stressor is a bad stress or a good stress.

13. How Your Body Responds to Stress The key to getting the body changes to return to normal is to: recognize it as a good stress determine a positive way to deal with the stressor make the stressor less stressful

14. Stress Burnout When you have too much stress or when the stress goes on too long. Signs of stress burn-out: Can’t sleep (insomnia) Frequent headaches Eating patterns are affected: losing your appetite or over-eating Chronic fatigue (tiredness)

15. Stress Burnout (continued) Difficulty concentrating Difficulty dealing with everyday tasks Nervous stomach Feeling tense Mood changes: irritability, feeling overwhelmed, depressed, bored, not caring about anything

16. How Your Body Responds to Stress Three-fourths (3/4) of all the doctor visits in the U.S. are due to stress-related illnesses or conditions. This means that the condition was caused by stress (the way the body responds to stress) or not coping with the stress in a positive way.

17. How Your Body Responds to Stress Headache Backache or neck ache Digestive system problems Colitis Ulcers Gastritis Irritable bowel syndrome

18. How Your Body Responds to Stress Skin rashes Increased chance of harmful blood clots Cancer Other reactions to stress include: Depression, suicide Alcohol or drug use Development of eating disorders (anorexia or bulimia)

19. Stress Management Techniques Visualization – Imagine a quiet peaceful place and try to engage the senses as much as possible.

20. Stress Management Techniques Progressive Muscular Relaxation – Starting at either the head or the feet, contract and relax each group of muscles for 3 to 5 seconds. Repeat the contraction/relaxation 3 times. Do this for all the muscle groups.

21. Stress Management Techniques Deep (diaphragmic) breathing – Take slow, deep breaths. Place your hand on the abdomen. This is the part of the body that should be rising and falling when you are doing deep breathing. When could you use deep breathing to calm down in a stressful situation?

22. Stress Management Techniques Exercise – Strenuous exercise causes a release of chemicals, called endorphins, which keep energy levels up, make you feel good, and help you sleep.