1. Stress and Positive Mental Health

2. Stress  Stress is:  The effect of an event on your mind and body  Can be both helpful or harmful  Can be either positive “eustress” or negative “distress”  Anything that threatens, scares, worries, thrills and excites us  An inevitable aspect of life. We are under stress every day. Without it, we wouldn’t move, think, get out of bed, or care.

3. Stress = Any Demand to Change Positive Negative Neutral Returning to “Homeostasis”

4. What It Stress?

5. Stressors  Stressors are situations and experiences that cause stress StressorPositiveNegative PhysicalExerciseLack of sleep SocialComplimentsRejection IntellectualChallenging ProblemsInability to Comprehend EmotionalFalling in loveLack of love Spiritual Acting in accordance with your moral code Moral conflicts, lack of purpose in life Environmental Having possession of a lot of money Lack of money, shelter, food

6. Impact of Stress  Stress impacts us on many levels- physically, mentally, spiritually  People respond to stress in different ways- Impacts may spill over into family or work  Immune system functioning  Depression, Ulcers, Headaches, Hypertension, Anger/Irritability, Weight Gain/Loss, Fatigue  Stress can reduce the body’s ability to fight infection and disease, including cancer.

7. Stages Of Stress  The initial reaction when stressed (ALARM RESPONSE) is the same every time, whether the source of the stress (STRESSOR) is real or imagined, positive or negative.

8. Stage 1- The Initial Alarm Response “Fight or Flight”  The mind becomes aware of the stimulus through the senses or thoughts.  Within seconds, sometimes even before the stressor is identified, the brain’s arousal system activates the sympathetic nervous system.  Adrenalin and other stress hormones are released.  Nervous stimulation and hormones act upon every part of the body to prepare it for physical action.  Mental alertness increases and sense organs become more sensitive, e.g. the pupils dilate to take in more details over a wider range of vision

9. Stage 1- Physiological Effects  Pulse, respiration, and blood pressure increase to improve transport of glucose, oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the muscles and brain.  Sweating increases as body heat is moved from the core of the body to the skin  Muscles tense up in preparation for exertion  The liver releases more blood clotting factors in case of injury  Blood sugar, fats and glycogen are mobilized for extra energy  Stomach and kidney action stops as all blood is re-routed to organs of priority  Hair may stand on end. In animals this protective response makes them appear larger and more threatening to its attacker.

10. Stage 2- Intensification or Recovery  The “fight or flight” response takes a lot out of you. Luckily it doesn't’t last forever.  You may realize almost immediately that the threat was not real, or you may use the energy that your body has gathered for action to actually run, hit or lift (e.g., lifting of a car off a person trapped underneath).  Then the body reverts to a normal or even more relaxed state, and recovery takes place.

11. Stage 3- Adaptation  If the source of stress doesn’t go away or is only slightly lessened, the body changes are retained. The level of stress begins to be viewed as “normal”.  Physical Symptoms – heartburn, tense muscles, nervous sweat, headaches, stomach aches, diarrhea, skin problems, heart palpitations, frequent illness, menstrual difficulties  Emotions – anxiety, irritability, crying, preoccupied, sleep disturbance  Behavioural Signs – overeating, lack of appetite, increased use of caffeine or smoking, difficulty falling asleep, increase in anxiety- reducing habits (e.g. biting nails)

12. Stage 4- Exhaustion  If stress continues unrelieved for a long period of time, serious health problems result.  Physical Symptoms – high blood pressure, heart attack, ulcers, digestive problems (colitis), strokes, exhaustion, migraines, decrease in sex hormones  Emotions – depression, suicidal tendencies, rage, hysteria  Behavioural Signs – frequent serious accidents, loss of sexual desire, disordered eating

13. Balancing Act The key to managing stress is in maintaining a balance When things are out of balance, our ability to effectively manage stressful situations effectively becomes impaired

14. Practical Guide to Behavior Change Practice Evaluation Target Behavior Plan a Healthy Alternative Didn’t Work Revise the Plan Worked Great! Reward Yourself

15. Coping Mechanisms  We are complex animals living complex lives in which we are not always able to cope with the difficulties that we face. As a result, we are subject to feelings of tension and stress. To handle this discomfort we use various coping methods.  Be aware of your own coping mechanisms and move to more functional means of managing stress.

16. Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms  Projection  When one places the blame elsewhere  Identification  When one imitates the behaviour and mannerisms of someone else  Example: A girl dresses like her friends, not because she likes the clothing but as a conscious desire to be like them.  Compensation  When one exaggerates a desirable trait to reduce the feelings of inferiority caused by an undesirable trait.  Example: people who feel inferior because they are short may train hard to be very strong.

17. Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms  Rationalization  When one explains one’s undesirable or foolish behaviour or failures by giving a reasonably but untrue explanation for it. Examples:  “sour grapes” – a person unable to obtain what he/she wants maintains that he/she did not want it anyway  “sweet lemons” – instead of trying to convince ourselves and others that we did not actually want the thing we were after, we talk ourselves into believing that our present situation really is best for us.  Fantasy and Daydreaming  Escaping reality into a world of possibility  Avoidance  Mentally or physically avoiding something that causes distress

18. Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms  Repression  Subconsciously hiding uncomfortable thoughts and experiences  Displacement  When one redirects emotion toward a subordinate person or thing.  Example: The boss gets angry and shouts at me. I go home and shout at my wife. She then shouts at our son. With nobody left to displace anger onto, he goes and kicks the dog  Denial  When one refuses to admit or acknowledge the reality of the situation  Suppression  Consciously holding back unwanted urges  Regression  Returning to a child state to avoid problems

19. Coping Strategies  Change lifestyle habits  Care for yourself  Well-balanced diet & decrease intake of junk food  Regular exercise  Adequate sleep  Balance school/work with leisure time  Build support system of people with whom you can talk freely  Seek out activities and situations, which affirm your strengths  Seek new activities, pursue new hobbies, plan something fun and exciting, spend time with someone who is calm and reassuring

20. Coping Strategies  Change your thinking  Think positive thoughts (your strengths)  Organize your time- sort out tasks from most to least important; do small parts of a tough job, reward yourself, then continue to work  Value yourself- don’t blame yourself but figure out what you can learn from your mistakes  Plan and think ahead- make plans to deal with situations and alternative plans in doesn’t happen  Express your feelings- laugh when you feel good, cry when you are feeling sad and reach out to comfort others  Keep a sense of humour  Be realistic in your expectations  See problems as opportunities

21. Coping Strategies  Change stressful situations  Communicate your needs and concerns with assertion  Learn time and money management skills  Possibly leave a situation (job, relationship) if it cannot be improved  Learn how to replace the alarm response with the relaxation response.  Take a deep breath when you get bad news  Count to ten before responding  Write down your thoughts or talk to someone  Give yourself time to react – “sleep on it”

22. Relaxation Techniques  Goal of stress management techniques is to get the Relaxation Response.  The relaxation response is a physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional responses to stress... and the opposite of the fight or flight response.  Heart rate, respiration and blood pressure drop, muscular tension disappears, sweating stops, etc…

23. Relaxation Techniques  There are various physical and mental techniques available to promote the relaxation response and achieve a state of inner calm.  In this state, one can focus on the problem causing the stress and increase one’s capacity to deal with it  Mind-Body Connection – the interconnectedness of the psychological and physical parts of the human organism. It is the basis for the effectiveness of relaxation techniques.

24. Relaxation Techniques  Examples:  Biofeedback  Breathing Techniques  Exercise  Guided Imagery / Visualization  Hypnotism  Laughter Therapy  Massage  Meditation  Progressive Muscular Relaxation  Stretching  Tai Chi  Yoga