Stress management.

1. STRESS MANAGEMENT
By
MISS PALWASHA KHAN

2. WHAT IS STRESS ?
 A person’s response to events that are
threatening or challenging.
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3. STRESS: REACTING TO THREAT AND
CHALLENGE
 It’s the way your mind and body react to any new,
threatening or exciting situation.
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4. THE NATURE OF STRESSORS: MY
STRESS IS YOUR PLEASURE
 Stress is a very personal thing. Although certain
kinds of events, such as the death of a loved one or
participation in military combat, are universally
stressful, other situations may or may not be
stressful to a specific person.
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5. CATEGORIZING STRESSORS
 Cataclysmic events
 Personal stressors
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6. 6
Stress Can Be Helpful or Harmful
Helpful (eustress): extra energy to meet
physical challenges, solve problems and
reach goals
Harmful (distress): can cause headaches,
backaches, loss of appetite, fatigue,
digestive problems, depression, difficulty
focusing thoughts and impaired memory

7. 7
Stress
Indirect health-related behaviors
•Decreased compliance with medical advice
•Increase in delays in seeking medical advice
•Decrease in likelihood of seeking medical
advice
Harmful behaviors
•Increased smoking, alcohol use
•Decreased nutrition
•Decreased sleep
•Increased drug use
Direct physiological effects
•Elevated blood pressure
•Decrease in immune system functioning
•Increased hormonal activity
•Psychophysiological conditions
FIGURE 5 Three major types of con- sequences result from stress: direct physiological effects,
harmful behaviors, and indirect health-related behaviors. (Source: Adapted from Baum, 1994.)

8. PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
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 Allergies
 Change in appetite
 Back pain
 Chest pain
 Breathlessness
 Clammy hands
 Dizziness
 Fatigue
 Racing heartbeat
 Muscle tension
 Restlessness
 Rashes
 Sleeping problems
 Stomach aches
 High blood pressure
 Nightmares

9. BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
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 Neglecting appearance
 Arguing
 Avoiding tasks and
responsibilities
 Difficulty concentrating
 Being late to work
 Overeating
 Snapping at people
 Increasing use of
alcohol or other drugs
 Crying easily
 Watching more TV
 Withdrawing from family
and friends

10. EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
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 Anger
 Anxiety
 Denial of a problem
 Depression
 Difficulty making
decisions
 Loneliness
 Nervousness
 Feeling powerless
 Feeling unhappy for no
reason
 Being easily upset
 Worrying frequently
 Feeling trapped

11. 11
Events do not cause stress.
Stress is caused by our
beliefs about the events.

12. 12
How can I manage
my stress?

13. 13
NO!!!

14. 14
YES!!!

15. GOOD PERSONAL HABITS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR
STRESS MANAGEMENT.
 Eat right – balanced, nutritious diet, with something
from all 5 food groups. Minimize sugar, fats, caffeine
and alcohol.
 Exercise regularly – 30 minutes or more of moderate
physical activity 3-5 days a week. An active mind
benefits from an active body.
 Get enough sleep – 6-9 hours per night.
 Take time to relax.
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16. MANAGING STRESS
 Stress Relief Strategies
1. Body relaxation excercises
- breathing techniques
- guided imagery
2. Physical exercise
-yoga
-work out routine
3. Meditation
4. Counseling
-talk therapy
-life coaching

17. OTHER HELPFUL TIPS
 Changing perceptions and expectations
 Break jobs/tasks into manageable parts
 Set reasonable/realistic goals
 Avoid procrastination
 Set boundaries
 Don’t compromise your values/beliefs
 Schedule “me” time

18. BENEFITS OF STRESS MANAGEMENT
 Physical health gets better
-more energy and stamina
 Emotions stabilized
-positive attitude
-hopeful/happier
 Ability to focus improved
-able to learn and achieve

19. RELAX
 Our brain fires electrical waves at 14 or more
cycles a second.
 These are beta waves and are great for getting
tasks done, but not for learning new things.
 Taking a few minutes to relax deeply slows your
brain waves down.
 These slower waves are alpha waves.
 They occur at between 7 and 14 cycles a second
 Studies show alpha waves improve learning.
----”OnCourse” by Skip Downing