Stress can be defined as any demand or change that the human system must respond to. Stress becomes distress when it lasts too long, occurs too often, or is too severe. The document discusses different stress reactions at various ages, types of stress including basic, cumulative and traumatic stress, common coping mechanisms like avoidance and approach, and the impact of stress on communities. It emphasizes the special needs of children in dealing with stress, abuse and grief, and how to help children build resiliency after disasters through community-based interventions. The document also discusses recognizing when to refer people for professional help.

1. Stress and coping

2. Stress and coping
• Stress and common reactions to stress
• The difference between normal and
extreme stress
• Coping mechanism related to stress
• When to refer for professional help

3. STRESS DEFINITION
Stress can be defined as any demand or change that the human
system (mind, body, spirit) must meet and respond to.
Stress is therefore a part of normal life. However, stress becomes
distress when it lasts too long, occurs too often, or is too severe.

4. Different reactions at different ages
• 0-2 years – irritable, crying, showing clinging or passive
behaviour
• 2-6 years – often feel helpless and powerless, fear of
separation, play activities may involve aspects of the event,
denial and withdrawal, become mute and avoid playmates and
adults
• 6-10 years – guilt, feelings of failure, anger, fantasies of playing
rescuer, intensely preoccupied with details of the event
• 11-18 years – responses resemble adult reactions, irritation,
rejection of rules and aggressive behaviour, fear, depression,
risk-taking behaviour, may attempt suicide

5. STRESS REACTIONS
Physical
Emotional
Psychological

6. TYPES OF STRESS
BASIC
Cumulative
Traumatic

7. HOW DO PEOPLE USUALLY COPE WITH
STRESS ?
7
• Avoidance – denial and
dissociation
• Approach – trying to find
meaning, seeking support, taking
actions

8. THE IMPACT OF STRESS ON A
COMMUNITY

9. Stress and coping

10. Coping
Coping is a
way to
prevent, delay,
avoid or
manage stress

11. Assessment of coping strategies
Discuss in your group:
When is a coping strategy adaptive or maladaptive? Give
some examples.
How do you train people to recognize culturally
appropriate adaptive coping strategies that should be
supported and to support them?

12. Coping with Stress
Meditation
Letters/Diaries
Recreation /leisure
Group support
Self talk
Time management
Professional Counselling

13. LEARN HOW TO RELAX

14. Childre
n

15. Children
• The special needs of children
• Children’s reactions to stress, abuse
and grief
• How to help
• Child protection

16. Role Play
3 people in a group
A parent is worried as his/her 8-year-old child is
scared when hearing people died from Ebola.
This child reported sleeplessness, nightmare and
refuse to talk to other children. This parent
doesn’t know how to explain the situation to the
child and handle the stress reactions. How are
you going to support her/him?
a) Parent in distress
b) Helper (listen to him and facilitate adoption of
adaptive coping strategies)
c) Observer (observe and comment)

17. Children and resiliency
Group Discussion:
Discuss in your group how children can be a
source of resiliency for a community after a
disaster.
How can this be incorporated in the design of a
community-based psychosocial
intervention?
Give some examples from your experience or
imagination.

18. Referral

19. Who to refer - when and how?
How do you get people to recognize the limitations of
their work and to do timely referrals?
Give some examples of when this hasn’t worked.
•What action needs to be taken in this kind of a situation?
•What might stop someone from doing anything?
•How could this have been prevented?