For more information, go to teenmentalhealth.org

1. STRESS: WHAT DOES THE WORD MEAN?
• Is stress really “The enemy of a healthy life”?
• We now get stressed about stress!
• “Most people view the stress response as a toxic state to
be minimized, but the reality is not bleak. In many ways, the
stress response is your best ally during the difficult moments – a
resource to rely on rather than an enemy to vanquish.” (K.
McGonigal, The Upside of Stress, 2015)

2. DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRESS
Positive: relatively brief, leads to adaptation and learning, does include negative emotional,
physical, behavioral and cognitive states. DAILY
Tolerable: serious impact, temporary, buffered by supportive relationships. LIFETIME
Toxic: Prolonged; extreme – physical/sexual abuse; chronic neglect, violence; caretaker mental
illness/substance abuse – without adequate adult support (complex outcomes). RARE
•DO NOT CONFUSE TOXIC STESS WITH POSITIVE OR TOLERABLE STRESS
Harvard Center for the Developing Child: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-
concepts/toxic-stress/

3. STRESS: WHAT DOES THE WORD MEAN?
Stress doesn’t have to be all bad. In fact, it isn’t. We can frame
things in a “growth mindset” and look at stress as a stimulus to
change, like motivation.
The stress response drives learning. We don’t always get things
correct the first few times we attempt - stress is a necessary biological
component to help us focus and overcome difficulties.
Stress can be an ally.
Many people are familiar with the stress response “fight or flight” –
less discussed is another stress response: excite and delight. Our
response to stress helps us solve problems, leading to adaptive
solutions.

4. INVERTED U-SHAPED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
EMOTIONAL AROUSAL & PERFORMANCE
Hebb, D. O. (1955). Psychological Review, 62, 243-254

5. Hebb, D. O. (1955). Psychological Review, 62, 243-254
Explanation: When you are detached or bored (underaroused), you perform poorly. When
you are moderately aroused, you perform well!
Consider the difference in saying “I’m stressed out!” versus “I’m excited!” To your body, it’s
the same physiological reaction; but to your mind, the different framing (as “bad” or “good”)
really matters!
It’s important to not frame moderate arousal (emotional stress) as “bad.” Stress response
can be interpreted as courage, and not as damaging.

6. RESPONDING TO STRESS
How you respond to stress will shape your future responses to stress.
Remember, humans are adaptive!
• Stressor -> stress response -> ADAPTIVE SOLUTION -> decrease in
stress response -> skill learned –> resilience is built
• Stressor -> stress response -> REMOVED FROM STRESSOR
(avoidance) -> no resolution or skill learned -> increase in future
stress response

7. B
Time
High
Low
Anxiety
First time
Second time if removed at point B
Second time if removed at point A

8. RESPONDING TO STRESS
The graph shows the outcomes when people leave a normal/tolerable stressful
situation prior to resolution.
The general reaction to a stressful situation is to experience some level of
anxiety. When anxiety is high (point A) and people are removed from the
stressor, the second time they experience the situation they have increased
levels of anxiety because there was no known resolution the first time.
Alternately, people who ride out the stressful situation through a sense of
conclusion or resolution – they have a reduced time and level of anxiety the
second time!

9. TED TALK – Click the link!
https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal
_how_to_make_stress_your_friend?langu
age=en

10. Useful and Not Useful Approaches to
Stress Response
• 1) Understand the Stress Response, its purpose and its various levels
• 2) Interpret the stress response as positive, not negative. A challenge to be
faced. A problem to be solved.
• 3) Identify the problem that needs to be solved. Consider how to solve the
problem. Seek assistance and help of others.
• 4) Lessen the “peak” of the stress response. Use simple and effective breath-
holding and “centering” progressive muscle relaxation techniques
• Don’t turn in.
• Don’t focus decreasing the peak of the stress response and ignore
the other approaches
• DO NOT AVOID

11. Exam Anxiety is the Wrong Name!
• Normal response to the expected and usual stress of an examination – it’s a
NORMAL STRESS RESPONSE
• Most people experience some degree of examination stress response –
adaptive
• A few people may experience excessive stress response – maladaptive
• Those with maladaptive stress response may often have pre-existing mental
health problems, such as an Anxiety Disorder – Remember, this is rare, and it
can be treated. Please talk to your counsellor if you are experiencing
excessive stress.
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12. Dealing with Exam Stress
Response
• Do not pathologize normal as abnormal
• Prepare for the exam from the beginning of the year – praise hard work, not being
“smart”
• Practice stress response interventions (exercise, healthy eating, box breathing,
mindfulness, muscle relaxation; no drugs!)
• Effective study: avoid binge and all-nighters; review; make notes; voice learning;
review key points
• Get a good night's sleep
• Preparation: location; details; no gossip
• Psychological: have realistic perceptions and expectations
• Failure can be adaptive – some people need to have this experience to work harder 12