This document discusses stress management and coping with stress. It defines stress as the non-specific response of the body to any demand. Stress can be either positive (eustress) or negative (distress) and is caused by external factors like life events or internal factors like beliefs and expectations. When stressed, the body undergoes hormonal and physiological changes like increased heart rate and blood pressure. Long term stress can negatively impact physical and mental health if not managed properly. The document provides many strategies for managing stress, such as deep breathing, exercise, relaxation, organization, positive self-talk, and seeking social support.

1. STRESS MANAGEMENT
MANAGING STRESS IN YOUR LIFE:
A PERSONAL APPROACH
Presented by: Suha Abu Dawoud
1

2. STRESS MANAGEMENT
 IS A PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE
 IS NECESSARY
TIME, MONEY, AND RELATIONSHIPS
ENSURE THAT STRESS WILL ALWAYS BE
WITH US
2

3. STRESS MANAGEMENT
STRESS
 DOES NOT HAVE TO BE NEGATIVE OR
OVERWHELMING
3

4. STRESS MANAGEMENT
DEFINITION:
THE NON-SPECIFIC RESPONSE OF THE
BODY TO ANY DEMAND
Hans Selye, MD
4

5. STRESS MANAGEMENT
DR. HANS SELYE WROTE:
“…STRESS IS ESSENTIALLY REFLECTED BY
THE RATE OF ALL THE WEAR AND TEAR
CAUSED BY LIFE.”
5

6. STRESS MANAGEMENT
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO US?
 IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE STRESSOR
IS PLEASANT OR UNPLEASANT, OR THE
RESULTS ARE GOOD OR BAD
6

7. STRESS MANAGEMENT
NOT ALL STRESS IS NEGATIVE
EUSTRESS: POSITIVE STRESS
RESULTS FROM EXHILARATING
EXPERIENCES:
WINNING THE LOTTERY
UNEXPECTED PROMOTION
AWARD
7

8. STRESS MANAGEMENT
DISTRESS
STRESS OF:
LOSING, FAILING, OVERWORKING AND NOT
COPING
CAN BE HARMFUL AND IT IS NORMAL FROM
TIME TO TIME
8

9. STRESS MANAGEMENT
OUR RESPONSE TO STRESS:
IS THE AUTOMATIC STATE THAT RESULTS
WHEN THE BODY ATTEMPTS TO MAKE
CHANGES IN ORDER TO ADAPT TO ANY
DEMAND
9

10. STRESS MANAGEMENT
CAUSES OF STRESS FALL INTO TWO
CATEGORIES:
 EXTERNAL
 INTERNAL
10

11. STRESS MANAGEMENT
EXTERNAL STRESSOR
MAY BE MAJOR LIFE EVENTS:
(REFER TO HOLMES-RAHE SCALE)
 MOVING
 DEATH OF SPOUSE, FAMILY MEMBER OR
FRIEND
 DIVORCE
11

12. STRESS MANAGEMENT
MAY BE CAUSED BY EVERYDAY
PRESSURES SUCH AS:
 FINANCIAL
 DEADLINES
 ARGUMENTS
 FAMILY CONCERNS
 LACK OF SLEEP
12

13. STRESS MANAGEMENT
INTERNAL STRESSORS
“INSIDE OURSELVES”
THIS TYPE OF STRESSOR MAY PLAY A
GREATER ROLE IN THE STRESS OF DAILY
LIFE
13

14. STRESS MANAGEMENT
EXAMPLES ARE:
“VALUES AND BELIEFS”
FAITH
GOALS
SELF-IMAGE
EXPECTATIONS OF SELVES & OTHERS
14

15. STRESS MANAGEMENT
STRESS
 DRIVEN BY HORMONES
 HORMONES ACT LIKE A CONDUCTOR
 HORMONES INNERVATE BODY SYSTEMS/
ORGANS
15

16. STRESS MANAGEMENT
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE STRESSED:
 HYPOTHALAMUS STIMULATES PITUITARY
 PITUITARY RELEASES ACTH INTO BLOOD
 ACTH STIMULATES ADRENAL GLANDS TO
SECRETE FURTHER CHEMICALS THAT
AFFECT OTHER ORGAN SYSTEMS
16

17. STRESS MANAGEMENT
STRESS
WHAT YOU NOTICE:
 HEART RATE SPEEDS UP
 BP RISES
 BREATHING SPEEDS UP
 BLOOD TO MUSCLES
 SWEATING
 BLOOD SUGAR INCREASES
17

18. STRESS MANAGEMENT
MANY PEOPLE HAVE SYMPTOMS OF
DISTRESS EVERYDAY.
WE ACCEPT IT AS PART OF A NORMAL
DAY.
TO REDUCE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON
OURSELVES, WE MUST INCREASE
AWARENESS
18

19. STRESS MANAGEMENT
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
 PHYSICAL
 MENTAL EMOTIONAL
 BEHAVIORAL
 COGNITIVE
19

20. STRESS MANAGEMENT
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:
 MUSCLE TENSION
 NAUSEA, VOMITING
 HEADACHES
 JAW, NECK & BACK PAIN
 DIARRHEA
 SLEEP DISTURBANCES
 DRY MOUTH, SWEATY PALMS
 UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
 COLD HANDS
 BREATHING CHANGES (E.G., SHALLOW, SIGHING)
20

21. STRESS MANAGEMENT
EMOTIONAL/MENTAL SYMPTOMS:
 ANXIETY, WORRY, GUILT, NERVOUSNESS
 ANGER, FRUSTRATION
 MOODINESS
 DEPRESSION
 APPETITE VARIES
 RACING THOUGHTS
 NIGHTMARES
 DIMINISHED CONCENTRATION
 IMPAIRED MEMORY OR FORGETFULNESS
21

22. STRESS MANAGEMENT
 INDECISIVENESS
 CLOSE TO TEARS OR CRYING
 LONELINESS
 FEAR OF GETTING CLOSE
 SUICIDAL THINKING
 TROUBLE LEARNING NEW INFO
 CONFUSED/DISORGANIZED
22

23. STRESS MANAGEMENT
BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS
 TARDINESS
 SERIOUS APPEARANCE
 NERVOUS BEHAVIOR/HABITS
 RUSHING/PACING
 ON EDGE
 INCREASED FRUSTRATION/IRRITABLE
 MORE ACCIDENTS
 OVERREACTING
23

24. STRESS MANAGEMENT
 REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY
 SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL
 DEFENSIVE
 SLEEP PROBLEMS/TIREDNESS
 INCREASED USE OF OTC DRUGS
 INCREASED TOBACCO
 INCREASED ALCOHOL
 INCREASED RECREATIONAL DRUGS
24

25. STRESS MANAGEMENT
LONG TERM EFFECTS ARE HARMFUL.
MOST OF US BOUNCE BACK. UNDER
LONG-TERM STRESS HOWEVER:
 OUR PERSONALITIES CHANGE
 MAY BECOME DEPRESSED
 FEEL HELPLESS/HOPELESS
 BECOME EXPLOSIVE/IMPULSIVE
25

26. STRESS MANAGEMENT
 HAVE EXAGGERATED FEARS
 DEVELOP ANXIETY/PANIC
 DEVELOP PHYSICAL PROBLEMS
INCLUDING CV DISEASE, HBP, ULCERS OR
HEADACHES
26

27. STRESS MANAGEMENT
QUESTIONS?
27

28. STRESS MANAGEMENT
NOW THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS,
HOW DO YOU MANAGE IT?
SIMPLE, RIGHT?
28

29. STRESS MANAGEMENT
COPING SKILLS FOR STRESS
MANAGEMENT:
 DEEP BREATHING
 EXERCISE
 RELAXATION
 GUIDED IMAGERY
29

30. STRESS MANAGEMENT
GET ORGANIZED:
USE CALENDERS OR “TO DO LISTS”
KNOW YOUR LIMITS:
BE REALISTIC
CHANGE ATTITUDE:
LEARN TO SEE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS AS
CHALLENGES
TALK IT OVER:
TALK THE SITUATION OVER WITH A FRIEND
30

31. STRESS MANAGEMENT
LEARN TO SAY “NO”:
THERE ARE SOME DEMANDS THAT WE
HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. SEPARATE
THOSE FROM ACTIVITIES OVER WHICH
WE HAVE SOME CONTROL, AND LEARN
TO SAY “NO” TO DEMANDS.
31

32. STRESS MANAGEMENT
POSITIVE SELF TALK:
LEARN THAT YOU CAN MANAGE A
STRESSFUL SITUATION BY WHAT YOU
SAY TO YOURSELF, “I CAN HANDLE THIS
ONE STEP AT A TIME”.
32

33. STRESS MANAGEMENT
TAKE CHARGE:
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING
YOUR LIFE WHAT YOU WANT.
33

34. STRESS MANAGEMENT
 DEEP BREATHING
 PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION
 BIOFEEDBACK
 MEDITATION
 BEGIN AN EXERCISE PROGRAM
 REAPPRAISE YOUR LIFE AND PRIORITIES
34

35. STRESS MANAGEMENT
LOVE, PRAY, FORGIVE
REALIZE THAT MOST STRESS COMES
FROM WITHIN, NOT WITHOUT.
TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS
AND TASTE THE STRAWBERRIES.
35

36. STRESS MANAGEMENT
QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
ATTENTIVENESS
36